Current projects

The recently awarded Fondecyt Iniciación no. 11241126 (PI Jorge Romero) aims to determine the distribution and geometry of slope instability and its controlling factors (i.e., textural and compositional characteristics of rocks, their mass structure and discontinuities, and their mechanical rock properties) at the San José and Nevados de Chillán Volcanic Complexes. Specific objectives involve encompassing the production of thematic maps to represent the factors contributing to instability (e.g., magmatic intrusions, hydrothermal alteration areas, observed landslides, etc.) and defining and characterizing lithotechnical units based on field observations. In addition, it should determine the mechanical rock properties of natural samples based on laboratory tests that represent different scenarios. 

Lastly, these results should be incorporated into numerical models to represent unstable areas, failure planes, and conditions for failure.

Framed by his Postdoc position at the University of O'Higgins (Chile), Jorge is conducting research on the role of hydrothermal alteration in promoting volcano flank instability. The research also includes studying the volcanic debris avalanche deposits of Tinguiririca, Planchón, and Tatara-San Pedro volcanoes in the Southern Volcanic Zone of the Andes. 

Jorge Romero was recently awarded with an EXCITE2 Call 1 project to focus petrological analyses of samples from the Tinguiririca Volcanic Complex during late 2024. The research will consist of electron microprobe investigation of mineral phases and groundmass glass, plus whole rock geochemistry, and radiometric dating. 

Our team performed a full range of analyses in scoria samples collected between 2020 and 2022 at Villarrica. These include geochemistry, mineralogy, and texture. We determined intensive magmatic conditions (P, T, H2O content) that better represent the pre-eruptive stage. This contribution was led by Jorge Romero and was submitted to Bulletin of Volcanology (under review). 

We are studying the syn-collapse decompression of the conduit at Pacaya volcano, through the deposits of an ancient explosive eruption, including a lateral blast bed. This contribution is in preparation. 

This project aims to determine the intensive magmatic conditions and eruption triggering during the Mondaca-forming eruption (Southern Andes), likely occurred in ~1760 CE. We will apply geothermometers, geobarometers, and Rhyolite-MELTS. These results would provide new insight into the generation of hybrid rhyolitic eruptions. Our project is financed by the third EXCITE TNA grant 2023 (PI Jorge Romero). 

A large team of researchers is carrying out studies on the stratigraphy, tephra sedimentation, conduit mechanisms, and analytical and experimental constraints on the pre-eruptive conditions of this eruptions. Some work is under review.