Shallow resistivity structure of Asama Volcano and its implications for magma ascent process in the 2004 eruption

Abstract

Asama volcano is an active volcano with many historical records of Vulcanian eruptions. Its most recent eruptions occurred in 2004 at the summit crater. In this paper, we argue the resistivity structure shallower than 3 km obtained by a dense magnetotelluric survey. The magnetotelluric data were obtained at 74 measurement sites mainly along the four survey lines across the volcano. The resistivity profiles obtained by two-dimensional inversions are characterized by a resistive surface layer and an underlying conductive layer. The dominant feature of the profiles is the existence of resistive bodies at a depth range of a few hundred meters to a few kilometers surrounded by a highly conductive region. Considering that the location of resistive bodies correspond to the old eruption centers (one corresponds to the 24 ka collapse caldera and the other to the 21 ka lava dome), the resistive bodies imply zones of old and solidified intrusive magma with low porosity. Because geothermal activities exist near the resistive bodies, the enclosing highly conductive regions are interpreted as a hydrothermal system driven by the heat from the old solidified magma. Beneath the resistive body under the collapsed caldera, intrusion of magma is inferred from the studies of volcano-tectonic earthquakes and continuous global positioning system (GPS) observation, implying the structural control of magma activity within the volcano. In this study, we propose that the magma ascent was impeded by the old and solidified remnant magma and partly migrated horizontally to the east and finally ascended to the summit, resulting in the 2004 eruptions.