Direct Rate Measurements of Eruption Plumes at Augustine Volcano: a Problem of Scaling and Uncontrolled Variables
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Michigan Technological University Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech Department of Geological and Mining Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences Publications Engineering and Sciences 5-10-1988 Direct rate measurements of eruption plumes at Augustine volcano: A problem of scaling and uncontrolled variables William I. Rose Michigan Technological University Grant Heiken Los Alamos National Laboratory Kenneth Wohletz Los Alamos National Laboratory Dean Eppler Los Alamos National Laboratory Sumner Barr Los Alamos National Laboratory See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/geo-fp Part of the Geology Commons, Mining Engineering Commons, and the Other Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Rose, W. I., Heiken, G., Wohletz, K., Eppler, D., Barr, S., Miller, T., Chuan, R. L., & Symonds, R. B. (1988). Direct rate measurements of eruption plumes at Augustine volcano: A problem of scaling and uncontrolled variables. Journal of Geophysical Research, 93(B5), 4485-4499. http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/ JB093iB05p04485 Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/geo-fp/117 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/geo-fp Part of the Geology Commons, Mining Engineering Commons, and the Other Engineering Commons Authors William I. Rose, Grant Heiken, Kenneth Wohletz, Dean Eppler, Sumner Barr, Theresa Miller, Raymond L. Chuan, and R. B. Symonds This article is available at Digital Commons @ Michigan Tech: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/geo-fp/117 JOURNALOF GEOPHYSICALRESEARCH, VOL. 93, NO. B5, PAGES4485-4499, MAY 10, 1988 DIRECT RATE MEASUREMENTS OF ERUPTION PLUMES AT AUGUSTINE VOLCANO: A PROBLEM OF SCALING AND UNCONTROLLED VARIABLES WilliamI. Rose1, GrantHeiken 2, KennethWohletz 2, DeanEppler 2, SumnerBarr 2, TheresaMiller 3, RaymondL. Chuan4, andRobert B. SymondsI AbstraCt. The March-April 1986 eruption of Augustine occurred in 1812, 1883, 1935, 1963-1964, 1976, and 1986 Volcano, Alaska, provided an opportunity to directly [Kienle and Swanson, 1985; Yount et al., 1987]. Because measure the flux of gas, aerosol, and ash particles during of the proximity of Augustine Volcano to the major north explosive eruption. Most previous direct measurementsof Pacific air routes, eruptive activity poses potential hazards volcanic emission rates are on plumes from fuming to air traffic; previous eruptions have resulted in serious volcanoes or on very small eruption clouds. Direct encounters [Kienle and Shaw, 1979; Rose, 1986]. measurementsduring explosive activity are needed to Volcanological research at Augustine during and understand the scale relationships between passive following the 1976 eruption focused on the transport and degassingor small eruption plumes and highly explosive dispersal of the 1976 plume [Kienle and Shaw, 1979], the events. Conditions on April 3, 1986 were ideal: high petrology of lavas [Johnston, 1978], the unusually winds, clear visibility, moderate activity. Three chloride-rich nature of its volatiles [Johnston, 1980], measurementswere made: 1) an airborne correlation aircraft sampling of eruption clouds [Hobbs et al., 1977], spectrometer(Cospec) provided mass flux ratesof SO2; 2) and the seismicity of the volcano [D. J. Lalla, Ph.D. treated filter samples chemically characterized the plume thesis, in preparation, 1980]. Seismic monitoring of and 3) a quartz crystal microcascade impactor provided Augustine detected weeks of precursory seismic activity particle size distribution. Atmospheric conditions on April before the 1986 eruption [Kienle, 1986]. 3 caused the development of a lee wave plume, which Studies of gas emission rates at active volcanoes have allowed us to constrain a model of plume dispersion emphasized the use of the correlation spectrometer leadingto a forecastmap of concentrationsof SO2 at (Cospec)for SO2 emissionstudies [Stoiber and Jepson, greater distances from the vent. On April 3, 1986, the 1973; Casadevall et al., 1981]. The Cospec is very emissionrate of SO2 at Augustinewas 24,000 t/d, one of versatile for measurements during quiescent periods, and the largest direct volcanic rate measurements yet recorded our understanding of rates and emission patterns during with a Cospec. The results, coupled with analytical results repose now includes direct measurements at more than 50 from samples simultaneously collected on filters, allow us different fuming volcanoes. Notable problems in using the to estimate HCI emissions at 10,000 t/d and ash eruption Cospec during eruptions are the opacity of cloud and the rateat 1.5 x 106t/d. Basedon otherdata, this ash hazard of access by aircraft. Therefore direct