Prioritisation and quantification in volcanic tsunami risk

Volcanic tsunamis remain a relatively under-recognised volcanic hazard, yet they can have extreme impacts. Part of the challenge of managing and planning for volcanic tsunami hazards lies in their diversity of mechanisms, unpredictable timing and magnitude, and complex relationships with magmatic eruptions and current monitoring techniques. While many regional-scale assessments have been made based on historical records, these don’t always identify relative risk or treat distinct tsunami-generating mechanisms separately. In other regions, volcanic tsunami risk assessments are entirely lacking. A new approach is needed to determine sites that are most prone to damaging volcanic tsunami impacts, to quantify associated risks, and to use this to develop effective long-term monitoring and assessment, based on clear prioritisation procedures. This project will address this challenge, and could combine both regional and global scale perspectives. There is also potential to develop field-based elements within the project as detailed case studies (e.g. in the western Pacific region). The project would involve database construction and interpretation, drawing on geomorphological analyses and archival records, alongside site-specific case studies to address driving mechanisms and potential exposure. A numerical modelling component could also be included, depending on the candidate’s background.