Volcanic hazards transcend national boundaries. KMT research will improve how the world reads signs of volcanic unrest. It will improve civil protection for the 800 million people who live within 100 km of an active volcano: be they the millions of Indonesian citizens living under the veil of the archipelago‘s active volcanoes or the millions of tourists visiting America’s Yellowstone National Park. Volcano monitoring is better when founded on quantifiable, accurate research. By establishing where and under what conditions magma is stored, we can place multiple sensors to provide direct measurements of changes in temperature, gas content, crystallisation and pressure that could signify an eruption.

There is an enormous amount to discover about the physical state of magma chambers. Knowledge of magma currently derives from: interpreting activity measured at the volcano surface, the geology of fossil magma chambers and laboratory experiments. The KMT will unearth direct samples and provide direct observations that will enable competing theories to be tested. Never before has there been a long-term observation of the magmatic system, nor the ability to image it. The KMT will allow us to test and develop models about how the planet works and observe the real properties of the system. Through this, humankind will acquire, and benefit from, a hugely-improved understanding of magma dynamics.

For some regions of the world, geothermal is the biggest source of energy. A quarter of Iceland’s electricity demand is already being met by this clean and renewable power. The Krafla drilling project will enhance research on extracting heat directly from magma. Coupled with rapidly evolving technology in long distance undersea power transmission, this will dramatically change the economics of geothermal energy, potentially pushing geothermal to become 4% of the world’s energy supply. This would help to alleviate fuel poverty; volcanic ranges and islands could become national and international power factories as the KMT enables science to map where we can use geothermal energy worldwide.

The KMT will provide the perfect opportunity for innovation by developing new, qualified and tested technology. It will develop or improve monitoring techniques for volcanology; including real time calibrations. It will also push drilling and sensor technology to the crust’s high temperature maximum. This venture will be working at the limits of sensor systems technology, in a dynamic environment encompassing interactions with magma at temperatures of ~900°C and ambient temperatures at the surface. Finally, it will explore the roots of geothermal systems and the potential for direct energy extraction from magma — the ultimate geothermal resource.