data eruption rate is about 1/50 of the maximum rate during collected during eruptive periods (high emission rates) are the March-April activity. Filter samples show that the still rare. gas:aerosolproportions for sulfur and chlorine are about Estimatesof the global volcanic degassingrates differ 10:1 and 4:1, respectively. By contrast, measurements of becauseof uncertainty in the estimatesof degassingduring Augustine's plume, together with ground-based gas large eruptions[Berresheim and Jaeschke,1983; Stoiber et sampling in July 1986 when the volcano was in a al., 1987]. Indirect estimatesof eruptive degassing posteruptivefuming state, are 380 t/d SO2 and [Leavitt, 1982; Devine et al., 1984] may be criticized [Rose approximately 8000 t/d HCI with no ash emission. The et al., 1981, 1983] because they are based on observations of large CI releases at Augustine support the poorly-constrainederupted magma volumes and do not CI abundance conclusions of Johnston (1980) based on reflect contributions from intrusive magma. Krueger study of melt inclusions in the 1976 lavas. The results [1983, 1985] demonstratedthe use of the total ozone reinforce the need for more measurements during eruptions mapping spectrometer(TOMS) as a synoptic satellite sensor and for better understanding of scaling of volcanic of SO2 releasedduring eruptions. The quantitative emissions of various eruptive Components. potential of such remotely-senseddata can be augmented by simultaneousground-based measurements. Direct Introduction measurementsof emissionrates of other gas species(CO 2, H20) are rare [Harriset al., 1981],but the Cospecdata, Augustine Volcano (59.37øN, 153.42øW) is a symmetrical together with other sampling methods, have now been andesitic island volcano, located in lower Cook Inlet, 375 applied to estimate the emission rates of other gases,ash, km SSWof Anchorage,Alaska (Figure 1). Augustine's aerosols,and volatile metal species[Casadevall et al., 1984; summit(1200 m) is marked by a complexlava dome, Chuan et al., 1986; Rose et al., 1986; Lepel et al., 1978]. while the flanks surrounding the volcano consistof a The objectives of this study were to make direct debris apron formed by pyroclastic flows. Recorded measurementsof the SO2 emissionrates during explosive historicactivity consistsof six explosivePe16ean eruptions eruption of Augustine Volcano and to simultaneously that were often followed by lava extrusions. These collect other data that would allow evaluation of the emission rates of other gases and volcanic ash and aerosol particlesof various sizes. A principal aim of the work is l MichiganTechnological University, Houghton. to determine how to scale from low-level activity which is 2LosAlamos National Laboratory, New Mexico. easily observedand measuredto large-scale explosive 3ChemistryDepartment, University of Washington,Seattle. eruptions which are often unapproachable. We can thus 4BrunswickCorporation, Costa Mesa, California. estimate more accurately the relative and absolute amounts of material added to the atmosphere. We also hope that Copyright 1988 by the American GeophysicalUnion. the direct flux measurements of this eruption can provide a calibration for weather-satellite detectors of ash clouds Paper number 7B7080. and sulfur dioxide. When calibrated, the synoptic satellite 0148-0227/88/007 B- 7080505.00 measurements will allow hazards to be quickly 4485 4486 Rose et al.: Direct Rate Measurement of Augustine Eruption 154 o 152 ø 150 o fluorpore particle filter. Half of each sample was prepared for instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The remaining half filters were archived; in the case of the base treated filters, one fourth of the filter N was usedto analyzefor water solubleSO4 = and SO3--by ion chromatography. 62 ø Particle measurements were made with a four-stage t cascade impactor with quartz crystal microbalance impactor plates [Chuan, 1975], which separatesairborne particles into four aerodynamic size groups. The mass of particles in each size group was determined and the particles were individually studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X ray energy spectroscopy(XES). Anchorage Results of Measurements on April 3, 1986 For successful Cospec measurements during an explosive eruption, the plume must have a favorable geometry (ideally a regular lateral dispersion) and it must be sufficiently transparent so that absorption can be well 60 ø _ measured. On April 3, 1986, the combination of clear atmospheric conditions, moderate activity and very high winds (45 knots or 23.1 m/s), precluded opacity and allowed absorption measurements. Traverses under the plume at low altitude (155 m) about 12 km downwind of '<•AugustineVolcano the crater were possible because of the WNW direction of the winds and the lee wave geometry, which raised the I I plume above the sea surface (Figure