Imperial College researcher wins award for magma mapping project

Dr Fiona Simpson has won the Independent Research Fellowship from the Natural Environment Research Council and has been awarded over £1mln.

The five-year project called Electromagnetic Array Research over a Tectonic Hotspot (EARTH) uses a technique called magnetotellurics (MT) to produce new models of magma flows. Simpson will take new MT measurements in Scotland, Iceland and Greenland to characterise electrical conductivity in the deep Earth, and provide more information about Iceland’s volcanic hotspot.

MT works by using natural electric and magnetic fields induced in the Earth.

The measurements taken will also help determine the risk from space weather to a proposed 1,000km high-voltage cable for transferring energy from Iceland to the UK, in line with the UK Government’s Net-Zero plan.

Simpson also believes it will help with extreme space weather events, ‘If we can understand what drives eruptions, by mapping magma below Earth's surface, we can be better prepared to deal with the consequences.’