Luca Caricchi

DST (Department of Earth Sciences)

Collaborations

Tutoring

Current master projects

Petrology and volcanology of the 2021 Tajogaite eruption (La Palma) in collaboration with INVOLCAN
Petrology of mantle xenoliths of the 2021 Tajogaite eruption (La Palma) in collaboration with INVOLCAN
Sinabung 2010 eruption. Petrology and geophysics
Coupling machine learning and thermodynamic: the next generation of thermobarometers and chemometers

Services

Secretary of VGP AGU

IAVCEI Swiss national representative

Editor Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

Editor Artificial Intelligence in the Geosciences

Administrative Duties

Member of the partecipative faculty council
Member of the ELSTE council (Joint master with UNIL)
Member of the Section of Earth and Environmental Sciences council
Member of the SwissSIMS steering committee

Full Professor

Petrology and Vulcanology

Rue des Maraîchers 13, Office 707
022 379 66 30
E-mail

My Research

The focus of my research is the understanding of the physical mechanisms responsible for the transfer and emplacement of magma in the Earth’s crust and its eruption at the surface.

Our scientific mission is to understand how magmatic processes contribute to shaping our planet and what are the main physical factors controlling the frequency and magnitude of volcanic eruptions and the formation of magmatic ore deposits.

Ongoing Projects

Tracing the evolution of volcanic degassing over Earth History
Experimental investigation of the processes responsible for the chemical zoning of minerals
Unsupervised machine learning to link the mineral record with geophysical monitoring parameters
Machine learning thermobarometry and chemometry

All projects are supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (https://www.snf.ch/en)

