Miriam Christina Reiss has been a junior professorship for Volcano Seismology at the Institute of Geosciences at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz since 2023. Her research combines different scales and methods of geophysics—from the dynamics of the deep mantle to eruptive processes in active volcanic systems. After completing her doctorate in seismology at Goethe University Frankfurt, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Yale University before returning to Frankfurt as an academic staff member. During this time, she led the DFG-funded SEISVOL project, which involved the installation and operation of seismic and infrasonic monitoring networks at an active volcano in Tanzania.

A central focus of her work is understanding the interactions between magmatic and tectonic processes. Using modern seismological methods, including shear-wave splitting, tomography, and the analysis of volcanic tremor, she investigates how melt is stored, transported, and ultimately erupted in the subsurface. Her work has contributed significantly to deciphering complex magmatic plumbing systems in rift zones and characterizing the role of mantle flow in plate tectonic processes. In doing so, she combines observational data from seismic networks with satellite-based and geochemical information to gain an integrated picture of processes within the Earth’s interior.

In addition to her methodological expertise in seismological data analysis, she develops new tools for evaluating large datasets, including automated and AI-supported procedures. Her research is strongly field-based and includes numerous international measurement campaigns, including in East Africa, Europe, and New Zealand. Currently, she is expanding her work to the study of geothermal systems and the role of fluids in the subsurface, particularly in the context of sustainable energy production.

In the long term, Miriam Christina Reiss aims to establish an interdisciplinary research program that brings together field observations, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling to better understand fundamental processes of the Earth system. Her work thus contributes not only to basic research but also to the evaluation of volcanic hazards and the utilization of geothermal resources.

Research

• Volcano seismology and seismo-acoustic tremor
• Magmatic systems and volcanic plumbing systems
• Interactions between magmatism and tectonics
• Mantle dynamics and seismic anisotropy (shear-wave splitting)
• Rift processes and continental extension systems
• Seismic tomography and imaging procedures of the Earth’s interior
• Development of automated and AI-supported methods in seismology
• Geothermal systems and subsurface fluids
• Multidisciplinary geophysics (integration of seismic, geodetic, and geochemical data)

Ongoing projects

2025 “Deciphering Saõ Miguel’s magmatic plumbing system”, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, PI

2025 “Advanced sub-surface Earth imaging for New Zealand’s volcanic and geothermal future”, Catalyst Grant, Royal Society, New Zealand, PI together with Dr. Finnigan Illsley Kemp, Victoria University Wellington

2025 “TRIGGER – Formation of fractures and changes in permeability in geothermal reservoirs caused by thermally induced stress changes”. BMWK collaborative project, coordinator: Miriam Christina Reiss

Completed Projects

SEISVOL – Seismic and Infrasound Networks to study the volcano Oldoinyo Lengai, DFG Research Grant, PI

Invited Presentations

Conferences
2025 Keynote, Illuminating magmatic plumbing system, fluid pathways and eruptions with seismology. IAVCEI, 2025.
2023 Keynote, Magmatism across scales – a case study from the East African Rift, Physics of Volcanoes, Hannover, Germany, 2023.
2023 Invited Speaker, An interconnected plumbing system in a complex volcanic rift setting, IAVCEI 2023, Rotorua, New Zealand.
2022 Invited Speaker, The nature of seismicity in a complex volcanic rift setting, EGU, Vienna, Austria.
2021 Invited Speaker, Seismicity and complex volcanic plumbing in the magmatic Natron Rift, Tanzania. Rift and Rifted Margins Seminar

Seminars
2025 Towards understanding magmatic systems with volcanic tremor, Geophysical Seminar Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
2025 Rifting and volcanism across scales: An example from the East African Rift; Geophysical Seminar Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
2024 Rifting and volcanism across scales: An example from the East African Rift; Geophysical Seminar University of Hamburg, Germany
Rifting and volcanism across scales: An example from the East African Rift; Geosciences Seminar University of Kiel, Germany
Magmatic vs tectonic processes in the East African Rift, Geophysical Seminar University of Potsdam, Germany
2023 Interplay between magmatic and tectonic processes in the East African Rift, FKPE Fall Meeting, Frankfurt, Germany, 2023
2022 Seismicity in a young magmatic rift segment, University of Cologne, Germany.
Deformational processes at a divergent plate boundary – A case study of the East African Rift System. Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Ireland.
2018 Seismic anisotropy: how to decipher the Earth’s interior with shear-wave splitting, Syracuse University, USA.
2016 Seismic anisotropy of the lithosphere and asthenosphere beneath southern Madagascar from teleseismic shear wave splitting analysis and waveform modelling, SisVoc, Mexico.

