Piton De La Fournaise Volcano Research Articles

Seismicity under a Dormant Volcano: Unveiling Active Crustal Faulting beneath Piton des Neiges, La Réunion

ABSTRACT Volcanic environments are commonly associated with seismic activity. The two prominent shield volcanoes of La Réunion island—Piton des Neiges and Piton de la Fournaise, exhibit sustained seismic activity. Whereas the seismicity at Piton de la Fournaise is tied to its volcanic activity, the seismic activity beneath Piton des Neiges, which has been dormant for 27,000 yr, remains poorly understood. The occurrence of earthquakes under the north flank of Piton des Neiges, often felt by the population, led to the deployment of several seismic stations in the area since 2012. In this study, we employ template matching and double-difference relocation techniques to construct a high-resolution catalog of the region. Our results reveal that the seismicity observed under Piton des Neiges is primarily concentrated on a northeast-dipping fault located in the oceanic crust beneath the volcanic edifice. Analysis of focal mechanisms indicates that this structure operates as a reverse fault. In the vicinity of this primary fault, we also identify secondary seismicity clusters with similar orientation and focal mechanisms. The region has experienced continuous seismicity since 1999, with occasional periods of increased swarmlike activity in 2011 and 2018. These fluctuations in seismicity rate do not correlate with markers of deep magma transfers often observed before eruptions at the Piton de la Fournaise volcano. Beyond the crustal faults highlighted in this study, it is noteworthy that the majority of earthquakes in northern La Réunion island exhibit consistent reverse focal mechanisms. These observations suggest that seismic events may not be driven by deep magmatic activity but, rather, result from regional tectonic stress and edifice loading on pre-existing faults.

Use of cold waters geochemistry as a geothermal prospecting tool for hidden hydrothermal systems in Réunion Island

Most untapped high-enthalpy geothermal resources are blind, meaning lacking surface evidence of their existence. The first step in their discovery is to find evidence of hydrothermal activity. Here we apply an approach based on the geochemistry of cold waters, which allowed us to identify evidence of the existence of a hydrothermal system at Piton de la Fournaise volcano (Réunion Island), and constrain its location. This approach uses the concentrations in B, Li, SO4, F, Mo, P, V, As and HCO3 and the isotopic ratios δ13C and δ11B as geochemical markers of hydrothermal activity that can be used even in waters with extremely low ion content (Electrical conductivity <80 µS/cm), and even when their geochemical composition is mainly controlled by other processes. This noninvasive approach is easy to implement and can be applied wherever the presence of a blind geothermal system is suspected.

Is stress modeling able to forecast intrusions and slip events at Piton de la Fournaise volcano?

Widespread evidence indicates that the stress field and the presence of major discontinuities control the magma trajectory and the stability of volcanic edifices. These latter factors affect two major volcanic hazards: eruptions and flank slip events. Here, we use a catalog of 60 intrusions at Piton de la Fournaise (Réunion Island) to document the link between stress inherited from intrusions and slip events, and the location of subsequent events. Our study spans two periods, 1998-2007 and 2007-2021, separated by a collapse of the summit crater and a 1.4 meter flank slip in 2007. The 1998-2007 intrusive sequence cannot be explained by stress interaction. On the contrary, the location of intrusions in the 2007-2021 sequence is consistent with a decrease in normal stresses (unclamping) induced by previous intrusions. Progressive rift zone unclamping, and Coulomb stress increase on previously recognized structures explain the migration of activity from the summit to distal areas, the alternation between intrusions in the northern and the southern flanks, as well as the occurrence of flank slip events. Stress analysis documents a positive feedback between rift zone and flank slip events. In the long term, both magma intrusions and flank slip events contribute to the occurrence of catastrophic flank collapses through unclamping and Coulomb stress increase at the base of an unstable sector.