Recent Publications

Scientific articles

Ágreda-López, M., Musu, A., Jorgenson, C.C., Šala, M., Giordano, G., Caricchi, L., Stremtan, C., and Petrelli, M., 2025, The crystal cargo provides a chronicle of pre-caldera dynamics in mafic volcanic systems: insights from Colli Albani: Bulletin of volcanology, v. 87, p. 78.
Jorgenson, C.C., Stuckelberger, M.E., Fevola, G., Falkenberg, G., Kaiser, T., Wilde, F., Weber, G., Giordano, G., and Caricchi, L., 2025, A Myriad of Melt Inclusions: A 3D Analysis of Melt Inclusions Reveals the Gas-Rich Magma Reservoir of Colli Albani Volcano (Italy): Journal of petrology, v. 66, no. 3, p. egaf012.
Vetere, F., Merseburger, S., Pisello, A., Perugini, D., Viti, C., Petrelli, M., Musu, A., Almeev, R., Caricchi, L., Iezzi, G., Cassetta, M., and Holtz, F., 2024, The role of deformation on the early crystallization and rheology of basaltic liquids: Earth and planetary science letters, v. 644, p. 118934.
Ágreda-López, M., Parodi, V., Musu, A., Jorgenson, C.C., Carfì, A., Mastrogiovanni, F., Caricchi, L., Perugini, D., and Petrelli, M., 2024, Enhancing machine learning thermobarometry for clinopyroxene-bearing magmas: Computers & geosciences, v. 193, p. 105707.
Astort, A., Trasatti, E., Caricchi, L., Polcari, M., De Martino, P., Acocella, V., and Di Vito, M.A., 2024, Tracking the 2007–2023 magma-driven unrest at Campi Flegrei caldera (Italy): Communications earth & environment, v. 5, p. 506.
Jogee, B.a., Bybee, G.m., Robb, L.j., Reid, D.l., Minnaar, H., Caricchi, L., and Bolhar, R., 2024, Assessing the geological relationships between the mafic-ultramafic intrusion in the Haib area and the Vuurdood Subsuite, Richtersveld Subprovince: South African journal of geology, v. 127, no. 1, p. 55–70.
Farina, F., Weber, G., Hartung, E., Rubatto, D., Forni, F., Luisier, C., and Caricchi, L., 2024, Magma flux variations triggering shallow-level emplacement of the Takidani pluton (Japan): Insights into the volcanic-plutonic connection: Earth and planetary science letters, v. 635, p. 118688.
Jorgenson, C.C., Caricchi, L., Chiaradia, M., Ágreda-López, M., and Giordano, G., 2024, Rapid accumulation and ascent precedes caldera forming eruption of low viscosity magma: Contributions to mineralogy and petrology, v. 179, no. 2.
Tadesse, A.z., Fontijn, K., Caricchi, L., Begue, F., Gudbrandsson, S., Smith, V.c., Gopon, P., Debaille, V., Laha, P., Terryn, H., Yirgu, G., and Ayalew, D., 2023, Pre-eruptive storage conditions and magmatic evolution of the Bora-Baricha-Tullu Moye volcanic system, Main Ethiopian Rift: Lithos, v. 442-443, p. 107088.
Di Fiore, F., Vona, A., Romano, C., Scarani, A., Giordano, G., Giordano, D., Caricchi, L., Martin Lorenzo, A., Rodriguez, F., Coldwell, B., Hernandez, P., and Pankhurst, M., 2023, Experimental Constraints on the Rheology of Lavas From 2021 Cumbre Vieja Eruption (La Palma, Spain): Geophysical research letters, v. 50, no. 4, p. e2022GL100970.
Higgins, O.J., and Caricchi, L., 2023, Eruptive dynamics reflect crustal structure and mantle productivity beneath volcanoes: Geology.
Wang, D.-B., Liu, P.-P., Gao, M.-H., Zhang, D., Xu, C., and Caricchi, L., 2023, Prolonged near-solidus and steady-state magma storage for the Youngest Toba Tuff: Evidence from TitaniQ thermometry and diffusion chronometry: Earth and planetary science letters, v. 619, p. 118326.
Schmitt, A.k., Sliwinski, J., Caricchi, L., Bachmann, O., Riel, N., Kaus, B.j.p., Cisneros de Léon, A., Cornet, J., Friedrichs, B., Lovera, O., Sheldrake, T.E., and Weber, G., 2023, Zircon age spectra to quantify magma evolution: Geosphere, v. 19, no. 4, p. 1006–1031.
Musu, A., Corsaro, R.A., Higgins, O., Jorgenson, C.C., Petrelli, M., and Caricchi, L., 2023, The magmatic evolution of South-East Crater (Mt. Etna) during the February–April 2021 sequence of lava fountains from a mineral chemistry perspective: Bulletin of volcanology, v. 85, no. 5, p. 33.
