Yves Moussallam is now an assistant professor at Columbia University, after completing a PhD and postdoctoral work at Cambridge in volcanology.
Old bio: Yves Moussallam’s research focuses on the transfer of volatile elements from the mantle to the surface via magma ascent and degassing. This involves a combination of fieldwork at active volcanoes, experimental and analytical petrology, and theoretical modelling:
- Volcanic gas remote and in-situ sensing; Yves uses a range of spectroscopic and other sensing equipment (OP-FTIR, UV-DOAS, electrochemical sensors, UV camera…) to characterise the gas emissions from volcanoes (see Trail by Fire project) and understand the dynamics of active vs. passive degassing.
- HP-HT ex- and in-situ experiments; Yves uses experimental apparatus (IHPV/ piston cylinders/ controlled atmosphere furnace/ Paris-Edinburgh Press) increasingly in conjunction with synchrotron radiation sources (HP beamline at ESRF ) to study phase equilibria, volatile solubility and physical properties (density, viscosity) of magma at high pressure and temperature.
- Melt inclusions and glass spectroscopy; Yves uses laboratory and synchrotron-based analytical techniques (XANES/ SIMS/ x-ray micro-tomography/ Raman/ NMR/ FTIR/ LA-ICPMS/ EMP/ SEM) in natural and synthetic products to understand how the composition and structure of the liquid and solid phases behave during degassing.
Worked on: Mt Erebus, Antarctica; Turrialba, Costa Rica; 15 Volcanoes in Chile and Peru.