Seven years of infrasound monitoring of volcanic eruptions of Sakurajima

Abstract

Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) is operating an dense infrasound array network which is comprised of eight seismo-acoustic array stations (BRDAR, YPDAR, KMPAR, CHNAR, YAGAR, KSGAR, ULDAR, and TJIAR) and we are continuously monitoring all the natural and artificial infrasonic events occurred in and around Korean peninsula with this network. Sakurajima volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the world to the point where the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in Tokyo issued 6,012 warnings over the past 7 years from 2009 to 2015. We have checked and analyzed all the infrasound signals possibly associated with the eruptions chronology of Sakurajima volcano based on the Tokyo VAA (Volcanic Ash Advisories) information, in order to know how daily, seasonal and yearly atmospheric changes affect the detection capability of each infrasound station. The result of preliminary analysis will be presented and how the geographical location of the infrasound network which is fan-shaped to the Sakurajima volcano is affected by stratospheric wind dynamics will be discussed.