Costa, S., Caricchi, L., Pistolesi, M., Gioncada, A., Masotta, M., Bonadonna, C., and Rosi, M., 2023, A data driven approach to mineral chemistry unveils magmatic processes associated with long-lasting, low-intensity volcanic activity: Scientific reports, v. 13, no. 1.
Tadesse, A.z., Fontijn, K., Melaku, A.a., Gebru, E.f., Smith, V.c., Tomlinson, E., Barfod, D., Gopon, P., Begue, F., Caricchi, L., Laha, P., Terryn, H., Gudbrandsson, S., Yirgu, G., et al., 2022, Eruption frequency and magnitude in a geothermally active continental rift: The Bora-Baricha-Tullu Moye volcanic complex, Main Ethiopian Rift: Journal of volcanology and geothermal research, v. 423, p. 107471.
Jorgenson, C.C., Higgins, O.J., Petrelli, M., Begue, F., and Caricchi, L., 2022, A Machine Learning‐Based Approach to Clinopyroxene Thermobarometry: Model Optimization and Distribution for Use in Earth Sciences: Journal of geophysical research. Solid earth, v. 127, no. 4.
Uslular, G., Gençalioğlu Kuşcu, G., Begue, F., Ruch, J., Lupi, M., Higgins, O.J., and Caricchi, L., 2022, New findings on compositionally distinct maar volcanoes: A case study from Acıgöl (Nevşehir) caldera (Central Anatolia, Turkey): Frontiers in Earth Science, v. 10, p. 909951.
Chiaradia, M., and Caricchi, L., 2022, Supergiant porphyry copper deposits are failed large eruptions: Communications earth & environment, v. 3, no. 1, p. 107.
Giordano, G., and Caricchi, L., 2022, Determining the State of Activity of Transcrustal Magmatic Systems and Their Volcanoes: Annual review of earth and planetary sciences, v. 50, no. 1.
Curry, A., Gaynor, S., Davies, J.H.F.L., Ovtcharova, M., Simpson, G., and Caricchi, L., 2021, Timescales and thermal evolution of large silicic magma reservoirs during an ignimbrite flare-up: perspectives from zircon: Contributions to mineralogy and petrology, v. 176, no. 12, p. 103.
Hartung, E., Caricchi, L., Floess, D., Wallis, S., and Harayama, S., 2021, Establishing genetic relationships between the Takidani pluton and two large silicic eruptions in the Northern Japan Alps: Journal of petrology.
Higgins, O.J., Sheldrake, T.E., and Caricchi, L., 2021, Quantitative chemical mapping of plagioclase as a tool for the interpretation of volcanic stratigraphy: an example from Saint Kitts, Lesser Antilles: Bulletin of volcanology, v. 83, no. 8, p. 51.
Caricchi, L., Townsend, M., Rivalta, E., and Namiki, A., 2021, The build-up and triggers of volcanic eruptions: Nature Reviews Earth and Environment.
Pistone, M., Fife, J.L., Tisato, N., Caricchi, L., Reusser, E., Ulmer, P., Mader, K., and Marone, F., 2021, Seismic Attenuation During Magma Vesiculation: A Combination of Laboratory Constraints and Modeling: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 48, no. 8.
Lukács, R., Caricchi, L., Schmitt, A.K., Bachmann, O., Karakas, O., Guillong, M., Molnár, K., Seghedi, I., and Harangi, Sz., 2021, Zircon geochronology suggests a long-living and active magmatic system beneath the Ciomadul volcanic dome field (eastern-central Europe): Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 565, no. 116965.
Curry, A., Caricchi, L., and Lipman, P.W., 2021, Magmatic evolution of zoned and unzoned ignimbrites: evidence for a complex crustal architecture feeding four rapid-sequence, caldera-forming eruptions in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado: Journal of Petrology.
Pistone, M., Caricchi, L., and Ulmer, P., 2020, CO₂ favours the accumulation of excess fluids in felsic magmas: Terra Nova.
Weber, G., Caricchi, L., Arce, J.L., and Schmitt, A.K., 2020, Determining the current size and state of subvolcanic magma reservoirs: Nature Communications, v. 11, no. 5477.
Weber, G., Caricchi, L., and Arce, J.L., 2020, The Long-Term Life-Cycle of Nevado de Toluca Volcano (Mexico): Insights Into the Origin of Petrologic Modes: Frontiers in Earth Sciences, v. 8.
Petrelli, M., Caricchi, L., and Perugini, D., 2020, Machine Learning Thermo‐Barometry: Application to Clinopyroxene‐Bearing Magmas: Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.
