event

Public Lecture: The 2014-15 volcanic eruption on the Fogo Island in Cape Verde (Cabo Verde)

13

Nov

Public Lecture: The 2014-15 volcanic eruption on the Fogo Island in Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) on 13 November 2015 (Friday) by Prof. João Mata at Speakers’ Hall

About the Talk

The Cape Verde Archipelago (eastern middle Atlantic) comprises 10 major islands (9 inhabited) and some islets with a volcanic origin and formed along a period of more than 26 millions of years. However, since its discovery in the 15^th Century, volcanic activity has been observed only at Fogo Island, with written accounts of 27 eruptive events. The 3 last eruptions occurred in 1951, 1995 and 2014-2015, with the last one having been accompanied by the author, as member of a volcanological mission of the Universidade de Lisboa.

The emitted lavas during the 2014-15 eruption occupied an area of circa 4.7 km², corresponding to an approximate volume of 4 x 10⁷ m³, almost completely destroying the villages of Portela and Bangaeira, this one located at some 5 km from the volcanic vent.

Besides the description of the eruption and its consequences, the causes of the Cape Verde volcanism will be discussed. The “eminent” birthing of a new island will be also mentioned.

About the Speaker 

João Mata (born in Mozambique) is Associate Professor at the Departamento de Geologia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa (http://www.fc.ul.pt/), where he obtained his PhD (1997) and his Habilitation (2007). At the Universidade de Lisboa he teaches courses in the areas of Igneous Petrology, Metamorphic Petrology and Geochemistry. He is research member of the Associated Laboratory “Institute Dom Luiz” (http://idl.ul.pt) where he develops activity mainly centred on the origin of volcanic and plutonic rocks. In the last 10 years a significant part of his research activity had as focus the study of Cape Verde magmatism. He publishes regularly scientific papers in some of the most important scientific journals of Petrology and Geochemistry. He is also a team member of a scientific project based on the Institute of Science and Environment of the University of Saint Joseph to stud the geology of Macau.

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