Impact of the Socorro Midcrustal Magma Body

Team: 48

School: Freedom High

Area of Science: Geology

Interim:

Defining the Problem

What does the Socorro magma body mean to us? What would it mean for our cities and surrounding ecosystems were it to erupt? The purpose of our project is to answer these questions and lay out an idea of what the area of devastation would be on the volcano’s surrounding environments. As the magma body is pushing upward 2-4 millimeters every year, we begin to see the beginnings of what could be an active volcano. Volcano means lava flow, and lava flow means dead trees, destroyed habitats, homeless animals, and ruination of our cities. Don’t you think it is important for us, now, to be trying to determine beforehand where this lava will course through the immediate terrain? Using Netlogo and what we know of the area topography, we will simulate the magma body’s eruption. Any scientific endeavor should be built from the foundations that those before us have laid down. Our most important resource will be the research of other scientists, and the data that they have recorded for us.

Problem Solution:

Here’s the plan, using Netlogo and what we know of the surrounding topography, we will determine any lava’s course based on terrain features. Take my hand, for example. Were I to pour water over it, the streams would form within the crevices of skin and around the joints where the skin is raised above the water’s level. In a way, my hand has its own topography, and could be thought of as a smaller model of how lava might behave flowing over a rocky terrain. Just as the water had on my hand, the lava from Socorro’s magma body may one day flow along the valleys and crevices in the land to come to pool into the deepest pockets of land it can find.

Progress to Date:

The biggest obstacle facing us was coming up with the plan, and we have decided for sure what our project is going to be. Now we have begun extensive research upon geographical area of Socorro, and even started mapping out the region on Netlogo.

Expected Results:

Our simulation would provide information that would alert thousands to the best course of evacuation if it becomes necessary. Which houses are built in the line of danger? Where would be a safe place to be in case of emergency? All of this is critical information in all cases of natural disaster, and simple questions like these can save lives. Looking ahead and planning before is always the safest course of action. What would hurricane Katrina have been like had many more of the people of New Orleans not known how to evacuate the area? Tens of thousands more would have died. As it was, many perished due to poor planning and emergency preparations. We see our project in the same light. We are simulating the possible outcomes of a natural disaster that would kill real people in central New Mexico.

Cites

Geophysical research Letters, Vol. 28, No. 18, pages 3549-3552, September 15, 2001

National Center for Computational Sciences- http://www.nccs.gov/2009/05/19/modeling-

Modeling eruptions of Karymsky volcano

Rio Grande rift – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_rift

Magma beneath Socorro, New Mexico- http://scienceblogs.com/stressrelated/2009/03/magma_beneath_socorro_new_mexi.php

Team Members:

  Marika Plugge
  Yoshua Reece
  Nicole Beltran
  Jasmine Jensen
  Joel Sandoval

Sponsoring Teacher: Richard Foust

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