
Dr Matthew Varnam
BA, MSci, PhD
Expertise
I measure the composition and concentration of gases released by volcanoes to learn more about their current, subsurface processes. I then study how these gases evolve in the atmosphere, including how this might influence climate.
Current positions
Senior Research Associate
School of Earth Sciences
Contact
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Biography
I have since taken up postdoc positions at both the University of Arizona and the University of Edinburgh, totalling 3 years of postdoc experience, examining some wild extremes of volcanism; those found on the Moon. Here, volcanic gas was oxygen poor, meaning its component gases were completely different.
I now work at the University of Bristol, where I return to Earth studying the gases and aerosols emitted by terrestrial volcanoes. I hope to directly measure the properties and composition of volcanic gases and aerosols from Unoccupied Aerial Systems, providing key clues into the effects of volcanic plumes on the atmosphere.
Research interests
My research studies the degassing of volatiles in volcanic eruptions on Earth and the Moon, starting with the composition of magma and continuing through to the evolution of the volcanic plume in the atmsophere/space. I use a range of techniques, including computational modelling, SO2 cameras, DOAS and satellite SO2 retrievals.
At Bristol, I focus on the formation of aersols in the volcanic plume, and the effect this has on the radiative properties of the volcanic cloud.