Project Grant 2329691

This $349,699 Project Grant awarded by the National Science Foundation's Geosciences Program (CFDA 47.050) to The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York aims to improve the accuracy of diffusion chronometry, a technique used to determine the timing of geological events such as volcanic eruptions. The project will investigate how water affects the diffusivity of iron and magnesium in the mineral olivine, which is commonly used for these dating methods. Specifically, the researchers will measure magnesium tracer diffusivity in pure forsterite (a type of olivine) and iron-magnesium diffusivity in natural olivine, while varying the water content but keeping other factors constant. This will provide critical data to address the inaccuracy in using olivine diffusion chronometry to predict the timing of volcanic eruptions and associated hazards. The award period runs from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2027.