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Volcanic Activity of Mount Erebus, 1981-1982

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Volcanic Activity of Mount Erebus, 1981-1982 believe they are related to the depth, energy release, and mech- infrasound signals, the former representing explosions. There anism of various types of eruptions that are transitional be- is a tendency for the epicenter to scatter along an east-west tween the two end members, that is, between less violent gas trend across the summit of Mount Erebus, parallel to the emissions (roar, without explosive onset) and more violent, Erebus-Terra Nova-Terrror volcanic axis. This trend was also sharp explosions (bang, explosive onset). These source charac- observed in the previous season (1980-81) (Takanami et al. teristics are being investigated by the New Zealand and Jap- 1981). The data suggest that the feeder dike or dikes of the anese team members (e.g., Dibble 1981). Mount Erebus lava lake may have an east-west orientation. A positive correlation of signals seen on the figure-eight in- In summary, over the past 2 years we have observed a high duction loop with volcanic explosions has been noted. The level of very-small-magnitude earthquake activity associated origin of these signals could be twofold: (1) eruption of con- with volcanic processes near the summit of Mount Erebus. ducting magma or ionized gas in the Earths static magnetic Swarm-type activity is typical. An unresolved question is field, and (2) expansion of the area enclosed by the wire loop as whether or not the few events occurring on the outer flanks of the summit crater dilates during explosions. We do not know the Erebus volcano are truly tectonic or are icequakes. Fang yet which of these processes is more important. Unfortunately, Glacier may be the source of some of these events. a volcanic bomb thrown beyond the crater rim during a large This work was supported by National Science Foundation explosion severed the wire in early December 1981, temporarily grant DPP 79-23016. We are very much indebted to the Scott Base suspending the induction experiment. The break was located personnel, in particular to Stan Whitfield and Ross Mason, who and repaired on 23 January 1982. have kept the recording system running through the winter Earthquake location has thus far proved difficult because months. Special thanks must also go to the VXE-6 helicopter larger magnitude local events that produce clear body-wave crews who flew us to some rather hostile places. Bill McIntosh, arrivals at all stations are extremely rare. The local magnitude Kei Terai, Muneo Okayama, and Nick Cradock (New Zealand range of events recorded in 1980-81 was as low as -0.5 to -2.8 Antarctic Research Program) were invaluable assistants. (Dibble 1981). Typically, we can use only the four stations located on Erebus, plus Abbott, Hoopers Shoulder, Bomb, and Summit stations, to locate earthquakes. Terror and Scott Base stations rarely registered useful information. Exact arrival times are References usually hard to determine because of the highly attenuated, emergent onset of most of the signals. Another problem is the Dibble, R. R. 1981. International Mount Erebus seismic survey 1980/81. Wellington Antarctic Expe- ill-known velocity structure of Mount Erebus. On the basis of In A. Pyne (Compiler), Victoria University of dition25, 1980-81, Immediate Report. Wellington, N.Z.: Victoria Univer- teleseismic data, we have adopted 4.5 kilometers per second as sity of Wellington. an average P-wave velocity from sea level to the summit. This Kienle, J., Kyle, P. R., Estes, S., Takanami, T., and Dibble, R. R. 1981. velocity was used to locate the selected events shown in figure Seismicity of Mount Erebus, 1980-1981. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 3. As expected, many of these better recorded events were 16(5), 35-36. located centrally beneath the summit crater of Erebus, with Takanami, T., Terai, K., Osada, N., Kienle, J . , Estes, S., Kyle, P. R., and depths ranging from very near the surface to usually less than Dibble, R. R. 1981. Seismologic observations on Mt. Erebus, 1981. Paper 3,000 meters below the summit crater. Two kinds of earthquakes presented at the Seismological Society of Japan annual meeting, can be distinguished in figure 3—those with and those without Kyoto, Japan. (Abstract, in Japanese) ous reports in the New Zealand Volcanological Record, the Bulletin Volcanic activity of Mount Erebus, of Volcanic Eruptions, and the Antarctic Journal of the U.S. (Kyle 1981-1982 1979, 1981; Kyle and McIntosh 1978). Annual observations are made to record changes in the be- havior and nature of the magma lake and to collect volcanic PHILIP R. KYLE ejecta for petrologic studies. Over the last 5 years, volcanic activity has remained fairly constant. During observations be- Department of Geoscience tween 3 and 13 December 1981, small strombolian explosions