Vent Distribution on Jeju Island, South Korea: Glimpses Into the Subvolcanic System

Abstract

AbstractThe spatial distribution of vents is ultimately controlled by the geometry of the magma source at depth, stress orientation and pre‐existing crustal structures. In this work, the spatial patterns of vent distribution in Jeju Island, South Korea, are examined through several methods. Comparison of the obtained distribution patterns with previous knowledge about the volcanic evolution of the island, and recent results of seismic tomographic images provides a comprehensive interpretation of vent distribution in terms of the underlying structure of the sub‐volcanic system. Thus, it is proposed that under certain conditions the probability density functions of some groups of vents can be used to obtain rough estimates of the depths of magma storage. Also, it is shown that the overall spatial pattern of vents provides an integrated image of the sub‐volcanic system both in space and time. The results reported in this work can therefore help us to avoid unjustified speculations concerning the nature of activity present in zones of distributed volcanism elsewhere.