Swansea volcanologist joins global deep-sea mission to uncover earthquake secrets
A Swansea University volcanologist is set to explore one of Earth's most mysterious underwater landscapes as part of a groundbreaking international expedition off the coast of Japan.
The mission will investigate "petit-spot volcanism"—a little-known phenomenon that may influence earthquake behaviour—by drilling into the Japan Trench near the epicentre of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake.
Dr. Katie Preece, Senior Lecturer in Volcanology, will join scientists from around the world on the International Ocean Drilling Programme (IODP3) Expedition 502.
The team will retrieve a 225-metre core of rock and sediment from close to the subduction zone to better understand how these volcanic features affect seafloor sediment and tectonic activity.
Dr. Preece will serve as a sedimentologist aboard the state-of-the-art research vessel Chikyu, where she will help describe and interpret the core samples as they are retrieved.
Dr. Preece said, "This is an extraordinary opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research on a global scale. Petit-spot volcanism is still poorly understood, and this expedition will provide the first complete sequence of rock samples from these systems."
Beyond this new role, Dr. Preece's research focuses on reconstructing eruption histories and understanding how volcanic systems evolve. Combining fieldwork with laboratory techniques, including petrology, geochemistry and geochronology, she investigates how magma behaves before and during eruptions.
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A photo of Chikyu, the drilling vessel being used as part of Expedition 502. Credit: JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology) -
A photo of Chikyu, the drilling vessel being used as part of Expedition 502. Credit: 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 voyage, Dr. Preece will lead post-expedition research analysing the textures and chemical composition of the recovered rocks. Her work will help scientists understand how petit-spot activity alters the subducting tectonic plate 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, with drilling operations taking place in some of Earth's most extreme environments. In this case, the drill site lies beneath nearly 5.5 kilometres of water.
Dr. Jude Coggon, UK IODP Programme Coordinator, said, "We are very proud to have three excellent UK scientists sailing on this expedition, as well as another participating in shore-based research.
"Over the past 50+ years, scientific ocean drilling has pioneered development of technologies for sampling the seafloor beneath the deep ocean, and explored this frontier to repeatedly transform our understanding of how our planet works. Expedition 502 is an exciting endeavour, which will help us to understand how this recently discovered style of volcanism impacts fundamental Earth processes, including megathrust earthquakes and the carbon cycle."
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Founded in 1920, Swansea University is a research-led institution with two campuses along Swansea Bay in south Wales, UK. Its scenic beachfront location and welcoming atmosphere attract more than 28,000 students from around the world. The University offers approximately 450 undergraduate and 350 postgraduate programmes across three academic faculties.
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 internationally excellent, with 86% of its research impact recognised as outstanding.
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For more information, please contact Ffion White, Swansea University Press Office. Call 01792 602706 or email: f.e.white@swansea.ac.uk
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