ECLIPSE

Eruption or Catastrophe: Learning to Implement Preparedness for future Supervolcano Eruptions

Nau mai, Welcome! The ECLIPSE Programme aims to understand New Zealand's largest volcanoes

New Zealand has the world’s most frequently active supervolcano system!

The central Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ) has two recently active volcanic centres, Taupo and Okataina. Every few decades the TVZ experiences unrest and every few hundred years it erupts. These eruptions can be very small and short lived, or more rarely, enormous on a global scale.

Deciding if unrest will lead to an eruption, estimating the timing and impacts of any future eruptions (of whatever size), and isolating the probability of another supereruption remains one of our biggest challenges.

The ECLIPSE Programme aims to reduce the uncertainty around future TVZ supervolcano unrest episodes and eruptions with this MBIE funded Endeavour Research Programme. It brings together many New Zealand and overseas experts.

What are the warning signs of an impending eruption (or not!)

The LEARNZ Supervolcano virtual field trip was a great success:

Check out the LEARNZ videos, diaries and photos here!

New Zealand supervolcanoes are the centrepiece for the new Te Taiao exhibit at Te Papa:

The Active Land Whakarūaumoko exhibit will blow your mind!

Exciting new ECLIPSE research in the news:

Taupō 'super eruption' would bury most of the North Island in 1m of ash (Stuff, 22 June 2019)

Congratulations to Ben Kennedy for winning the UC Teaching Medal!

The UC Teaching Medal is awarded for outstanding and sustained contribution to teaching at the University of Canterbury, and is only awarded occasionally!