This site focuses on the work I did prior to joining the U.S. Geological Survey in 2022. To learn more about what I’m doing now, check out my USGS Staff Page!
What does it look like underneath a volcano? Where is the magma, and how much is there? How might that magma interact with local faults and hydrothermal systems? What’s making that volcano inflate – a buildup of magma about to erupt, or something else?
These are some of the questions I try to answer through my research. My primary tools come from geodesy – InSAR and gravimetry. However, I always analyze my data in a multi-parameter framework, drawing insights by comparing my results with other work in petrology and geochemistry, seismology, and other ground and satellite-based geophysical methods. From simple comparisons to advanced analysis using techniques from “big data”, my work advances our understanding of volcanoes by making full use of our scientific senses.
Patricia MacQueen 