In the Field

On this page you will find photo galleries from my field adventures. They occur during classes, data collection campaigns, or simply vacations. Expect some volcano-heavy content.

Semeru – May 2013

My last trip to Semeru volcano, East Java, Indonesia, provided some of the most challenging fieldwork I have ever been on. Equipment had to be optimised so we could use it for 3 weeks from our basecamp, which was a long (1-2 days) hike away from the nearest village. In the end of course it was all worth it. And I have this trip to thank for allowing me to finish my PhD.

Our transportation (before we have to hike)

Battery pack — Li-ion battery technology is crucial for portability in remote locations

Early wake up to try and reach the summit

Early climb up to the summit under a full moon

Once again, the view at the top is simply breathtaking

And producing explosions every once in a while

Stromboli – June 2013

Not my first (nor last) trip to this beautiful Italian island, but surely one of the most memorable. I was there to participate in a workshop on plume imaging methods, and we produced some quality work comparing various versions of the SO2 camera. And with special access, we also were able to spend some time at dusk at the summit, capturing Strombolian activity at its best.

View from the hotel room. "Fieldwork" doesn't get any better than this

Visiting the local observatory advanced post

Monitoring means data streams displayed on computer screens 24/7in action

Aren't we supposed to point those AT the volcano?

Climbing up to the summit, the views are unbeatable

Stromboli has ballistics shelters on the crater rim...

Thermal imaging of the vents by the shelters

This pesky gas is always in the way of observing the ash. Or is it the other way around?

With light intensity decreasing, we start to see some truly amazing things!

Eastern Java- 2011

I travelled twice to Eastern Java in 2011, visited the LUSI mud volcano where we measured gas composition using OP-FTIR, and Bromo for some reconnaissance on what would become the defining object of my thesis: persistently active explosive volcanoes!

Our observation point for thermal measurements

Sometimes it is hard to realise the scale of what you are observing until you see them from above

When you arrive on site and realise your spectrometer works on liquid nitrogen, you must be thankful for bull insemination farms

I must have been saying something really smart like: "and then the light turns on"

OP-FTIR ready, IR target in sight, now to wait for some gas to just drift by

It may be hard to tell on some days but there are in fact quite a few volcanoes in Indonesia

It's not sand, it's ash. Windy days make for interesting experiences

Batok, the neighbouring cone, proved useful in recording recent eruptions of Bromo

Main mode of transportation on the caldera floor: "Jeeps"

I had to take a picture, despite the backlit situation

Guatemala UOB field trip – February 2007

This was one of my most memorable field trips, and the one that definitely turned my career towards monitoring of active volcanoes. In February 2007, I went with the Bristols Naural Hazards Masters class to Guatemala, where we visited 3 active volcanoes, each with their own personality.