Agust Gudmundsson

Much of my research is within the fields of volcanotectonics, seismotectonics, hydrogeology, geothermal energy, and solar energy. More specifically, the focus of my research is on understanding the physics and geology of fracture initiation and propagation paths with application to volcanoes, fault zones, and fluid transport in the crust using theories from solid mechanics, fracture mechanics, materials science, fluid dynamics, and classical/continuum mechanics as well as statistical, analytical, and numerical modelling. 

I apply these theoretical principles to improving our understanding of dike propagation and volcanic eruptions, collapse-caldera formation, the generation of landslides, earthquake mechanics, fault-zone development and fluid transport, hydrogeology, geothermal energy, and related topics. In the past decade, I have increasingly used the principles of statistical mechanics/information theory and analytical mechanics for understanding fracture networks and fluid-driven fracture propagation paths, including earthquake rupture (for fault zones) and eruptions (for volcanoes).  

I am the author of two textbooks/research monographs which reflect some of my main research interests, as well as books on geology for the general reader.  The textbooks are 'Rock Fractures in Geological Processes' and 'Volcanotectonics: Understanding the Structure, Deformation and Dynamics of Volcanoes'.

References

• Gudmundsson, A, Lecoeur, N, Mohajeri, N & Thordarson, T 2014, 'Dike emplacement at Bardarbunga, Iceland, induces unusual stress changes, caldera deformation, and earthquakes', Bulletin of Volcanology, vol. 76, pp. 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-014-0869-8
• Mohajeri, N, Upadhyay, G, Gudmundsson, A, Assouline, D, Kampf, J & Scartezzini, J-L 2016, 'Effects of urban compactness on solar energy potential', Renewable Energy, vol. 93, pp. 469-482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2016.02.053
• Browning, J, Meredith, P & Gudmundsson, A 2016, 'Cooling-dominated cracking in thermally stressed volcanic rocks', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 43, no. 16, pp. 8417-8425. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL070532