New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology continued at a frequency of four to six per day. The eruptions are Socorro, New Mexico 87801 believed to originate from the active vent adjacent to the lake. Many fresh volcanic bombs were found on the crater rim, sug- PETER OTWAY gesting that the eruptions were the strongest observed in the last 3 years. This may reflect an increase in distance between the New Zealand Geological Survey lip of the active vent and the underlying magma level. Wairakei, New Zealand Since 1976 the magma lake has remained fairly constant in size. It is about 120 meters long and oval in shape, and it usually shows a simple convection pattern, with magma welling up The anorthoclase phonolite magma lake at Mount Erebus has from two centers about one-third of the way from each end. been under surveillance since its discovery, by New Zealand Downwelling occurs around the edge of the lake and along a Antarctic Research Program (NZARP) personnel, during the zone roughly in the middle of the lake. 1972-73 austral summer field season (Giggenbach, Kyle, and Although the surface area of the lake appears to have re- Lyon 1973). A summary of the volcanic activity up to and includ- mained constant, the level of the lake relative to the crater rim ing the 1976-77 field season was published recently (Kyle et al. appears to be descending slowly. Changes are difficult to moni- 1982). Volcanic activity since 1976 has been summarized in vari- tor but are estimated to be as much as 5-10 meters over the last 3 31 1982 REVIEW r-. years. The lowering of the level may be equivalent to the amount of material ejected by the small strombolian eruptions. Ar A deformation survey pattern set up in December 1980 was remeasured in December 1981; preliminary data indicate a con- traction in the size of the crater rim, consistent with lowering of the magma column. Lowering is also suggested by the develop- ment on the main crater floor of a semiradial fracture which parallels the inner crater rim. The main crater floor apparently is slowly collapsing into the inner crater. See figure. Work at Mount Erebus was supported by National Science Foundation grants DPP 79-20316 and DPP 80-20002. The untiring assistance of Bill McIntosh is gratefully acknowledged. References Giggenbach, W. F., Kyle, P. R., and Lyon, G. 1973. Present volcanic activity on Mt. Erebus, Ross Island, Antarctica. Geology, 1, 135-136. Kyle, P. R. 1979. Volcanic activity at Mount Erebus, 1978-79. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 14(5), 35-36. Kyle, P. R. 1981. Volcanic activity of Mount Erebus, 1980-1981. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 16(5), 34. Kyle, P. R., Dibble, R. R., Giggenbach, W. F., and Keys, J. 1982. Volcanic Infrared view of the inner crater at Mount Erebus taken from the east activity associated with the anorthoclase phonolite lava lake, Mt. rim of the main crater. The magma lake Is in the lower right quadrant. Erebus, Antarctica. In C. Craddock (Ed.), Antarctic geoscience. Madi- White areas of the lake are at the highest temperature (about 1,000°C) son: University of Wisconsin Press. and are areas of exposed magma; grey and dark areas have a thin Kyle, P. R., and McIntosh, W. 1978. Volcanic activity at Mt. Erebus, crust of congealed magma. 1977/78. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 13(4), 32-34. Thermal imagery of Mount Erebus The NOAA series of satellites are sun synchronous and polar N0AA-6 orbiting. They provide at least twice-a-day coverage of any from the satellite given area at an average altitude of 833 kilometers. Aboard NOAA-6 (which provided the data discussed in this article) the main sensor system is the advanced very high resolution radi- ometer (AVHRR). This four-channel system operates in the fol- lowing wavelengths: D. R. WIESNET and JANE DAGUANNO • channel 1-0.58-0.68 micrometer (visible); • channel 2.-0.72-1.1 micrometer (near infrared); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration • channel 3-3.55-3.93 micrometer (infrared); and National Earth Satellite Service • channel 4-10.5-11.5 micrometer (thermal infrared). Washington, D.C. 20233 Resolution of each channel is 1.1 kilometers at the satellite sub- point (Hussey 1979). The lava lake atop Mount Erebus seems to be detectable with the NOAA-6 AVHRR sensor even though it is a subresolution The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration feature. Using channel 3, Matson and Dozier (1981) have de- (N0AA) polar orbiting satellites provide a good perspective for tected subresolution scale sources of very high temperature. viewing and monitoring Mount Erebus, an active antarctic vol- Using an algorithm developed by Dozier (1981), they have cano. Mount Erebus (3,794 meters) is situated at 77°32S shown that the size and black-body temperatures of these 167°09E. Field investigations and aerial reconnaissance indicate sources can be calculated.
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