Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Michigan, through its Office of Research and Sponsored Projects Division, received a $475,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050) for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. This award supports fundamental research to advance understanding of high-silica rhyolite magmatic systems underlying supervolcanoes in the western United States, specifically those at Yellowstone, Wyoming and Long Valley, California. The primary deliverables include experimental findings that will refine titanium partitioning thermobarometers—temperature and pressure measurement tools—by conducting laboratory experiments on natural rhyolite samples at varying pressure (200 and 500 megapascals) and temperature (650–850°C) conditions.

The research will generate refined biotite and quartz thermobarometers applicable to high-silica rhyolite systems, along with improved understanding of the magmatic conditions preceding supervolcano eruptions. Additionally, the project will contribute to workforce development through student training in experimental petrology and geochemical analysis. Upon successful completion, the updated thermobarometers will be validated and applied to natural samples, thereby enhancing scientific capacity to assess subsurface magmatic conditions at high-risk volcanic systems and improving hazard assessment capabilities for these geologically significant regions.