Amanda Clarke is a professor whose research focuses on the physics of volcanic eruptions. Her group conducts field work to investigate deposits of recent volcanic eruptions and to make quantitative measurements at erupting volcanoes. She also invests in developing and using numerical models and laboratory experiments to understand volcanic systems. She and her group interpret volcanic rocks on Earth and Mars, investigate highly-explosive basaltic volcanism, post-caldera activity, eruption triggering, and interactions between geologic processes (e.g., earthquake-triggered volcanic activity and the interaction between volcanic plumes and Earth’s atmosphere). Key aims include reducing volcanic risk to human populations and infrastructure, as well as understanding the role volcanic eruptions have played in planetary evolution.
Education
Ph.D. Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University 2002
B.S./B.A. Aerospace Engineering/Philosophy, University of Notre Dame 1994
The physics of volcanic eruptions, especially short-lived, highly-unsteady explosive eruptions and dome-building systems; fluid mechanics of multiphase volcanic systems, including viscous magmas and high-Reynolds number gas/solid mixtures; developing and using numerical models and laboratory experiments to understand volcanic systems; eruption prediction and hazards assessment; field and satellite observation of plumes and domes to understand physical processes; volcano deformation and its role in eruption prediction; interpretation of pyroclastic deposits on Earth and Mars; highly-explosive basaltic volcanism; cinder cone erosion and volcanic geomorphology; eruption triggering and interaction between geologic processes (e.g., earthquake-triggered volcanic activity; the interaction between volcanic plumes and Earth’s atmosphere).
Research Activity
Clarke,Amanda Bachtell*, Roggensack,Kurt. Collaborative Research: Understanding the Causes of Highly explosive basaltic eruptions using the AD 1085 Sunset Crater eruption and its deposits. NSF-GEO-EAR(7/1/2013 - 6/30/2017).
Vanderkluysen,Loyc*, Clarke,Amanda Bachtell. Building the Deccan Traps: what can we learn from lava flow morphology in Large Igneous Provinces. NSF-GEO-EAR(7/1/2013 - 8/31/2014).
Arrowsmith,Ramon*, Clarke,Amanda Bachtell. Collaborative Research: REU Site: Integrative Approach to Landscape Evolution in a Monogenetic Volcanic Field San Francisco Volcanic Field Northern. NORTHERN AZ UNIV(5/26/2013 - 3/30/2015).
Clarke,Amanda Bachtell*. Acquisition of Imaging Equipment to Understand the Dynamics of Explosive Volcanic Flows through Lab Experiments & Field Observations. NSF-GEO-EAR(9/1/2009 - 8/31/2012).
Clarke,Amanda Bachtell*. The Dynamics of Short Duration, Unsteady Volcanic Eruptions. NSF-GEO-EAR(7/1/2008 - 6/30/2012).
Clarke,Amanda Bachtell*. Investigating Characteristic Bedforms of Base Surge Deposits: Implications for Cross-Stratified Deposits at Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Landing Sites. NASA-GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CTR(9/1/2007 - 12/31/2008).
Clarke,Amanda Bachtell*. Explosive Volcanism Workshop-Integrating Numerical and Lab Models of Explosive Eruptions with Field Obs: Understanding Pyroclastic Transport. NSF-GEO-EAR(2/1/2007 - 1/31/2008).
Clarke,Amanda Bachtell*. Rapid Decompression of Pressurized Magma, and Laterally-Directed Blasts: Determining Required Initial Conditions and Predicting Hazards Using 3D Multi. NSF-GEO-EAR(12/1/2006 - 5/31/2011).
Clarke,Amanda Bachtell*. Collaborative Research: The CALIPSO Project-Imaging the Magma Chamber on Montserrat. NSF-GEO(9/1/2006 - 8/31/2009).
Clarke,Amanda Bachtell*. Exploring Vulcanian Explosions and Sedimentation Patterns Leading to Pyroclastic Density Currents Using Scaled Laboratory Experiments and Particle Ima. NSF-GEO(8/15/2005 - 7/31/2006).
Clarke,Amanda Bachtell*. UNDERSTANDING CONTROLS ON THE SCALE & STYLE OF EXPLOSIVE VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS WITH OBSERVATIONAL & MULTI-PHASE COMPUTATIONAL TECHNIQUES. NSF-GEO(8/1/2003 - 7/31/2007).
Amanda B Clarke. Experimental Insights into Explosive Eruption Dynamics. Department Colloquium -- University of Florida, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Dec 2009).
Amanda B Clarke, Brittany D Brand. Comparing the dynamics of pyroclastic density currents on Earth and Mars. Commission on Explosive Volcanism Workshop, Clermont-Ferrand France (Nov 2009).
Brittany D Brand, Amanda B Clarke. Comparing the dynamics of pyroclastic density currents on Earth and Mars. Geological Society of America Annual Meeting (Oct 2009).
Amanda B Clarke. Short-lived explosive eruptions: anatomy of a discrete pulse, insight gained from analogue modeling. Michigan Tech University, Department of Geological Engineering and Sciences Colloquium (Sep 2009).
Amanda B Clarke. Experimental Insights into Explosive Eruption Dynamics. American Society of Mechanical Engineers Annual Meeting (Jul 2009).
Brand, B, Clarke, Amanda, Semken, Steven. Eruptive and Depositional Processes of Narbona Pass Maar Volcano, Navajo Volcanic Field, Navajo Nation, New Mexico. Geological Society of America Cordilleran Section Meeting (Mar 2008).
Genareau, Kimberly, Clarke, Amanda, Hervig, Richard. Constraining Pre-eruptive Pressure/Temperature Variations, Transition From Chamber to Conduit, and Crystal Growth Rates: a SIMS Examination of Plagioclase Phenocrysts. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting (Dec 2007).
