Improving volcano models with joint geophysical and geochemical/petrological interpretations of volcano dynamics

Abstract:

The improve our understanding of the dynamics of volcanic eruptions, a challenge remains to fully utilize and be aware of the complexities of the subsurface structure and volcanoes, and at the same time couple available knowledge with a mathematical description of eruption dynamics, in order to produce useful models. One particular topic in that respect is the dynamics of subsurface magma flow and resulting surface ground deformation. Historically, the subfields of volcanology have advanced significantly on its own. Extensive new results have come from geochemistry and petrology that are steadily providing improved views on magma dynamics, structural studies of eroded volcanoes revealing cumulative structures formed in volcano roots, laboratory studies of rock behaviour, and volcano monitoring with variety of techniques. Now is the time to combine better together results from the various subfields of volcanology to improve volcano models. Future-oriented approaches need to be based on joint geophysical and geochemical/petrological interpretations of volcano dynamics. One such study is that of Sigmundsson et al. (2020) accounting for magma buoyancy, viscoelastic crustal properties, and sustained magma channels in order to explain the occurrence of large volume eruptions with relatively minor observed precursory signals.

Reference: Sigmundsson et al. (2020), Unexpected large eruptions from buoyant magma bodies within viscoelastic crust, Nature Communications, 11, 2403.