A Dynamic Extreme Value Model with Application to Volcanic Eruption Forecasting

Extreme events such as natural and economic disasters leave lasting impacts on society and motivate the analysis of extremes from data. While classical statistical tools based on Gaussian distributions focus on average behaviour and can lead to persistent biases when estimating extremes, extreme value theory (EVT) provides the mathematical foundations to accurately characterise extremes. This motivates the development of extreme value models for extreme event forecasting. In this paper, a dynamic extreme value model is proposed for forecasting volcanic eruptions. This is inspired by one recently introduced for financial risk forecasting with high-frequency data. Using a case study of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano, it is shown that the modelling framework is widely applicable, flexible and holds strong promise for natural hazard forecasting. The value of using EVT-informed thresholds to identify and model extreme events is shown through forecast performance, and considerations to account for the range of observed events are discussed.

Tracking changes in the co-eruptive seismic tremor associated with magma degassing at Piton de la Fournaise volcano

Volcanic eruptions in basaltic systems represent the most frequent expression of volcanic activity in the World, whose surface manifestations range from effusive lava flows to more explosive events. Their eruptive dynamics and style are largely controlled by the degassing of magma. In this study, we analyze seismic tremors recorded during 23 eruptions that occurred at Piton de la Fournaise volcano (La Réunion, France) during 2014–2021 and show that their properties are strongly linked to the magma degassing. We apply the network covariance matrix method to build a catalog of tremor sources associated with all 23 eruptions, to measure their time-frequency properties, and to locate their sources. We then conduct a multi-disciplinary analysis by comparing the seismic tremor observations with images of the eruptive sites, lava flow rate measurements, impulsive earthquakes, as well as deformation and magma composition data. The tremor depth distribution is found to be well correlated with magma gas content, indicating that the tremor generating mechanism is largely controlled by the shallow magma degassing under the eruptive site. The resulting seismic tremor signals analysis enable to track changes in degassing regimes and associated eruptive styles at the surface, thus improving monitoring and knowledge of the eruptive dynamics of the studied volcano.

Repetitive small seismicity coupled with rainfall can trigger large slope instabilities on metastable volcanic edifices

Quantifying the effect of external forcings like seismicity or rain on slope destabilization is a long-standing and challenging issue. To investigate the respective roles of these forcings, we analyze an unprecedented 10-year long catalog of rockfalls occurring in the crater of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano (La Reunion Island), using statistical tools originally developed for earthquakes. Our analysis reveals the predominant effect of low amplitude repetitive seismicity in the triggering of rockfalls located at a few kilometers from the source, due to progressive damaging of the slope. Moreover, we show that the efficiency and time-delay of this dynamic triggering is controlled by the stability state of the slope, i.e. its closeness to the failure, as observed with lab-experiments on metastable granular slopes. Our results show the need to account for long-term swarm-type seismic activity that can affect the stability of geological structures like slopes and faults, but also buildings.

Tracking changes in magma transport from very-long-period seismic signals at Piton de la Fournaise volcano

Changes in magma properties and transport geometry can have a direct impact on volcanic activity. However, such variations can be difficult to track during eruptions. We report previously undetected very-long-period (VLP) signals at Piton de la Fournaise that can be used to probe changes in magma transport. Source analysis of VLP events during the August-October 2015 eruption indicates a source depth of about 0.9-1.2 km and points to the resonance of the magma dike feeding the eruption. The evolution of the resonance period reveals a shortening of the dike when the magma flux decreases at the end of the eruption. VLP events are actually quite frequent at Piton de la Fournaise: all eruptions analyzed in this study exhibit VLP signals that are indicative of rapid drops in lava discharge. This work encourages the detection of VLP signals to monitor changes in magma flow during volcanic eruptions, and anticipate the corresponding evolution in effusive activity.

