Dr Carol Stewart

Research Affiliate,

Joint Centre for Disaster Research

GNS Science/Massey University

PO Box 30368

Lower Hutt 5010

New Zealand

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Research Expertise

Carol Stewart is an environmental chemist and comes from a background in environmental risk assessment. She is currently interested in volcanic ash impacts on aquatic environments and drinking-water supplies, and more generally in ash impacts on critical infrastructure. She works with the VATLAB group at the University of Canterbury, utilising a dual approach of carrying field investigations of impacts in areas impacted by volcanic eruptions, in conjunction with empirical testing of infrastructure components. Recent fieldwork includes investigations of the August 1991 eruption of Volcán Hudson, Chile; the May 2009 eruption of Chaitén, Chile; the recent activity of Tungurahua, Ecuador, and the May 2010 eruption of Pacaya, Guatemala.

Relevant Publications

White, J., Stewart, C., Wareham, D. and Wilson, T. (2011) Treatment of volcanic ash-contaminated surface waters through the optimisation of physical and chemical processes: data report. GNS Science Report 2011/xx (in press).

Wilson, T., Stewart, C., Sword-Daniels, V., Leonard, G., Johnston, D., Cole, J., Wardman, J., Wilson, G. and Barnard, S. (2011) Volcanic ash impacts on critical infrastructure. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth (2011), doi: 10.1016/j.pce.2011.06.006.

Wilson, T.M., Cole, J.W. Stewart, C., Cronin, S.J., Johnston, D.M (2011). Ash Storms: Impacts of wind remobilised volcanic ash on rural communities and agriculture following the 1991 Hudson eruption, southern Patagonia, Chile.  Bulletin of Volcanology 73: 223-239.

Stewart, C.; Wilson, T.M.; Leonard, G.S.; Johnston, D.M.; Cole, J.W.; Cronin, S.J. (2011) Volcanic hazards and water shortages. p. 105-124 IN: Briggs, A.C. (ed.) Water shortages : environmental, economic and social impacts. New York: Nova Science. Water resource planning, development and management series.

Wilson, T., Stewart, C., Cole, J., Johnston, D. & Cronin, S. (2010). Vulnerability of farm water supply systems to volcanic ash fall. Environ Earth Sci, 61:675-688.

Stewart, C., Pizzolon, L., Wilson, T., Leonard, G., Johnston, D. and Cronin, S. (2009) Can volcanic ash poison water supplies? Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 5, 713-716.

Stewart, C., Johnston, D.M., Leonard, G., Horwell, C.J., Thordarsson, T. and Cronin, S. (2006) Contamination of water supplies by volcanic ashfall: A literature review and simple impact modelling. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. 158, 296-306.