Taranaki ridges (New Zealand)  07/2019



Assessing the suitability of professional high-performance clothing in volcanic environments

This self-funded project is led by VFF Mare Nostrum eV (Austria) and will start in July 2023 and finish in July 2025.

The principal aim is to assess, through a series of planned in-situ and laboratory tests, the suitability of high-performance clothing used by Geoscientists/Volcanologists while operating on rugged volcanic terrain, and how their working conditions and performance are impacted by the inspected protective working apparel.

These investigations will be carried out in New Zealand by Dr. Ermanno Brosch (member of the VFF Mare Nostrum - board of directors) and his on-site support team. The types of outdoor apparel which will be assessed are primarily jackets and pants. When working in volcanic environments it is very important to be properly equipped for working in such hazardous settings to ensure safety and minimise hazards exposure.

The sorts of investigated field activities will focus on two scenarios:

-         - Walking on volcanic terrain during heavy rain and wind episodes

-         - Rock sampling activities in wet and windy conditions

The investigated parameters in-situ will encompass the following listed below which will be assessed on a scale from 0 (low) to 5 (high):

          - Waterproofness

-         - Windproofness

-         - Durability

-         - Mobility

Note that due to health and safety regulations, this project will by no means conduct field activities in proximity of actively erupting volcanoes.

Furthermore, two types of laboratory experiments are planned to complement in-situ observations:

-         - Exposure of outdoor apparel to dry abrasive volcanic ash (ambient temperature) in a free-fall scenario

-         - Prolonged exposure of outdoor apparel to an ash-water mixture (ash particles will be 2 micron in size)

It is important for people operating in challenging volcanic terrain that what they wear protective clothing of durable and reliable quality. It has to withstand the forces of nature – mainly rain and wind – and carrying gear, for instance: Geological rock hammers, sharp chisels, and folding spades.

Outdoor apparel utilised in such adverse environmental conditions also has to withstand potential slipping and falling on abrasive and sharp volcanic ground.

Also, any pockets need to withstand the elements to ensure that handheld devices such as GPS, phones, geological compasses, or hand lenses for rock inspections stay dry.

These scenarios impact the quality of working conditions and performance experienced when operating in volcanic environments.

Hence, the proposed in-situ and laboratory investigative approach of this project shall aid in assessing the suitability of in the market available professional high-performance clothing adequate for scientific missions in volcanic environments.

Évaluation des aptitudes aux zones volcaniques de vêtements professionnels de haute performance dans des zones

Ce projet, autofinancé et géré par VFF Mare Nostrum eV (Autriche), débutera en juillet 2023 et se terminera en juillet 2025.

L'objectif principal est d'évaluer, au moyen d'une série de tests planifiés in situ et en laboratoire, les aptitudes de vêtements de haute performance utilisés par les géoscientifiques/volcanologues travaillant sur des terrains volcaniques, et la manière dont leurs conditions de travail et leurs performances sont influencées par les vêtements de travail examinés.

Ces recherches sont menées en Nouvelle-Zélande par Dr. Ermanno Brosch (membre du conseil d'administration de l'Institut VFF Mare Nostrum) avec son équipe d'assistance technique sur place.

L'évaluation porte principalement sur les vestes et les pantalons d'extérieur. Dans les environnements volcaniques, il est très important d'être correctement équipé pour travailler dans de tels environnements dangereux afin de garantir la sécurité et de minimiser les risques.

Les types d’activités examinés relèvent des deux scénarios suivants :

            - Randonnée sur le terrain volcanique lors d'épisodes de pluie et de vent intenses.

-           - Échantillonnage de roches dans des conditions humides et venteuses.

Les paramètres in situ étudiés sont les suivants, qui seront évalués sur une échelle allant de 0 (faible) à 5 (élevé) :

-          - Imperméabilité à l'eau

-          - Imperméabilité au vent

-          - Durabilité

-          - Mobilité

Veuillez noter qu’en raison des règles de santé et de sécurité, ce projet n'entreprendra en aucun cas des activités de terrain à proximité de volcans en éruption active.

Par ailleurs, deux types d’expérimentés en laboratoire sont planifiés afin de complémenter les analyses in situ :

-          - Exposition de vêtements d’extérieur à des cendres volcaniques sèches et abrasives (température ambiante) dans un scénario de chute libre

-          - Exposition prolongée de vêtements d’extérieur à un mélange de cendres et d'eau (les particules de cendres ont une taille de 2 microns)

Pour les personnes qui travaillent sur des terrains volcaniques exigeants, il est important de porter des vêtements de protection de qualité durable et fiable. Ces vêtements doivent résister aux forces de la nature – en particulier à la pluie et au vent – et supporter sans problème le transport d'équipement, tels que des marteaux de pierre géologique, des burins tranchants ou des pelles pliantes. Les vêtements d’extérieur utilisés dans de telles conditions doivent également résister à d'éventuelles glissades et chutes sur des sols volcaniques abrasifs et tranchants. En outre, les poches doivent être résistantes afin de garantir que les appareils portables, tels que GPS, téléphones, boussoles géologiques ou lentilles à main pour l’inspection des roches, restent toujours au sec.