Weber, G., Simpson, G., and Caricchi, L., 2020, Magma diversity reflects recharge regime and thermal structure of the crust: Scientific Reports, v. 10, no. 11867, p. 1–13.
Sheldrake, T.E., Caricchi, L., and Scutari, M., 2020, Tectonic Controls on Global Variations of Large-Magnitude Explosive Eruptions in Volcanic Arcs: Frontiers in Earth Sciences, v. 8.
Hill, G.J., Bibby, H.M., Peacock, J., Wallin, E.L., Ogawa, Y., Caricchi, L., Keys, H., Bennie, S.L., and Avram, Y., 2020, Temporal magnetotellurics reveals mechanics of the 2012 Mount Tongariro, NZ eruption: Geophysical Research Letters.
Caricchi, L., Petrelli, M., Bali, E., Sheldrake, T.E., Pioli, L., and Simpson, G., 2020, A Data Driven Approach to Investigate the Chemical Variability of Clinopyroxenes From the 2014–2015 Holuhraun–Bárdarbunga Eruption (Iceland): Frontiers in Earth Sciences, v. 8.
Sternai, P., Caricchi, L., Pasquero, C., Garzanti, E., Hinsbergen, D.J.J., and Castelltort, S., 2020, Magmatic Forcing of Cenozoic Climate? Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, v. 125.
Schaltegger, U., Nowak, A., Ulianov, A., Fisher, C.M., Gerdes, A., Spikings, R.A., Whitehouse, M.J., Bindeman, I., Hanchar, J.M., Duff, J., Vervoort, J.D., Sheldrake, T.E., Caricchi, L., Brack, P., et al., 2019, Zircon Petrochronology and 40Ar/39Ar Thermochronology of the Adamello Intrusive Suite, N. Italy: Monitoring the Growth and Decay of an Incrementally Assembled Magmatic System: Journal of Petrology, v. 60, no. 4, p. 701–722.
Trasatti, E., Acocella, V., Di Vito, M.A., Del Gaudio, C., Weber, G., Aquino, I., Caliro, S., Chiodini, G., Vita, S., Ricco, C., and Caricchi, L., 2019, Magma degassing as a source of long‐term seismicity at volcanoes: the Ischia island (Italy) case: Geophysical Research Letters.
Weber, G., Arce, J.L., Ulianov, A., and Caricchi, L., 2019, A recurrent magmatic pattern on observable time scales prior to Plinian eruptions from Nevado de Toluca (Mexico): Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.
Floess, D., Caricchi, L., Simpson, G., and Wallis, S.R., 2019, Melt segregation and the architecture of magmatic reservoirs: insights from the Muroto sill (Japan): Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 174, no. 27.
Hartung, E., Weber, G., and Caricchi, L., 2019, The role of H₂O on the extraction of melt from crystallising magmas: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 508, p. 85–96.
Caricchi, L., Sheldrake, T.E., and Blundy, J., 2018, Modulation of magmatic processes by CO₂ flushing: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 491, p. 160–171.
Probst, L., Sheldrake, T.E., Gander, M.J., Wallace, G., Simpson, G., and Caricchi, L., 2018, A cross correlation method for chemical profiles in minerals, with an application to zircons of the Kilgore Tuff (USA): Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v. 173, no. 23.
Galetto, F., Acocella, V., and Caricchi, L., 2017, Caldera resurgence driven by magma viscosity contrasts: Nature Communications, v. 8, no. 1, p. 1750.
Polacci, M., de” Michieli Vitturi, M., Burton, M., Caricchi, L., Carr, B., Cerminara, M., Cimarelli, C., Clarke, A., Colucci, S., Costa, A., Degruyter, W., Druitt, T., Engwell, S., Esposti Ongaro, T., et al., 2017, From magma ascent to ash generation: investigating volcanic conduit processes by integrating experiments, numerical modeling, and observations: Annals of Geophysics, v. 60, no. SO666.
Sternai, P., Caricchi, L., Garcia-Castellanos, D., Jolivet, L., Sheldrake, T.E., and Castelltort, S., 2017, Magmatic pulse driven by sea-level changes associated with the Messinian salinity crisis: Nature geoscience, v. 10, no. 10, p. 783–787.
Hartung, E., Caricchi, L., Floess, D., Wallis, S., Harayama, S., Kouzmanov, K., and Chiaradia, M., 2017, Evidence for Residual Melt Extraction in the Takidani Pluton, Central Japan: Journal of petrology, v. 58, no. 4, p. 763–788.
