We study volcano and fault mechanics, or in simple terms, how and why volcanoes and faults deform. A knowledge with practical application for geological hazard assessment, and risk reduction. To learn more about magmatic sytems and fault zone processes, we use constraints from geophysical and geodetic observations, mainly Earth Observation data (InSAR).
Our ultimate goal is to gain insights into the physical behaviour of volcanoes and fault systems to incorporate them into models with ever increasing predictive power.
You can find a list of our publications here. Our work has been featured in the media.
Research interests
- Volcano hazard assessment and risk reduction
- Volcano-tectonics (volcano flank instability)
- Magma storage and migration
- Fluid-rock mechanical couplings
- Geodetic and geophysical techniques: data processing and analysis
- Geophysical inverse problems (Bayesian inference)
- Machine Learning applied to geosciences
Selected papers
Omira R., Ramalho R.S., Kim J., Gonzalez P.J., Kadri U., Miranda J.M., Carrilho F., Baptista M.A. (2022) Global Tonga tsunami explained by a fast-moving atmospheric source, Nature, doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04926-4.
Gonzalez P.J. (2022) Volcano-tectonic control of Cumbre Vieja, Science, doi: 10.1126/science.abn5148.
Elliott\(^{=}\) J.R., Jolivet\(^{=}\) R., Gonzalez P.J., Avouac J.-P., Hollingsworth J., Searle M.P., Stevens V.L. (2016) Himalayan megathrust geometry and relation to topography revealed by the Gorkha earthquake, Nature Geoscience, doi: 10.1038/ngeo2623.
Shirzaei M., Ellsworth W., Tiampo K.F., Gonzalez, P.J., M., Manga M. (2016) Surface uplift and time-dependent seismic hazard due to fluid injection in eastern Texas, Science, doi: 10.1126/science.aag0262.
Gonzalez P.J., Tiampo, K.F., Palano M., Cannavo F., Fernandez J. (2012) The 2011 Lorca earthquake slip distribution controlled by groundwater crustal unloading, Nature Geoscience, doi: 10.1038/ngeo1610.
See more here.
Bio
Pablo J. Gonzalez is a Investigador Científico1 in Geodynamics and Structure of the Lithosphere (volcano-tectonics) at CSIC2.
I lead the Estación Volcanológica de Canarias, a research group at the Department of Life and Earth Sciences (IPNA-CSIC). Our group lab is located in La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands.
Since February 2025, I act as Head of the Department of Life and Earth Sciences at IPNA-CSIC. As Head of the Department, I assist on the everyday communication and decision making between the Department scientists and IPNA-CSIC institute director council board.
I keep a record of my professional career here.
Address
Mail: Estación Volcanológica de Canarias
Department of Life and Earth Sciences, (IPNA-CSIC)
Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, 3
38206 - San Cristóbal de La Laguna
Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Canary Islands
Spain
Office: Room 21, Ground floor, IPNA-CSIC Building (see map below) at the Universidad de La Laguna, Anchieta university campus.
Contact Prefentially, Fridays 08:00 to 16:00 upon previous appointment by email.
Telephone (direct line): (34) 922 47 43 43
Telephone (reception): (34) 922 25 68 47