My scientific interests are in petrology and geochemistry and what they can tell us about broader problems in the Earth Sciences. 

Our group typically uses the solid products from volcanic eruptions to understand processes that occur at depth in the Earth through an interactive integration of different disciplines and approaches (e.g. field petrology, petrography, thermodynamics, numerical simulations, experiments, geochemistry including noble gases, geophysics and geodynamics). This favours to constrain the geological processes in a more accurate way. 

With numerous colleagues, I’m currently involved in different research topics including (i) how partial crustal melting occurs at depth through the analysis of the interactions between crust and magma body; (ii) Noble gas geochemistry: magma degassing processes from the mantle to the surface; and (iii) the links between metamorphic petrology, magmatism/volcanism and geodynamics that influence the Earth’s crustal dynamics and evolution.

Scheme of the upper crustal magma conduit (not to scale) at El Hoyazo volcano and related 2-D physical setup of the modelled magma conduit

                                        

On-going research projects

- Snow-melting at the crater promoting the triggering of the magma chamber at depth as beginning of the eruption? Isotopic geochemistry of volatiles in inclusions as tool for eruption forecasting

(PI: A.M. Álvarez-Valero, Funded by MINECO (Spain) (from 10/2022 to 10/2025)

- Caught in action – volcano surveillance with hyperspectral remote sensing.

(PI: Gabor Kereszturi (Univ. Massey, New Zealand), Funded by Rutherford Discovery Fellowship awards (New Zealand) (from 01/12/2020 to 31/11/2025)

- Volatiles evolution under Deception Island volcano (Antarctica): Degassing processes and potential hazards.

(PI: A.M. Álvarez-Valero, Funded by MINECO (Spain) (from 01/2019 to 09/2022)

Here are some references that combine different disciplines. If you are interested in any

PDF-reprint, just drop me a line (aav@usal.es)

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Sumino, H., Caracausi, A., Polo Sánchez, A., Burgess, R., Geyer, A., Borrajo, J., Lozano Rodríguez, J.A., Albert, H., Aulinas, M., Núñez-Guerrero, E., 2022. Noble gas isotopes reveal degassing-derived eruptions at Deception Island (Antarctica): implications for the current high levels of volcanic activity. Scientific Reports, 12, 19557.

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Sumino, H., Burgess, R., Núñez-Guerrero, E., Okumura, S., Borrajo, J., Lozano Rodríguez, J.A., 2022. Noble gas variation during partial crustal melting and magma ascent processes. Chemical Geology, 588, 120635

- Palomeras, I., Ayarza, P., Andrés, J., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Gómez-Barreiro, J., Díaz, J., Alcalde, J., Carbonell, R., 2021. Mapping and interpreting the uppermost mantle reflectivity beneath Central and South-West Iberia. Journal of Geophysical Research, 126, e2020JB019987

- Hiwatashi, H., Ban, M., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Kriegsman, L.M., Sato, M., 2021. Disequilibrium phenocrystic assemblage within dacites reveals magma mixing and stratified chamber after crustal assimilation at El Hoyazo volcano, SE Spain. Lithos, 380-381, 105849

- Hopfenblatt, J., Geyer, A., Aulinas, M., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Gisbert, G., Kereszturi, G., Ercilla, G., Gómez-Ballesteros, M., Márquez, A., García-Castellanos, D., Pedrazzi, D., Sumino, H., Höskuldsson, A., Giralt, S., Angulo, C., 2021. Formation of Stanley Patch volcanic cone: New insights into the Evolution of Deception Island Caldera (Antarctica). Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 415, 107249

- Angulo-Preckler^, C., Pernet^, P., García-Hernández, C., Kereszturi, G., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Hopfenblatt, J., Gómez-Ballesteros, M., Otero, X.L., Caza, J., Ruiz-Fernández, J., Geyer, A., Avila, C., 2021. Volcanism and rapid sedimentation effects on benthic communities of Deception Island, Antarctica. Continental Shelf Research, 104404

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Gisbert, G. Aulinas, M. Geyer, A., Kereszturi, G., Polo-Sánchez, A., Núñez-Guerrero, E., Sumino, H. Borrajo, J., 2020. δD and δ¹⁸O variations of the magmatic system beneath Deception Island volcano (Antarctica): Implications for magma ascent and eruption forecasting. Chemical Geology, 542, 119595

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Pernet-Fisher, J.P., Kriegsman, L.M., 2019. Petrologic history of lunar phosphates accounts for the water content of the Moon’s mare basalts. Geosciences, 9(10), 421.