Ces scénarios ont un impact sur la qualité des conditions de travail et sur les performances rencontrées lors du travail dans des environnements volcaniques. Par conséquent, l’approche d'étude proposée dans le cadre de ce projet, qui comporte des analyses in situ et en laboratoire, vise à contribuer à l’évaluation des aptitudes de vêtements professionnels de haute performance disponibles sur le marché pour les missions scientifiques dans des environnements volcaniques.

Ngauruhoe and Tongariro (New Zealand)  02/2022

Test di idoneità per abbigliamento professionale ad alte prestazioni per impiego in zone vulcaniche

Questo progetto autofinanziato è condotto da VFF Mare Nostrum eV (Austria) ed inizierà a luglio 2023 e terminerà a luglio 2025.

L'obiettivo principale è valutare, attraverso una serie di test pianificati in situ e in laboratorio, l'idoneità di abbigliamento ad alte prestazioni utilizzato da Geoscienziati/vulcanologi mentre operano su terreni vulcanici accidentati, ed in che modo le loro condizioni di lavoro e prestazioni sono influenzate dall'abbigliamento da lavoro protettivo ispezionato. 

I vari protocolli di test tecnici saranno condotti in Nuova Zelanda dal Dr. Ermanno Brosch (membro del CDA dell'Istituto VFF Mare Nostrum ) assieme al suo team di supporto tecnico-logistico in loco.

I tipi di abbigliamento outdoor che saranno valutati sono principalmente giacche e pantaloni.

Quando si lavora in ambienti vulcanici è molto importante essere adeguatamente attrezzati per lavorare in tali ambienti pericolosi per garantire la sicurezza e ridurre al minimo l'esposizione ai rischi.

I tipi di attività sul campo indagate si concentreranno su due scenari:

-       - Camminare su terreni vulcanici durante forti piogge e episodi di vento

-       - Attività di campionamento di roccia vulcanica in condizioni di pioggia e vento

I parametri indagati in situ comprenderanno i seguenti che saranno valutati su una scala da 0 (basso) a 5 (alto):

-       - Impermeabilità

-       - Antivento

-       - Durabilitá

-       - Mobilità

Si noti che a causa delle norme di sicurezza, questo progetto non condurrà in alcun modo attività sul campo in prossimità di vulcani attivi in eruzione.

Sono previsti due tipi di esperimenti di laboratorio per integrare le osservazioni in situ:

-       - Esposizione di abbigliamento a ceneri vulcaniche abrasive secche (temperatura ambiente) in uno scenario di caduta libera

-       - Esposizione prolungata di abbigliamento ad una miscela di cenere e acqua (le particelle di cenere avranno una dimensione di 2 micron)

È importante per le persone che operano in terreni vulcanici impegnativi di indossare abbigliamenti protettivi di qualità durevole e affidabile.

Devono resistere le forze della natura – principalmente pioggia e vento – ed all trasporto di attrezzatura, ad esempio: martelli geologici, scalpelli affilati e vanghe pieghevoli.

L'abbigliamento outdoor utilizzato in tali condizioni ambientali avverse deve anche resistere a potenziali scivolamenti e cadute su terreni vulcanici abrasivi e affilati. Inoltre, tutte le tasche devono essere resistenti per garantire che dispositivi portatili come GPS, telefoni, bussole geologiche o lenti d’ingrandimento per le ispezioni di rocce rimangano asciutti.

Questi scenari hanno un impatto sulla qualità e sulle prestazioni di lavoro quando si opera in ambienti vulcanici.

Pertanto, l'approccio investigativo in situ e di laboratorio proposto in questo progetto aiuterà a valutare l'idoneità dell'abbigliamento professionale ad alte prestazioni disponibile sul mercato adeguato per missioni scientifiche in ambienti vulcanici.

Our VFF Institute´s studies have started from examination of ancient documents issued by pioneer explorers of the fifteenth century who issued geographical maps of the known parts of the world. Further studies have focussed on the reasons which stimulated  explorers to travel to unknown areas in order to study the “mystery of volcanoes” . 

Today thanks to satellites and other technology the ancient pioneer spirit is only a memory of past times.

Many scientists and researchers are foussed on high tech equipments like  portable computers and scientific instruments.

For this reason many research expeditions are simply limited to acquisition of samples which then are prepared for being analysed in special laboratories .

Video films made by such  research teams are all very similar as they try to demonstrate the giant power and huge energy of volcanoes but not what hawks and other birds can see from above .

Only few people  have heard and talked about the sound that the heart of every volcano emits . In every single lava stone and basalts we find on volcano summits and flanks there is a fragment of our history of  Earth and Mankind.
We have to tell this in a different way to internet users who  can participate on the web in our initiative which is unique in its kind.