My main interest lies in the understanding of the physical and structural controls on magmato-volcano-tectonic systems, which cover:
- The internal accumulation of magma within the lithosphere that leads to the formation of magmatic reservoirs
- The mechanical stability of these reservoirs within their geodynamic environment which when reaching failure leads to the magma propagation within the lithosphere
- The effect of the pre-existing stress state and crustal structures on the propagation of these magmas
And finally if an eruption occurs,
- The impact of the eruption on the edifice state of stress and on magma propagation
To decipher these interactions, I, in collaboration with scientific experts from all around the world, use a multivariate but complementary approach based on direct observations through fieldwork, structural mapping, and satellite imagery. These data subsequently serve as the foundation for theoretical modeling though analogue, numerical and statistical methods.
My work is applied to a large array of geologic systems, from individual magma-filled fractures (such as dikes or sills) to fields of individual monogenetic volcanic centers to large polygenetic volcanoes. These systems can be either on Earth or other telluric bodies, such as Venus and Mars.