The 1965 Mahavel Landslide (Réunion Island, Indian Ocean): Morphology, Volumes, Flow Dynamics, and Causes of a Rock Avalanche in Tropical Setting

AbstractIn May 1965, a main landslide occurred in a deeply incised valley of Piton de la Fournaise volcano, in Réunion Island. This event occurred one day after heavy rainfalls and was consequently interpreted as a mud/debris flow. We take advantage of several sets of historical photographs to reappraise this event. They show that the collapse of a large part of the valley headwall produced a rock flow that dropped 1,740 m and traveled 5,050 m. The surface morphology suggests that the landslide produced a main flow that evolved in a secondary flow in the distal part. The main flow deposit is composed of a matrix‐rich fragmented facies and a jigsaw‐fracturated facies. The matrix presents a gravely‐to‐silty granulometry and fractal dimensions ranging between 2.472 and 2.865. Volumes of the collapsed material (59.7 ± 3.1 Mm3) and the deposit (46 ± 13 Mm3) were determined from a photogrammetric approach. We estimated velocities ranging between 86 and 44 m s−1 along the flow path. Our simulations with SHALTOP reveal that the landslide geometry and velocities are well reproduced with frictional Coulomb rheology. We thus interpret the 1965 Mahavel landslide as a main rock avalanche rather than a mud/debris flow. We propose that the trigger of the 1965 avalanche, and of the smaller events in 1995 and 2001, is the water infiltration related to the intense rainfalls, which systematically preceded by one day each collapse. Finally, the succession of dry and wet years before each collapse event could promote favorable conditions to failure.

Unusually high SO2 emissions and plume height from Piton de la Fournaise volcano during the April 2020 eruption

Piton de la Fournaise volcano, La Réunion, France, erupted between the 2 and 6 April 2020, one of a series of eruptive phases which occur typically two or three times per year. Here, we use back trajectory analysis of satellite data from the TROPOMI instrument to determine that gas emissions during the June 2020 eruption were of unusually high intensity and altitude, producing 34.9 ± 17.4 kt of SO2 and plume heights up to 5 km a.s.l. The early stages of the eruption (2–4 April 2020) were characterised by relatively low SO2 emission rates despite strong low frequency tremor (LFT); the latter phase followed an increase in intensity and explosivity in the early hours of 5 April 2020. This period included lava fountaining, significantly increased SO2 emission rates, increased high frequency tremor (HFT) and decreased LFT. Using the PlumeTraj back trajectory analysis toolkit, we found the peak SO2 emission rate was 284 ± 130 kg/s on the 6 April. The plume altitude peaked at ~ 5 km a.s.l. on 5 April, in the hours following a sudden increase in explosivity, producing one of the tallest eruption columns recorded at Piton de la Fournaise. PlumeTraj allowed us to discriminate each day’s SO2, which otherwise would have led to a mass overestimate due to the plumes remaining visible for more than 24 h. The eruption exhibited a remarkable decoupling and anti-correlation between the intensity of the LFT signal and that of the magma and gas emission rates. LFT intensity peaked during the first phase with low magma and SO2 emissions, but quickly decreased during the second phase, replaced by unusually strong HFT. We conclude that the observation of strong HFT is associated with higher intensity of eruption, degassing, and greater height of neutral buoyancy of the plume, which may provide an alert to the presence of greater hazards produced by higher intensity eruptive activity. This might be particularly useful when direct visual observation is prevented by meteorological conditions. This eruption shows the importance of combining multiple data sets when monitoring volcanoes. Combining gas and seismic data sets allowed for a much more accurate assessment of the eruption than either could have done alone.

Volcano‐Magnetic Signal Reveals Rapid Evolution of the Inner Structure of Piton de la Fournaise