Bowles, Z, Clarke, Amanda, Greeley, R. Lava Flow Lengths and Historic Eruptive Parameters: Implications for the Volcanic History of the Batamote Mountains, Ajo, Arizona. AGU Fall Meeting (Dec 2006).
Brand, B, Clarke, Amanda. Mega-features at the Table Rock phreatomagmatic complex in Christmas Valley, Oregon; Law of original horizontality need not apply. AGU Fall Meeting (Dec 2006).
Clarke, Amanda, Phillips, J, Chojnicki, K. Investigating the dynamics of Vulcanian explosions: scaled laboratory experiments of particle-laden puffs. AGU Fall Meeting (Dec 2006).
Genareau, Kimberly, Clarke, Amanda, Hervig, Richard. Pre-Eruptive Changes in Physical Conduit Dynamics Recorded in the Final Stage of Phenocryst Growth. AGU Fall Meeting (Dec 2006).
Voight, B, Mattioli, G, Linde, A, Sacks, I, Young, S, Malin, P, Shalev, E, Hidayat, D, Elsworth, D, Widiwijayanti, C, Miller, V, McWhorter, N, Schleigh, B, Johnston, W, Sparks, R, Neuberg, J, Bass, V, Dunkley, P, Herd, R, Jolly, A, Norton, G, Syers, T, Thompson, G, Williams, C, Williams, D, Clarke, Amanda. CALIPSO Borehole Monitoring Project at Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, BWI: Overview, and Response of Magma Reservoir to Prodigious Dome Collapse. Soufrière Hills Volcano -- Ten-Years On Scientific Conference (Jul 2005).
Widiwijayanti, C, Clarke, Amanda, Elsworth, D, Voight, B. Geodetic Constraints on the Shallow Magma System at Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat. Soufrière Hills Volcano -- Ten-Years On Scientific Conference (Jul 2005).
Clarke, Amanda, Stephens, S, Teasdale, R, Sparks, R, Diller, K. Petrological constraints on dynamic eruptive processes: reconciling data and numerical formulations. Soufrière Hills Volcano -- Ten-Years On Scientific Conference (Jul 2005).
Diller, K, Clarke, Amanda, Neri, A, Voight, B. Influence of conduit processes on explosion dynamics: Integrating field data and numerical models. Soufrière Hills Volcano -- Ten-Years On Scientific Conference (Jul 2005).
Esposti-Ongaro, T, Clarke, Amanda, Neri, A, Voight, B. Multiphase numerical simulations of directed blasts and their pyroclastic density currents: pressurization and topographic controls for the December 1997 Boxing Day event, Montserrat, and the 1902 events at Montagne Pelée, Martinique. Soufrière Hills Volcano -- Ten-Years On Scientific Conference (Jul 2005).
Genareau, K, Clarke, Amanda, Hervig, R. Conduit processes revealed by surface analysis of plagioclase phenocrysts?. Soufrière Hills Volcano -- Ten-Years On Scientific Conference (Jul 2005).
Chojnicki, K, Clarke, Amanda, Phillips, J, Monninger, J. Exploring the behavior of solid/gas mixtures via analog shock-tube experiments. IAVCEI General Assembly (Nov 2004).
Diller, K, Clarke, Amanda, Neri, A, Voight, B. Conduit flow characteristics and the impact they have on explosive eruptions. IAVCEI General Assembly (Nov 2004).
Mattioli, G, Voight, B, Young, S, Linde, A, Sacks, I, Malin, P, Shalev, E, Hidayat, D, Elsworth, D, Widiwijayanti, C, Miller, V, McWhorter, N, Schleigh, B, Johnston, W, Sparks, R, Neuberg, J, Bass, V, Dunkley, P, Herd, R, Jolly, A, Norton, G, Syers, T, Thomson, G, Williams, P, Williams, D, Clarke, Amanda. CALIPSO project at Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat: Prototype PBO instrumentation installed and captures massive dome collapse of July 2003. IAVCEI General Assembly (Nov 2004).
Riley, S, Clarke, Amanda, Watts, R, Suh, C. Deformation measurements on Mount Cameroon. IAVCEI General Assembly (Nov 2004).
Stephens, S, Clarke, Amanda, Sparks, R, Teasdale, R. Petrological constraints on the decompression history of magma prior to Vulcanian explosions at the Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat. IAVCEI General Assembly (Nov 2004).
Brand, B, Clarke, Amanda, Semken, S, Sandoval, C. Dynamics of a Phreatomagmatic Eruption at Narbona Pass Volcano, Navajo Volcanic Field, Navajo Nation, New Mexico. AGU Fall Meeting
Chojnicki, K, Clarke, Amanda, Phillips, J. Exploring the Behavior of Solid/Gas Mixtures via Shock-Tube Experiments With Relevance to Vulcanian Eruptions. AGU Fall Meeting
Diller, K, Clarke, Amanda, Voight, B, Neri, A. Integrating Fragmentation Criteria with Dynamic Conduit Models: the Significance of Syn-eruptive Bubble Expansion in Vulcanian Explosions. AGU Fall Meeting
Genareau, K, Clarke, Amanda, Hervig, R. Soufrière Hills Plagioclase: Postcards From the Edge. AGU Fall Meeting
Ongaro, T, Clarke, Amanda, Neri, A, Voight, B, Widiwijayanti, C. A new high-performance 3D multiphase flow code to simulate volcanic blasts and pyroclastic density currents: example from the Boxing Day event, Montserrat. AGU Fall Meeting
Riley, S, Clarke, Amanda, Watts, R, Suh, C. Investigating Mount Cameroon's Magma Chamber System. AGU Fall Meeting