Selected conference papers

IAVCEI 2025, Geneva, Switzerland
M.C. Reiss, C. Caudron, D. Roman. Using volcanic tremor to elucidate magmatic systems
DGG 2025, Bochum Germany M.C. Reiss, Roman, D., C. Caudron, P. Hering. The nature of volcanic tremor at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania
EGU 2024, Vienna, Austria M.C. Reiss, Massimetti, F., Laizer, A.S., Campus, A., Rümpker, G., Kazimoto, E.O., Hering, P., Roman, D. Illuminating eruptions, fluid pathways and melt storage with seismo-(acoustic) tremor at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania
EGU 2024, Vienna, Austria C. Ebinger, M.C. Reiss, I. Bastow, M. Karanja. Shallow sources of upper mantle seismic anisotropy in East Africa
Physics of Volcanoes, 2024, Oberpfaffenhofen M.C. Reiss, Massimetti, F., Laizer, A.S., Campus, A., Rümpker, G., Kazimoto, E.O., Hering, P., Roman, D. Illuminating eruptions, fluid pathways and melt storage with seismo-(acoustic) tremor at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania
ICDP Drilling Workshop Eifel, Bad Honnef M.C. Reiss, Moulas, E., Kaus, B., Aulbach, S. Combined seismic, petrological and geodynamic approaches to understand the Eifel magmatic system and CO2 degassing
AG Seismologie 2023, Freiburg M.C. Reiss, Massimetti, F., Laizer, A.S., Campus, A., Rümpker, G., Kazimoto, E.O. Shallow melt storage and carbonatite eruptions: Seismo-acoustic tremor at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania
Physics of Volcanoes, 2023, Hannover M.C. Reiss, Magmatism across scales – a case study from the East African Rift. Keynote
IAVCEI 2023, New Zealand M.C. Reiss, J.D. Muirhead, A.S. Laizer, F. Link, E.O. Kazimoto, C.J. Ebinger, G. Rümpker. An interconnected plumbing system in a complex volcanic rift setting.
M.C. Reiss, A.S. Laizer, E.O. Kazimoto, G. Rümpker. Volcanic Tremor at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano
101st Journées Luxembourgeoises de Géodynamique (JLG), Luxembourg M.C. Reiss, J.D. Muirhead, A.S. Laizer, F. Link, E.O. Kazimoto, C.J. Ebinger, G. Rümpker. The complex plumbing system of the developing magmatic Natron Rift
EGU 2022, Vienna, Austria M.C. Reiss, J.D. Muirhead, A.S. Laizer, F. Link, E.O. Kazimoto, C.J. Ebinger, G. Rümpker. The nature of seismicity in a complex volcanic rift setting
M.C. Reiss, J.D. Muirhead, L. De Siena. The complex plumbing system of Oldoinyo Lengai seen by 3D attenuation tomography
G. Rümpker, A. Kaviani, A.S. Laizer, M.C. Reiss, E.O. Kazimoto, E.O. Seismic signals of crater instability at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania
Physics of Volcanoes, 2020, Hamburg, Germany M.C. Reiss, L. De Siena, G Rümpker, E. Kazimoto. Imaging active magmatic systems at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano (Tanzania) via earthquake distribution and seismic scattering and absorption mapping
AGU 2019, San Francisco, USA M.C. Reiss, F. Link, G. Rümpker, E. Kazimoto. First results of the SEISVOL project: Seismicity at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania
C.J. Ebinger, M.C. Reiss, …, et al. Mantle contributions to magma and strain localization in rift zones
28th meeting ESC working group “Seismic phenomena associated with volcanic activity”, 2019, Garachico, Spain M.C. Reiss, F. Link, G. Rümpker, E. Kazimoto. First results of the SEISVOL project: Seismicity at Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania
EGU 2019, Vienna, Austria M.C. Reiss & M.D. Long. Lowermost mantle anisotropy beneath Africa imaged by SKS-SKKS differential splitting
EGU 2018, Vienna, Austria M.C. Reiss, G. Rümpker & I. Wölbern. Large-scale trench-perpendicular mantle flow beneath central South America
M.C. Reiss, G. Rümpker, F. Tilmann. The seismicity of southern Madagascar from the temporary SELASOMA network
AGU 2017, New Orleans, USA M.C. Reiss, G. Rümpker & I. Wölbern. Large-scale trench-perpendicular mantle flow beneath northern Chile
M.C. Reiss & G. Rümpker. SplitRacer – a new Semi-Automatic Tool to Quantify And Interpret Teleseismic Shear-Wave Splitting.
EGU 2017, Vienna, Austria M.C. Reiss, G. Rümpker & I. Wölbern. Complex seismic anisotropy beneath northern Chile
M.C. Reiss & G. Rümpker. SplitRacer – a semi-automatic tool for the analysis and interpretation of teleseismic shear-wave splitting.
DGG 2017, Potsdam, Germany M.C. Reiss, G. Rümpker & I. Wölbern. Complex seismic anisotropy beneath northern Chile
M.C. Reiss & G. Rümpker. SplitRacer – a semi-automatic tool for the analysis and interpretation of teleseismic shear-wave splitting
AGU 2016, San Francisco, USA Giese, J., Reiss, M.C., Rindraharisaona, E.J., Rümpker, G., Schreurs, G., Tilmann, F.J., Yuan, X. Brittle reactivation of inherited late Neoproterozoic/Cambrian lithospheric-scale structures during extension and break-up of Madagascar from Africa
AGU 2015, San Francisco, USA M.C. Reiss, G. Rümpker, F. Tilmann, X. Yuan, E.J. Rindraharisaona. Seismic anisotropy of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system beneath southern Madagascar
EGU 2015, Vienna, Austria M.C. Reiss, G. Rümpker, F. Tilmann, X. Yuan, E.J. Rindraharisaona: Seismic anisotropy of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system beneath southern Madagascar
IASPEI 2013, Goteborg, Sweden M.Reiss, M. Lindenfeld, G. Rümpker: Application of array methods to the monitoring of induced and natural seismicity in the northern Upper Rhine Graben

SoSe 2026