AbstractNear‐real time analysis of magnetization can provide important information for the imaging of volcano systems and their spatiotemporal evolution. This study focuses on the contribution of volcano‐magnetic signals from reiterations of ground magnetic measurements to investigate the evolution of active structures at the Piton de la Fournaise volcano from 2017 to 2020. Changes are demonstrated by magnetic anomalies along a reference profile by means of the reiteration periods. These variations are first modeled qualitatively in 2D using electrical resistivity constraints in order to investigate the evolution of magnetization at depth through time, and the model is subsequently compared with the 3D intrusive activity from depth up to the surface from Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) inverse modeling. The shallow areas of demagnetization modeled from one reiteration to another are consistent with the geometry and location of the underlying intrusions revealed by the 3D InSAR models, suggesting strong thermal, stress, and electrokinetic effects due to magmatic activity not only at the surface but also at depth, along the main magmatic paths. It also raises a question as to the extent of the associated thermal diffusion processes at the scale of individual magma injections. This study confirms that detecting resistivity and magnetization anomalies, and quantifying their spatiotemporal evolution, can provide powerful tools for imaging volcanic systems at various scales and for providing warning of associated hazards. It also highlights the necessity for 4D monitoring of volcanic edifices using this method to provide greater precision, an important issue that is now made possible by the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle measurements.

22 years of satellite imagery reveal a major destabilization structure at Piton de la Fournaise

Volcanic activity can induce flank failure, sometimes generating large earthquakes and tsunamis. However, the failure structures have never been fully characterized and the failure mechanism is still debated. Magmatic activity is a possible trigger, either through fault slip, which might be induced by dyke intrusions, or through sill intrusions, which might be undergoing coeval normal displacements and slip. At the Piton de la Fournaise volcano, satellite imagery combined with inverse modeling highlights the pathways of 57 magmatic intrusions that took place between 1998 and 2020. We show that a major arcuate dyke intrusion zone is connected at depth to a sill intrusion zone, which becomes a fault zone towards the sea, forming a spoon-shaped structure. Some sills are affected by coeval normal displacement and seaward slip. Overall, the structure is characterized by a continuum of displacement from no slip, to sheared sills and finally pure slip. Repeated intrusions into this spoon-shaped structure could trigger catastrophic collapses.

Structured elicitation of expert judgement in real-time eruption scenarios

Formalised elicitation of expert judgements has been used to help tackle several problematic societal issues, including volcanic crises and pandemic threats. We present an expert elicitation exercise for Piton de la Fournaise volcano, La Réunion island, held remotely in April 2021. This involved 28 experts from nine countries who considered a hypothetical effusive eruption crisis involving a new vent opening in a high-risk area. The tele-elicitation presented several challenges, but is a promising and workable option for application to future volcanic crises. Our exercise considered an “uncommon” eruptive scenario with a vent outside the present caldera and within inhabited areas, and provided uncertainty ranges for several hazard-related questions for such a scenario (e.g. probability of eruption within a defined timeframe; elapsed time until lava flow reaches a critical location, and other hazard management issues). Our exercise indicated that such a scenario would probably present very different characteristics compared to recent eruptions, and that it is fundamental to include well-prepared expert elicitations in updated civil protection evacuation plans to improve disaster response procedures.

Isotopic constraints on selenium degassing from basaltic magma and near-surface capture by fumarolic deposits: Implications for Se redistribution onto the Earth's surface

