LIP Lisboa

Muography: from dreams to reality

by Cristina Carloganu (LPC Clermont Ferrand / IN2P3/ CNRS / UBP)

Europe/Lisbon
311 (LIP seminar room)

311

LIP seminar room

Description

High energy atmospheric muons have high penetration power, making them particularly appropriate for imaging of large and dense structures. Additionally, robust, high resolution and large area trackers became available in the last fifteen  years and the old ideas pioneered by George and Alvarez of imaging mountains and pyramids using muons are being now being implemented.

After a brief survey of  muographic projects worldwide, I will concentrate on muography applications  in volcanology and share what we learned after six years of experimentation on Puy de Dôme volcano in French Massif Central. Muography imaging is still at its beginning but we have now reason to believe that it can significantly improve the  imaging of the inner structure of the volcanoes. Multi-probe data and reliable modelling should increase the accuracy of the risk assessment maps and reduce  human  and economic losses during eruptive episodes of volcanoes.