A Swansea volcanologist joins a global deep-sea mission to uncover the secrets of earthquakes

Photo of the drill ship Chikyu used as part of Expedition 502. Image source: JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology)

A Swansea University volcanologist is set to explore one of the most mysterious underwater landscapes on Earth as part of a pioneering international expedition off the coast of Japan.

The mission will investigate “microvolcanoes” – a little-known phenomenon that may influence the behavior of earthquakes – by drilling in the Japan Trench near the epicenter of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake.

Dr Katie Preece, Senior Lecturer in Volcanology, will join scientists from around the world on the 502nd International Ocean Drilling Program (IODP3) expedition.

The team will recover a 225-metre-long core of rock and sediment from an area close to the subduction zone to better understand how these volcanic features affect seafloor sediments and tectonic activity.

Dr. Press will work as a sedimentologist aboard the state-of-the-art research vessel Chikyu, where she will help describe and interpret core samples as they are recovered.

“This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research on a global scale,” Dr. Preece said. “Young volcanoes are still poorly understood, and this mission will provide the first complete sequences of rock samples from these systems.”

Alongside this new role, Dr. Press's research focuses on reconstructing the history of eruptions and understanding how volcanic systems evolve. By combining fieldwork with laboratory techniques, including petrology, geochemistry, and geochronology, she investigates how magma behaves before and during volcanic eruptions.

Image of the drill ship used as part of Expedition 502. Image source: JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology) Image of drill ship used as part of Expedition 502. Image source: JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology)

Her previous fieldwork has taken her to volcanoes in Indonesia, Ascension Island and Armenia, but this will be her first time participating in an IODP expedition.

Following the expedition, Dr. Press will lead post-expedition research to analyze the composition and chemical composition of the recovered rocks. Her work will help scientists understand how microspot activity changes subducting tectonic plates and contributes to Earth's deep geochemical cycles.

Expedition 502 is a collaboration between 17 countries. Like many IODP missions, it presents significant technical and scientific challenges, as drilling operations take place in some of the most extreme environments on Earth. In this case, the drilling site is located under approximately 5.5 kilometers of water.

Dr Jude Coggon, UK IODP Coordinator, said: “We are very proud to have three excellent British scientists sailing on this expedition, as well as another participant in the inshore research.

“Over the past 50+ years, scientific ocean drilling has pioneered the development of seafloor sampling techniques beneath the deep ocean, exploring these frontiers to repeatedly transform our understanding of how our planet works. Expedition 502 is an exciting endeavor, which will help us understand how this newly discovered pattern of volcanism affects fundamental Earth processes, including massive earthquakes and the carbon cycle.”

More information: Founded in 1920, Swansea University is a research institution with two campuses along Swansea Bay in South Wales, United Kingdom. Its picturesque beachfront location and welcoming atmosphere attract more than 28,000 students from all over the world. The university offers approximately 450 undergraduate programs and 350 postgraduate programs across three academic colleges.

In 2024, Swansea achieved its highest ever ranking in the QS World University Rankings 2025, reaching 298th globally and entering the top 300 for the first time. It was also named Welsh University of the Year 2025 by The Times and Sunday Times, and ranked 29th in the Guardian University Guide 2025.

The 2021 Research Excellence Framework rated 86% of Swansea's research and 91% of its research environment as world-leading or world-excellent, recognizing 86% of its research impact as outstanding.

Swansea University is a registered charity. No. 1138342.

For further information, please contact Ffion White, Swansea University Press Office. Call 01792 602706 or email: [email protected]

Provided by Swansea University

Citation: Swansea volcanologist joins global deep-sea mission to uncover earthquake secrets (2025, October 20) Retrieved October 21, 2025 from https://sciencex.com/wire-news/522421601/swansea-volcanologist-joins-global-deep-sea-mission-to-uncover-e.html

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