Chiaradia, M., and Caricchi, L., 2017, Stochastic modelling of deep magmatic controls on porphyry copper deposit endowment: Scientific reports, v. 7, p. 44523.
Chelle-Michou, C., Rottier, B., Caricchi, L., and Simpson, G., 2017, Tempo of magma degassing and the genesis of porphyry copper deposits: Scientific reports, v. 7, p. 40566.
Sheldrake, T.E., and Caricchi, L., 2017, Regional variability in the frequency and magnitude of large explosive volcanic eruptions: Geology, v. 45, no. 2, p. G38372.1.
Pistone, M., Cordonnier, B., Ulmer, P., and Caricchi, L., 2016, Rheological flow laws for multiphase magmas: An empirical approach: Journal of volcanology and geothermal research, v. 321, p. 158–170.
Caricchi, L., Simpson, G., and Schaltegger, U., 2016, Estimates of volume and magma input in crustal magmatic systems from zircon geochronology: the effect of modelling assumptions and system variables: Frontiers in earth science, v. 48, no. 4.
Sternai, P., Caricchi, L., Castelltort, S., and Champagnac, J.-D., 2016, Deglaciation and glacial erosion: a joint control on magma productivity by continental unloading: Geophysical research letters, v. 43, no. 4, p. 1632–1641.
Shields, J.K., Mader, H.M., Caricchi, L., Tuffen, H., Mueller, S., Pistone, M., and Baumgartner, L., 2016, Unravelling textural heterogeneity in obsidian: Shear-induced outgassing in the Rocche Rosse flow: Journal of volcanology and geothermal research, v. 310, p. 137–158.
Pistone, M., Caricchi, L., Fife, J., Mader, K., and Ulmer, P., 2015, In situ X-ray tomographic microscopy observations of vesiculation of bubble-free and bubble-bearing magmas: Bulletin of volcanology, v. 77, no. 108.
Pistone, M., Cordonnier, B., Caricchi, L., Ulmer, P., and Marone, F., 2015, The viscous to brittle transition in crystal- and bubble-bearing magmas: Frontiers in earth science, v. 3.
Caricchi, L., and Blundy, J., 2015, The temporal evolution of chemical and physical properties of magmatic systems: Special publication - Geological Society of London, v. 422, no. 1, p. 1–15.
Shields, J.K., Mader, H.M., Pistone, M., Caricchi, L., Floess, D., and Putlitz, B., 2014, Strain-induced outgassing of three-phase magmas during simple shear: Journal of biomaterials applications, v. 119, no. 9, p. 6936–6957.
Wotzlaw, J.F., Bindeman, I.N., Watts, K.E., Schmitt, A.K., Caricchi, L., and Schaltegger, U., 2014, Linking rapid magma reservoir assembly and eruption trigger mechanisms at evolved Yellowstone-type supervolcanoes: Geology, v. 42, no. 9, p. 807–810.
Caricchi, L., Simpson, G., and Schaltegger, U., 2014, Zircons reveal magma fluxes in the Earth’s crust: Nature, v. 511, p. 457–461.
Caricchi, L., Annen, C., Blundy, J., Simpson, G., and Pinel, V., 2014, Frequency and magnitude of volcanic eruptions controlled by magma injection and buoyancy: Nature geoscience, v. 7, p. 126–130.
Caricchi, L., Biggs, J., Annen, C., and Ebmeier, S., 2014, The influence of cooling, crystallisation and re-melting on the interpretation of geodetic signals in volcanic systems: Earth and planetary science letters, v. 388, p. 166–174.
Pistone, M., Caricchi, L., Ulmer, P., Reusser, E., and Ardia, P., 2013, Rheology of volatile-bearing crystal mushes: Mobilization vs. viscous death: Chemical geology, v. 345, p. 16–39.
Caricchi, L., Annen, C., Rust, A., and Blundy, J., 2012, Insights into the mechanisms and timescales of pluton assembly from deformation patterns of mafic enclaves: Journal of geophysical research, v. 117, no. B11.

Newspaper articles

Caricchi, L., Sheldrake, T.E., and Bonadonna, C., 2018, Does the Shape of a Volcano Reflect Its Personality? Frontiers for Young Minds, v. 6, no. 10.

Book chapters

Caricchi, L., and Blundy, J., 2015, Experimental petrology of monotonous intermediate magmas, in Chemical, Physical and Temporal Evolution of Magmatic Systems – Chemical, Physical and Temporal Evolution of Magmatic Systems: Geological Society, Londres, p. 26.