Muon tomography: Plans for observations in the Lesser Antilles

Dominique Gibert,Jacques Marteau,Nolwenn Lesparre,Yves Déclais,François Beauducel,Florence Nicollin,Albert Tarantola

doi:10.5047/eps.2009.07.003

Abstract

The application of muon tomography to monitor and image the internal structure of volcanoes in the Lesser Antilles is discussed. Particular focus is directed towards the three volcanoes that fall under the responsibility of the Institut de Physique du Globe of Paris, namely La Montagne Pelée in Martinique, La Soufrière in Guadeloupe, and the Soufrière Hills in Montserrat. The technological criteria for the design of portable muon telescopes are presented in detail for both their mechanical and electronic aspects. The detector matrices are constructed with scintillator strips, and their detection characteristics are discussed. The tomography inversion is presented, and its distinctive characteristics are briefly discussed. Details are given on the implementation of muon tomography experiments on La Soufrière in Guadeloupe.

Highlights

Lesser Antilles is a subduction volcanic arc within which a dozen of either potentially or presently active volcanoes are located in populated areas (Fig. 1) (Lindsay et al, 2005)
These examples are Martinique (La Montagne Pelee), Guadeloupe (La Soufriere), and Montserrat (The Soufriere Hills), whose volcanoes have presented an eruptive activity since the beginning of the 20th century
The Soufriere Hills in Montserrat is presently in a magmatic eruption phase which started in 1995 and has since devastated most of the island (Druitt and Kokelaar, 2002). Because of their societal impacts, these volcanoes are subject to careful monitoring, and fully functional observatories have been installed in their vicinity for this purpose

Summary

Introduction

Lesser Antilles is a subduction volcanic arc within which a dozen of either potentially or presently active volcanoes are located in populated areas (Fig. 1) (Lindsay et al, 2005) These examples are Martinique (La Montagne Pelee), Guadeloupe (La Soufriere), and Montserrat (The Soufriere Hills), whose volcanoes have presented an eruptive activity since the beginning of the 20th century. The Soufriere Hills in Montserrat is presently in a magmatic eruption phase which started in 1995 and has since devastated most of the island (Druitt and Kokelaar, 2002) Because of their societal impacts, these volcanoes are subject to careful monitoring, and fully functional observatories have been installed in their vicinity for this purpose. Besides operating a network of classical techniques, like seismic, chemical, or ground deformation monitoring, these observatories provide unique privileged places for de-

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