- Geyer, A., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., G. Gisbert, M. Aulinas, D. Hernández-Barreña, A. Lobo, J. Marti, 2019. Deciphering the evolution of Deception Island’s magmatic system. Scientific Reports, 9, 373.

- Nishi, Y., Ban. M., Takebe, Y., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Oikawa, T., Yamasaki, S., 2019. Shallow magma chamber structure and eruption time scale of the active Zao volcano, NE Japan. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 371, 137-161.

- Antoniades, D., Giralt, s., Geyer, A., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Pla-Rabes, S., Granados, I., Liu, E.J., Toro, M., Smellie, J.L., Oliva, M., 2018. The timing and widespread effects of the largest Holocene volcanic eruption in Antarctica. Scientific Reports, 8, 17279                      

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Burgess, R., Recio, C., de Matos, V., Sánchez-Guillamón, O., Gómez-Ballesteros, M., Recio, G., Fraile-Nuezc, E., Sumino, H., Flores, J.A., Ban, M., Geyer, A., Bárcenas, M.A., Borrajo, J., Compaña, J.M., 2018. Noble gas signals in corals predict submarine volcanic eruptions. Chemical Geology, 480, 28-34.

- Melchiorre, M., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Fernández, M., Vergés, J., Belousova, E., El Maz, A., Moukadiri, A., 2017. In situ U-Pb zircon dating on metapelitic granulites of Beni Bousera (Betico-Rifean belt, N Morocco). Geological Society of America, Special Publication, 526, 151-171.          

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Okumura, S., Arzilli, F., Borrajo, J., Recio, C., M., Ban, M., Gonzalo, J.C., Benítez, J.M., Douglas, M., Sasaki, O., Franco, P., Gómez-Barreiro, J., Carnicero, A., 2016. Tracking bubble evolution inside a silicic dike. LITHOS, 262, 668–676.

- Douglas, M., Geyer, A., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Martí, J., 2016. Modeling magmatic accumulations in the upper crust: Metamorphic implications for the country rock. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 319, 78–92.

- Pla, F., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., 2015. Biot number constraints on the sub-volcanic crust-magma thermal regime: an integrating approach of numerical modelling and petrology. In: Caricchi, L., Blundy, J.D. (Eds.), Chemical, Physical and Temporal Evolution of Magmatic Systems. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 422, 207-216.

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Pla, F., Kriegsman, L.M., Geyer, A., Herrero, H., 2015. Observing silicic magma transport in dykes at depths of 8-19 km: evidence from crustal xenoliths and numerical modelling. Journal of  Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 296, 69-79.

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Jagoutz,O., Manthei,C., El Maz, A., Moukadiri, A., Piasecki, A., 2014. Crustal attenuation as tracer for the emplacement of the Beni Bousera ultramafic massif (Betico-Rifean belt). Geological Society of America Bulletin, 126, 1614-1624.

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Waters, D.J., 2010. Partially melted xenoliths as insight into sub‐volcanic processes: evidence from the Neogene magmatic event of the Betic Cordillera, SE Spain. Journal of Petrology 51, 973‐991.

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Kriegsman, L.M., 2010. Chemical, petrological and mass balance constraints on the textural evolution of pelitic enclaves. Lithos, 116, 300‐309.

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M.., Pérez‐López, R., Nieto, J.M., 2009. Prediction of the environmental impact of modern slags: a petrological and chemical comparative study with Roman‐age slags. American Mineralogist, 94, 1417‐1427.

 - Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Sáez, R., Pérez‐López, R., Delgado, J., Nieto, J.M., 2009. Evaluation of heavy metal bio‐availability from Almagrera pyrite‐rich tailings dam (Iberian Pyrite Belt) based on a sequential extraction procedure. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 102, 87‐94.

- Lavina, B., Cesare, B., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Uchida, H., Downs, R.T., Koneva, A., Dera, K., 2009. Closure temperatures of anatectic and metamorphic hercynite. American Mineralogist, 94, 657‐665.

- Pérez‐López, R., Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Nieto, J.M., 2007. Changes in mobility of toxic elements during the phosphate rock processing in a fertilizer industry (SW Spain) and environmental impact of phosphogypsum wastes. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 148, 745‐750.

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Kriegsman, L.M., 2007. Crustal thinning and mafic underplating beneath the Neogene Volcanic Province (Betic Cordillera, SE Spain): evidence from crustal xenoliths. Terra Nova, 19, 266‐271.

- Álvarez-Valero, A.M., Cesare, B., Kriegsman, L.M., 2005. Formation of elliptical garnet in a metapelitic enclave by melt‐assisted dissolution and reprecipitation. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 23, 65‐74.

Full list of publications and details at: