Duration, Magnitude, and Frequency of Subaerial Volcano Deformation Events: New Results from Latin America Using Insar and a Global Synthesis

Article Geochemistry 3 Volume 11, Number 1 Geophysics 19 January 2010 Geosystems Q01003, doi:10.1029/2009GC002558 G ISSN: 1525-2027 AN ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF THE EARTH SCIENCES Published by AGU and the Geochemical Society Click Here for Full Article Duration, magnitude, and frequency of subaerial volcano deformation events: New results from Latin America using InSAR and a global synthesis T. J. Fournier, M. E. Pritchard, and S. N. Riddick Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Snee Hall, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA ([email protected]) [1] We combine new observations of volcano deformation in Latin America with more than 100 previous deformation studies in other areas of the world to constrain the frequency, magnitude, and duration of subaerial volcano deformation events. We discuss implications for eruptive hazards from a given deformation event and the optimum repeat interval for proposed InSAR satellite missions. We use L band (23.6 cm wavelength) satellite-based interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) to make the first systematic search for deformation in all volcanic arcs of Latin America (including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and the northern and southern Andes), spanning 2006–2008. We combine L and C band (5.6 cm wavelength) InSAR observations over the southern Andes volcanoes to extend the time series from 2002 to 2008 and assess the capabilities of the different radars: L band gives superior results in highly vegetated areas. Our observations reveal 11 areas of volcano deformation, some of them in areas that were thought to be dormant. There is a lack of observed deformation at several erupting volcanoes, probably due to temporal aliasing. The total number of deforming volcanoes in the central and southern Andes now totals 15 (from observations between 1992 and 2008), comparable to the Alaska/Aleutian arc. Globally, volcanoes deform across a variety of time scales (from seconds to centuries) often without eruption and with no apparent critical observation time scale, although observations made every minute are sometimes necessary to see precursors to eruption. Components: 18,269 words, 19 figures, 3 tables. Keywords: InSAR; Andes; volcano; Caribbean; Central America; deformation. Index Terms: 8485 Volcanology: Remote sensing of volcanoes. Received 15 April 2009; Revised 13 October 2009; Accepted 13 November 2009; Published 19 January 2010. Fournier, T. J., M. E. Pritchard, and S. N. Riddick (2010), Duration, magnitude, and frequency of subaerial volcano deformation events: New results from Latin America using InSAR and a global synthesis, Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 11, Q01003, doi:10.1029/2009GC002558. 1. Introduction imminent eruption [e.g., Swanson et al.,1983; Klein, 1984]. Unfortunately, experience has shown [2] Deformation of the Earth’s surface at volcanoes that volcanoes have different behaviors before provides clues to the myriad processes occurring eruptions. Some volcanoes give little obvious below and above the surface [e.g., Dvorak and warning that they are about to erupt [e.g., Hall Dzurisin, 1997], and might provide warning of an et al., 2004], or may give many indications of Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union 1 of 29 Geochemistry Geophysics 3 fournier et al.: duration and magnitude of volcano deformation 10.1029/2009GC002558 Geosystems G Figure 1. Global map of volcanoes (black triangles) (Smithsonian Institution, Global volcanism report, available at http://www.volcano.si.edu) with areas of observed volcanic deformation shown as red triangles (Table 1). Several areas have not been completely surveyed for deformation (see section 1). impending eruption, but do not actually erupt (e.g., deformation see Table 1) and are due largely to the restless calderas like Long Valley, CA). Because use of satellite-based interferometric synthetic different volcanoes have these different personali- aperture radar (InSAR). Many of the deforming ties, deformation must be monitored at all volca- volcanoes discovered with InSAR were not thought noes, and a history of precursory activity and to be active [e.g., Lu et al., 2000; Amelung et al., eruption should be established for each volcano. 2000a; Lu et al., 2002; Wicks et al., 2002; Pritchard and Simons, 2002]. The hazard from these pre- [3] Of the more than 1500 ‘‘potentially active’’ sumed magma intrusions is unclear: will this mag- volcanoes around the world, the ‘‘past perfor- ma accumulation result in an eruption, or is this a mance’’ of only a few dozen is well documented benign intrusion? [e.g., Simkin and Siebert,1994;Dvorak and Dzurisin, 1997]. Another problem is that the list [4] In an effort to address the question of potential of 1500 potentially active volcanoes is incomplete: hazard from volcano deformation events, we have occasionally, volcanoes that are not believed to be compiled a database of deforming volcanoes from active can erupt (e.g., Mt. Pinatubo, Philippines, the literature (Table 1 and Figure 1). In order to fill 1991) or at least show some sign of seismic or in some regional and temporal gaps of volcano deformation activity [e.g., Pritchard and Simons, deformation, we also add new observations in 2002]. For example, as of 1997, surface deforma- Latin America from 2006 to 2008 using the Japa- tion had been observed at only 44 different volca- nese L band radar instrument on board the ALOS noes using ground-based methods (e.g., traditional satellite. Because 2 years of data are not sufficient surveying, tiltmeters, or the Global Positioning to characterize volcanic activity, we include a System, GPS) [Dvorak and Dzurisin, 1997]. In the longer time series of observations (2002–2008) last decade or so, observations of deformation at for a subsection of Latin America – the Southern volcanoes have more than doubled to 110 (Figure 1; Volcanic Zone of Chile and Argentina. Our new for a complete listing of observations of volcano observations reveal volcanic deformation in 11 2of29 Table 1 (Sample). Deforming Volcanoes Across the Globe Along With Some Information About the Type of Deformation Observeda [The full Table 1 is available in the HTML version of this article] Volcano Observation Magnitude Magnitude Geosystems Geophysics Geochemistry Volcano Latitude Longitude Number Frequency Duration (cm/yr) (mrad/yr) Type Method Aliased Reference Italy Campi Flegrei 37.100 12.700 101.01 1 year >10 years 3 – IE GPS, InSAR yes Gottsmann et al. [2006] Vesuvius 40.821 14.426 101.02 <1 year >10 years 10 – IE InSAR, leveling, yes Lanari et al. [2002] G À tilt, trilateration G Stromboli 38.789 15.213 101.04 continuous 2 days 10 – IE GPS no Mattia et al. [2004] 3 Vulcano 38.404 14.962 101.05 1 year 18 months ±1 – IE leveling yes Ferri et al. [1988] 3 Etna 37.734 15.004 101.06 1 year years 1 – E InSAR, GPS yes Bonforte et al. [2008] fournier et al.: duration and magnitude of volcano deformation 101.06 continuous 6 days 730 – PE GPS, tilt no Bonaccorso et al. [2002] Nisyros 36.580 27.180 102.05 continuous minutes 10 – IE GPS, InSAR no Gottsmann et al. [2007] Africa Gada’ Ale 13.975 40.408 201.05 1 year 3 years 12 – IE InSAR yes Amelung et al. [2000b] Dabbahu 12.600 40.480 201.113 1 year 7 days 800À – IE InSAR yes Wright et al. [2006] Asal-Ghoubbet 11.700 42.700 201.1251 7 years days 200 – E leveling, yes Ruegg et al. [1979] trilateration Menengai 0.200 36.070 202.06 1 year <3 years 1 – IE InSAR yes Biggs et al. [2009] Longonot À0.914 36.446 202.1 1 year <2 years 3.3À – IE InSAR yes Biggs et al. [2009] Suswa À1.175 36.350 202.11 1 year <3 years 1.5 – IE InSAR yes Biggs et al. [2009] Lengai, À2.751 35.902 202.12 1 months 3 months 20À – E InSAR yes Baer et al. [2008] Ol Doinyo À Paka 0.920 36.180 202.53 9 months <9 months 25 – IE InSAR yes Biggs et al. [2009] Nyamuragira 1.408 29.200 203.02 1 year 2 months 28 – E InSAR yes Cayol et al. [2007] Nyiragongo À1.520 29.250 203.03 1 year months 15 – E trilateration, yes Poland and Lu [2004] À tilt, InSAR Indian Ocean and Arabia Piton de la 21.23 55.713 303.02 2 months 2 months 30 – E InSAR yes Froger et al. [2004] Fournaise À Harrat Lunayyir 25.17 37.75 301.04 1 year 2 days 14600 – IE InSAR yes Gomez et al. [2009] New Zealand White Island 37.52 177.180 401.04 4 months months-years ±20 – IE leveling yes Peltier et al. [2009] Taupo À38.82 176.000 401.07 1 year years 20 – G InSAR, leveling yes Hole et al. [2007] À À Ruapehu 39.28 175.570 410.1 1 year 4 years 2 – trilateration yes Dvorak and Dzurisin [1997, 10.1029/2009GC002558 À and references therein] Indonesia and South Pacific Manam 4.100 145.061 501.02 1 day 6 years – 3.3 E tilt no Mori et al. [1987] Sulu Range À5.500 150.942 502.09 1 year days? 100 – IE InSAR yes Wicks et al. [2007] À a The columns are as follows: volcano name, latitude, longitude,thevolcanonumberassignedbytheSmithsonianInstitution,the relevant (or shortest) observation frequency, duration of deformation event, magnitude of deformation event (in cm/yr or mrad/yr), type of deformation event, observation method, whether or not the observation is aliased, and references. The different types of deformation are broken into 3of29 seven broad categories: E, eruptive; IE, intereruptive; PE, preeruptive; G, geothermal; FD, flow deposit; GW, ground water; F, flank. We do not include the several hundred volcanoes that have robust observations of no deformation. The list of references is not complete. For each volcano, we cited a paper that supports the duration and magnitude of volcano deformation in the table.

Load more