4th International maar conference: a multidisciplinary congress on monogenetic volcanism 2012

In recent years, volcanological research on maars and their associated volcanism has enjoyed a noteworthy renaissance. Thus after the First International Maar Conference, which took place in Germany in 2000, a second meeting was held in Hungary co-organised with Slovakia and Germany in 2004 and the third in Argentina in 2009.

Monogenetic volcanoes, which commonly occur in volcanic fields, are receiving increasing attention within the research community. Because of their relative simplicity (compared to polygenetic volcanoes, for example), they provide important insights into magma generation and collection at depth, ascent dynamics, and controls on eruption styles and the potential relationships between these processes. In addition to their value for basic research, monogenetic volcanoes and their host volcanic fields are an important focus of hazard and risk assessments for many urban areas and critical facilities around the world.

As a result of this increased research, the 4th International Maar Conference will expand in scope to be a major scientific conference for experts in any aspects of monogenetic volcanism.

Themes

1. Magmatic system – melt generation and focusing processes in the mantle, triggers for magma rise, ascent rate modelling, physical and petrological constraints on magmatic processes, compositional evolution at volcanic fields, volcano-tectonic interactions.

2. Shallow subsurface processes – including but not limited to: diatreme formation, shallow-level ponding and plumbing systems, magma interaction with country rock of variable aquifer characteristics, differing rock strength and structural properties.

3. Eruptive mechanisms and processes – phreatomagmatic and magmatic fragmentation and vesiculation, pyroclastic/epiclastic transport mechanisms and sedimentation, lava flow, scoria, cinder, spatter, tuff and tephra cone formation

4. Environmental and Economic - paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental records, maar-lake sedimentology, biology, isotopic, magmatic and other proxy Earth history records, volcanic landforms, erosion/geomorphic history and implications for age-dating. Ancient diatreme systems, economic exploitation, ore and diamon-bearing systems.

5. Hazards and Society – hazard assessment, spatio-temporal development of volcanic fields, volcanic process and engineering impacts, syn- and pre-event forecasting models, economic impact evaluations, emergency planning, volcanic risk models, engineering and societal volcanic risk mitigation options, social and cultural understandings of volcanism, education, outreach, geo-preservation