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Data Processing Methods for 3D Seismic Imaging of Subsurface Volcanoes: Applications to the Tarim Flood Basalt
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Seismic constraints on caldera dynamics from the 2015 Axial Seamount eruption
William S D Wilcock1, Maya Tolstoy2, Felix Waldhauser2
1School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. wilcock@uw.edu.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|December 17, 2016
Summary
A new cabled observatory at Axial Seamount captured a 2015 submarine volcanic eruption. Seismic data revealed caldera ring fault reactivation and dike propagation, offering insights into submarine volcanic processes.
Area of Science:
- Volcanology
- Seismology
- Oceanography
Background:
- Submarine caldera monitoring is difficult.
- Axial Seamount is a volcanically active seamount on the Juan de Fuca ridge.
- A new cabled observatory was installed at Axial Seamount.
Purpose of the Study:
- To monitor seismic activity in real-time at a submarine caldera.
- To understand the processes leading to and during a volcanic eruption.
- To investigate the role of caldera ring faults in volcanic activity.
Main Methods:
- Deployment of a cabled seismic observatory.
- Real-time seismic data acquisition and analysis.
- Analysis of seismic activity preceding, during, and after an eruption.
Main Results:
- The observatory captured a 2015 submarine eruption with explosive acoustic signals.
- Pre-eruptive seismic activity indicated caldera ring fault reactivation and tidal triggering.
- The ring fault facilitated dike propagation during both inflation and deflation phases.
Conclusions:
- Real-time seismic monitoring is feasible in submarine calderas.
- Caldera ring faults play a crucial role in magma accommodation and dike pathways.
- Tidal forces can indicate critically stressed volcanic systems.
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