Publications

Analogue experiments and rheology

• Kavanagh, J. L., Chalk, C. M., Jones, T.J. and Dennis, D.J.C. (2025). The Hidden Internal Flow Dynamics of Shear-Thinning Magma in Dikes. AGU Advances, 6(2), e2024AV001495.

• Havard, T. A., Jones, T. J., & Kavanagh, J. L. (2025). Analogue experiments to investigate magma mixing within dykes. Bulletin of Volcanology, 87(4), 29.

• Rahimi, K., Bursik, M. and Kavanagh, J.L. (2025). The influence of graben geometry on dike propagation. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 458, 108254.

• Hao, M., Zhou, W. Y., Hrubiak, R., Kenney-Benson, C., Kavanagh, J. L., Davis, W., & Zhang, J. S. (2024). The ultralow viscosity of volatile-rich kimberlite magma: Implications for the water content of primitive kimberlite melts. Science Advances, 10(36), eado8550.

• Chalk, C. M., & Kavanagh, J. L. (2024). Up, down, and round again: The circulating flow dynamics of flux-driven fractures. Physics of Fluids, 36(3).

• Martin, S. A., Závada, P., & Kavanagh, J. L., 2023. Plaster and magnets: Modelling magnetic fabric development in magma intrusions using scaled analogue experiments. Tectonophysics, 855, 229820.

• Williams, K.M., Kavanagh, J.L. and Dennis, D.J.C., 2022. Focused flow during the formation and propagation of sills: Insights from analogue experiments. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 584, 117492.

• Town, A.R., Niezabitowska, E., Kavanagh, J., Barrow, M., Kearns, V., García-Tuñón, E. and McDonald, T.O., 2019. Understanding the Phase and Morphological Behavior of Dispersions of Synergistic Dual-Stimuli Responsive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) Nanogels. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B 123, 29, 6303-6313.

• Gaete, A., Kavanagh, J.L., Rivalta, E. and Walter, T., 2019. The influence of unloading stresses on post-caldera magma intrusions. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 508, 109-121.

• Kavanagh, J.L., Burns, A.J., Hilmi Hazim, S., Wood, E., Martin, S.A., Hignett, S. Dennis, D.J.C., 2018. Challenging dyke ascent models using novel laboratory experiments: Implications for reinterpreting evidence of magma ascent and volcanism. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 354, p. 87-101.

• Kavanagh, J.L. Rogers, B., Boutelier, D. and Cruden A. (2017). Controls on sill and dyke-sill hybrid geometry and propagation in the crust: The role of fracture toughness. Tectonophysics, 698(C), pp.109–120.

• Kavanagh, J.L., Boutelier, D. and Cruden A., 2015. The mechanics of sill inception, propagation and growth: Experimental evidence for rapid reduction in magmatic overpressure. Earth & Planetary Science Letters.

• Kavanagh, J.L., Menand. T., and Daniels, K.A, 2013. Gelatine as a crustal analogue: determining elastic properties for modelling magmatic intrusions. Tectonophysics, v. 582, p. 101-111.

• Brooker, R., Sparks R.S.J., Kavanagh, J.L., and Field M., 2011. The volatile content of hypabyssal kimberlite magmas: some constraints from experiments on natural rock compositions. Bulletin of Volcanology, 73: 959-981.

• Sparks, R.S.J., Brooker, R.A., Field, M., Kavanagh, J.L., Schumacher, J.C., Walter, M.J., White, J., 2009. The nature of erupting kimberlite melts. Lithos, 112S, 429-438.

• Kavanagh, J.L., Menand, T., and Sparks, R.S.J., 2006. An experimental investigation of sill formation and propagation in layered elastic media. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 245: 799-813.

Numerical modelling

• Williams, K.M., Geyer, A., Annen, C., Kavanagh, J.L. (2026). Modelling magma flow within dyke-fed sill geometries: A coupled thermal and fluid dynamics approach. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, v. 469, 108480.

• Clunes, M., Browning, J., Cortez, J., Cembrano, J., Marquardt, C., Kavanagh, J. L., & Gudmundsson, A. (2024). Stresses induced by magma chamber pressurization altered by mechanical layering and layer dip. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 129(5), e2023JB027760.

• Clunes, M., Browning, J., Marquardt, C., Cortez, J., Drymoni, K., & Kavanagh, J. (2023). Inclination and heterogeneity of layered geological sequences influence dike-induced ground deformation. Geology, 51(3), 278-283.

• Kavanagh, J.L. and Sparks, R.S.J., 2009. Temperature changes in ascending kimberlite magma. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 286(3): 404-413.

Field-based experiments

• Williams, K.M., Urbani, S., Mariani, E., Biggin, A., Wheeler, J. and Kavanagh, J.L. (2025). Unravelling the complex record of magma flow and solidification in sills. Journal of the Geological Society 182 (6)

• Martin, S., Kavanagh, J.L. and Biggin, A., 2022. Deciphering syn- and post-emplacement processes in shallow mafic dykes. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 422, 107456.

• Martin, S., Kavanagh, J.L., Biggin, A. and Utley, J., 2019. The origin and evolution of magnetic fabrics in mafic sills. Frontiers in Earth Science 7, 64.

