Dr Sebastian Watt DPhil

Dr Sebastian Watt

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Associate Professor of Earth Sciences
Head of Education (GEES)

Contact details

Email
s.watt@bham.ac.uk
Address
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
University 麻豆精选
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Dr Watt’s research investigates the physical and chemical processes that control the behavior and long-term development of volcanoes. Most of this work focuses on volcanism in subduction zones. Current projects include tephrochronological reconstructions of past explosive eruptions, studies of large-scale volcanic landslides and their associated hazards, and the chemistry and evolution of monogenetic volcanic systems.

Qualifications

BA MSci (2006) – University of Cambridge, Natural Sciences (Physical/Geological)
DPhil (2010) – University of Oxford, Department of Earth Sciences

Biography

Dr Watt's research investigates the physical and chemical processes that control the behavior and long-term development of volcanoes. After completing a DPhil at the University of Oxford, investigating explosive eruption records in southern Chile, he moved to Southampton to study volcanic landslide processes offshore Montserrat, and was a NERC Postdoctoral Reserach fellow there from 2011. He moved to the University 麻豆精选 in 2013. Most of his current reserach focuses on volcanism in subduction zones. Current projects include tephrochronological reconstructions of past explosive eruptions and investigations of large-scale volcanic landslides and their associated hazards. Much of this research is based on fieldwork, including projects in central Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia. Several of these projects are cross-disciplinary, combining physical and chemical analyses of volcanic samples with modelling and geophysical datasets to investigate volcanic processes. Dr Watt's research also draws upon marine data and observations in my research, and he has participated in recent expeditions offshore Montserrat and Ritter Island, Papua New Guinea. He was awarded the EGU Arne Richter award in 2014, and the Murchison Fund of the Geological Society in 2015.

Postgraduate supervision

Sebastian Watt has research interests in the following areas:

Tephrochronology and long-timescale volcanic eruption records
Volcanic edifice collapse, landslide processes and associated hazards
Feedbacks between volcanic construction/destruction and magmatic processes, and the influence of external (e.g. climatic) processes on volcanism.
Mafic and monogenetic arc volcanism
Environmental impacts of volcanic eruptions
The application of statistical methods to geological datasets

Those interested in postgraduate research are encouraged to contact Dr Watt via email to discuss potential projects and opportunities.

Research

Physical volcanic processes

Volcanic landslide and tsunami hazards

Tephrochronology and explosive eruption processes

Volcanic edifice stability

Long-term development and eruptive behaviour of volcanic systems

Other activities

  • 2015-2018 Committee Member, Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group
  • 2013- Subject Editor in Igneous Geology and Physical Volcanology, Journal of the Geological Society

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Beresford-Browne, A, Jolley, D, Millett, J, Stevenson, C, Watt, S, Raine, R & Carter, E 2024, '', Geological Society, London, Special Publications, vol. 547, no. 1, pp. 483-509.

Hornbach, MJ, K眉hn, M, Freudenthal, T, Graw, J, Berndt, C, Huhn-Frehers, K, Watt, SFL, Phrampus, BJ & Wood, WT 2024, '', Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, vol. 129, no. 9, e2023JB028651.

Udy, ML, Ebmeier, SK, Watt, SFL, Hooper, A & Paredes, A 2024, '', Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, vol. 445, 108204.

Micallef, A, Geldmacher, J, Watt, SFL, Ferrante, GM, Ford, J, Lodolo, E, Civile, D, Hodgetts, AGE, Felgendreher, M, Licari, JG, Hauff, F, Hauff, S, Lang, J, Meredew, K, Portnyagin, M, Timm, C, Berndt, C, Cavallaro, D, Muccini, F & Hoernle, K 2024, '', Marine Geology, vol. 474, 107342.

K眉hn, M, Berndt, C, Watt, SFL, Hornbach, MJ, Krastel, S, Sass, K, Kutterolf, S, Freudenthal, T, Huhn, K, Karstens, J, Schramm, B, Elger, J, B枚ttner, C & Klaeschen, D 2024, '', Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, vol. 25, no. 6.

Di Capua, A, De Rosa, R, Kereszturi, G, Le Pera, E, Rosi, M & Watt, SFL 2023, '', Geological Society Special Publication, vol. 520, no. 1, pp. 1-9.

Romero, JE, Polacci, M, Arzilli, F, Schipper, CI, La Spina, G, Burton, M, Parada, MA, Norambuena, J, Guevara, A, Watt, S, Moreno, H, Franco, L & Fellowes, J 2023, '', Communications Earth and Environment, vol. 4, no. 1, 292.

Satow, C, Watt, S, Cassidy, M, Pyle, D & Deng, YN 2023, '', Geosciences, vol. 13, no. 4, 124.

Capua, AD, Rosa, RD, Kereszturi, G, Pera, EL, Rosi, M & Watt, SFL 2023, '', Geological Society, London, Special Publications, vol. 520, pp. 11-27.

Watt, S, Cassidy, M, Cutler, K, Madden-nadeau, A, Engwell, SL, Abdurrachman, M, Nurshal, MEM, Tappin, DR, Carey, S, Novellino, A, Hayer, C, Hunt, JE, Day, S, Grilli, ST, Kurniawan, IA & Kartadinata, N 2022, '', Earth and Planetary Science Letters, vol. 578, 117332.

Aubry, T, Farquharson, J, Rowell, C, Watt, S, Pinel, V, Beckett, F, Fasullo, J, Hopcroft, P, Pyle, D, Schmidt, A & Staunton Sykes, J 2022, '', Bulletin of Volcanology, vol. 84, no. 6, 58, pp. 1-11.

Hornbach, MJ, Sylvester, J, Hayward, C, K眉hn, M, Huhn-Frehers, K, Freudenthal, T, Watt, SFL, Berndt, C, Kutterolf, S, Kuhlmann, J, Sievers, C, Rapp, S, Pallapies, K, Gatter, R & Hoenekopp, L 2021, '', Earth and Space Science, vol. 8, no. 1, e2020EA001327.

Grilli, ST, Zhang, C, Kirby, JT, Grilli, AR, Tappin, DR, Watt, SFL, Hunt, JE, Novellino, A, Engwell, S, Nurshal, MEM, Abdurrachman, M, Cassidy, M, Madden-nadeau, AL & Day, S 2021, '', Marine Geology, vol. 440, 106566.

Suny茅-Puchol, I, Hodgetts, A, Watt, S, Arce, JL, Barfod, DN, Mark, DF, Sosa-Ceballos, G, Siebe, C, Dymock, RC, Blaauw, M & Smith, VC 2021, '', Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research.

K眉hn, M, Karstens, J, Berndt, C & Watt, S 2021, '', Marine Geology, vol. 439, 106563.