Workshop on Assessment of Volcanic Activity and Volcanic Hazards in the Caribbean
at 18th Caribbean Geological Conference
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, March 23-30, 2008
www.sodogeo.org
Convener R.B. Trombley
Letter from R.B. Trombley
During this workshop we will be examining major questions concerning the general trends of Holocene volcanic activity in the Caribbean, including documentation of recent volcanic eruptions, prevention of volcanic hazards and mitigation of volcanic catastrophes. This workshop is aimed to debate the current and new volcanological results produced by on-going investigations and research within in the Caribbean and surroundings. Research presentations from concerned countries within the Caribbean area are welcome introducing new data, and debating its implications or constraints to existing volcanoes and hazard mitigation due to tsunamis models of the area presenting updates of current models. Oral and poster presentations are welcome. Information concerning venue, registration fee and dates for abstract will be available soon. Please visit www.sodogeo.org.
Basic information
The workshop will present the current eruption status and forecast for all volcanoes within the Caribbean Plate boundaries. It is upgraded from time to time as appropriate and as necessary. The forecasting and risk assessment has been compiled, using presently loaded data, from the SWVRC software programme, ERUPTION Pro 10.6, the only known long-range and reasonably accurate forecasting programme of it kind in the world.
This workshop is aimed to discuss new and potential volcanic activity results produced by ERUPTION Pro 10.6. Research presentations are welcome introducing new data, and debating its implications or constraints to existing volcanics models of the area; as well as presenting new models and in particular hazard mitigation. Presenters from the various countries within the Caribbean region are cordially invited to make a presentation on behalf of their respective country. If you wish to present, please contact the convener at the e-mail address of: swvrc@usa.net
The Caribbean area primarily consists of the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Columbia and Venezuela and the island nations represented in the Lesser Antilles. Some countries such as Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Venezuela, do not have any active volcanoes within.
In addition, the potential for a disaster on the east coast of the United States and the Caribbean areas grows as the geological evidence suggests that during a future eruption of Cumbre Vieja, on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, could cause a catastrophic failure of its west flank. This failure, if it occurs, could cause a landslide of 150 to 500km3 of rock into the ocean causing a mega-tsunami. Waves generated by the landslide of a 500km3 (150 km3) slide block at 100 m/s could transit the Atlantic ocean and arrive on the coasts of the United States and in the Caribbean with a 10-25 m (3-8m) height.
Last modified: 28 Jun 2007 12:05