• Kavanagh, J.L. & Pavier, M.J., 2014. Rock interface strength influences fluid-filled fracture propagation pathways in the crust. Journal of Structural Geology.

• Daniels, K.A., Kavanagh, J.L., Menand, T., and Sparks, R.S.J., 2012. The shapes of dikes: evidence for the influence of cooling and inelastic deformation. GSA Bulletin.

• Kavanagh, J.L., and Sparks, R.S.J., 2011. Insights of dyke emplacement mechanics from detailed 3-D dyke thickness datasets. Journal of the Geological Society, 168: 965-978.

• Brown, R., Kavanagh, J.L., Sparks, R.S.J., Tait, M., and Field, M., 2007. Mechanically disrupted and chemically weakened zones in segmented dike systems cause vent localization: Evidence from kimberlite volcanic systems. Geology, 35(9): 815-818.

Equality, diversity, inclusion and science communication

• Lacassin, R., Doré, T., Gouiza, M., Magee, C., Welford, J.K., Bond, C., Eagles, G., Fernández-Blanco, D., Kavanagh, J., McCarthy, D. and Parsons, A.J., 2026. Use of Artificial Intelligence in Academic Research: What Is Acceptable and What is Not. τeκτoniκa, 3(2), pp.I-V.

• Chim, M. M., Maters, E. C., Morin, J., Kavanagh, J. L., Donovan, A., Aubry, T. J., & Schmidt, A. (2023). Disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on early career researchers and disabled researchers in volcanology. Frontiers in Earth Science, 11.

• Fernández-Blanco, D., Lacassin, R., Gouiza, M., Perez-Diáz, L., Craig Magee, McCarthy, D., Doré, T., Péron-Pinvidic, G., Kavanagh, J, Bond, C., and Schmitt, R., 2023. Tektonika: The Community-Led Diamond Open-Access Journal for Tectonics and Structural Geology. Tektonika, v1, issue 1, p1-13.

• Kavanagh, J.L., Annen, C.J., Burchardt, S., Chalk, C., Gallant, E., Morin, J. Scarlett, J. and Williams, R., 2022. Volcanologists - Who are we and where are we going? Bulletin of Volcanology, 84(5), 53.

• van der Boon, A., Biggin, A., Paterson, G andKavanagh, J.L.,2022. Magnetic to the Core – communicating paleomagnetism with hands-on activities. Geoscience Communication, 5, 55-66.

Reviews and Book Chapters

• Burchardt, S., Annen, C. J., Kavanagh, J. L., & Hilmi Hazim, S., 2022. Developments in the study of volcanic and igneous plumbing systems: outstanding problems and new opportunities. Bulletin of Volcanology, 84(6), 59.

• Russell, K., Sparks, R.S.J. and Kavanagh, J.L., 2019. Kimberlite Volcanology: transport, Ascent and Eruption. Elements 15, 405-410.

• Kavanagh, J.L., 2018. Mechanisms of magma transport in the upper crust – Dyking. Burchardt, S. (Ed.), Volcanic and Igneous Plumbing Systems – understanding magma transport, storage and evolution in the Earth’s crust, Elsevier, p. 55-88.

• Kavanagh, J.L., Engwell, S. and Martin, S., 2018. A review of laboratory and numerical modelling in volcanology. Solid Earth, 9, 531-571.

PhD Theses

• Havard, T., 2025. The dynamics of magmas and mixing in fissure systems. PhD thesis, University of Liverpool.

• Williams, K.M., 2025. Modelling magma emplacement and movement: Integrating physical and petrochemical evidence of magma flow and propagation in sills. PhD thesis, University of Liverpool.

• Hilmi Hazim, S., 2020. Developing methods to analyse intrusions in the upper crust. PhD thesis, University of Liverpool.

• Martin, S., 2020. The Dynamics of Magma Intrusion: Using magnetic anisotropy to understand magma emplacement dynamics. PhD thesis, University of Liverpool.

• Kavanagh, J.L., 2010. Ascent and Emplacement of Kimberlite Magmas. PhD thesis, University of Bristol.

• Kavanagh, J.L., 2005. The Mechanics and Dynamics of Sill Propagation: An Experimental Study. MSci thesis, University of Bristol.

Datasets

• Williams, K.M., Geyer, A., Kavanagh, J. and Annen, C. (2025). “Modelling magma flow within dyke-fed sill geometries: A coupled thermal and fluid dynamics approach-COMSOL Multiphysics files”. Zenodo (Dataset). DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17227575.

• Havard, T., Jones, T., Kavanagh, J. (2025). Spatial and temporal datasets for mixing of fluids in a dyke-like (slot) geometry investigated using low-temperature laboratory experiments. NERC EDS National Geoscience Data Centre. (Dataset). https://doi.org/10.5285/b0634651-410d-4531-8100-e1d4e2873d9e

• Chalk, C., Kavanagh, J. (2024). Spatial and temporal datasets for 11 different small-scale laboratory experiments of fluid-driven fractures. NERC EDS National Geoscience Data Centre. (Dataset). https://doi.org/10.5285/92383dba-8b6e-43da-9d78-e8784b97124c