Volcanic emanations from cooling basaltic lava represent a diffuse and relatively poorly constrained source of metallic and non-metallic compounds to the Earth's surface. These compounds become incorporated in fumarolic minerals and redeposit at the surface of lava flows before entering the environmental cycle. The semi-volatile and chalcophile element selenium (Se) can be either vital or toxic to animals and humans. Thus, understanding the pathways of Se capture and relative concentrations in fumaroles is imperative for estimating their contributions to soils and aquifers in volcanically active regions, with implications for animal and human health. In this study, we report Se concentrations and Se stable isotope composition in a sample suite comprising degassed and undegassed basaltic rocks and various fumarolic deposits (thenardite, Na-K sulfate, gypsum, fluoride, and native sulfur) fed from degassing lava flows at Piton de la Fournaise volcano, Réunion Island. Erupted basaltic lavas (136–58 ng·g−1 Se) lost up to more than half of their pre-eruptive Se due to subaerial degassing and retained a heavier isotope composition (δ82/76Se = 0.11 ± 0.17‰, 2 s.d.) compared to less undegassed volcanic glass (138 ng·g−1 Se and δ82/76Se = −0.19 ± 0.04‰, 2 s.e.). Fumarolic deposits that formed over a temperature range of ~800–100 °C and captured Se from the degassing lava show higher to very high Se concentrations ranging from 0.54 μg·g−1 to 1578 μg·g−1 and significant Se isotope fractionation (δ82/76Se = +0.6 to −2.08‰). We propose two separate models that can explain the relative concentration and Se isotope composition of the deposits: 1) A compound oxidation state-dependent Se incorporation into the various fumarolic minerals, or 2) Temperature-dependent Rayleigh condensation from a cooling gas triggered by compound saturation. The Rayleigh condensation model can entirely explain the Se concentration and isotope composition of the fumaroles and predicts that up to 80% of the Se released from the lava is likely to be captured by precipitation to form solid phases within the lava pile, most dramatically in the coldest deposits below the sublimation temperature of SeO2 (< 315 °C). In contrast, mineral-dependent isotope pathways cannot fully explain our data, including the lighter Se isotope compositions in the more oxidized compounds compared to more reduced ones. Such a mineralogical effect cannot be excluded but further investigations and experimental studies are required in order to scrutinize and invoke its role. Finally, the environmental impact of these degassing-induced secondary products will be dependent on the relative compound water solubilities resulting in either Se mobilization towards aquifers or accumulation onto developing soils and plants. Such studies could prove useful for developing risk assessments in volcanically active regions on our planet, and for reaching a better understanding of the global continent-ocean Se isotope budget and signature.

The mantle source of basalts from Reunion Island is not more oxidized than the MORB source mantle

Glasses quenched from relatively undegassed ocean island magmas erupted from volcanoes at Iceland, Hawaii, the Canary Islands, and Erebus have elevated Fe3+/∑Fe ratios compared to glasses quenched from mid-ocean ridge basalts. This has been ascribed to elevated fO2 of their mantle sources, plausibly due to subducted, oxidized near-surface-derived components in their mantle sources. The basaltic magmas from Reunion Island in the Indian ocean have Sr–Nd-Hf-Pb-Os isotopic compositions suggesting that their mantle sources contain little or no subducted near-surface materials and contain the C/FOZO/PREMA mantle component. To constrain the fO2 of the C/FOZO/PREMA mantle component and test the link between oxidized OIB and recycled surface-derived materials in their sources, we measured major and volatile element abundances and Fe3+/∑Fe ratios of naturally glassy, olivine-hosted melt inclusions from Piton de La Fournaise volcano, La Reunion. We conclude that the fO2 of the mantle source of these Reunion lavas is lower than of the mantle sources of primitive, undegassed magmas from Hawaii, Iceland, the Canary Islands, and Mt. Erebus, and indistinguishable from that of the Indian-ocean upper mantle. This finding is consistent with previous suggestions that the source of Reunion lavas (and the C/FOZO/PREMA mantle component) contains little or no recycled materials and with the suggestion that recycled oxidized materials contribute to the high fO2 of some other OIBs, especially those from incompatible-element-enriched mantle sources. Simple mixing models between oxidized melts of EM1 and HIMU components and relatively reduced melts of DMM can explain the isotopic compositions and Fe3+/∑Fe ratios of lavas from Hawaii, Iceland, the Canary Islands, and Mount Erebus; this model can be tested by study of additional OIB magmas, including those rich in the EM2 component.

Footprints and conditions of multistep alkali enrichment in basaltic melts at Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean)

Deciphering magma evolution below ocean basaltic volcanoes is all the more challenging because magma mixing is a common process tending to modify the pristine geochemical diversity during magma ascent. On the western flank of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano, transitional basalts have compositions that testify to origins down to the upper mantle and display a widespread geochemical diversity ranging from a tholeiitic affinity to an alkaline one. There, we show that evolved melt inclusions and matrix glasses (MgO < 9 wt%) record an alkali enrichment coupled with a Ca/Al ratio decrease, which tracks the effect of clinopyroxene crystallization at the depth of the mantle-crust underplating layer. At this depth and shallower, reverse zoning of olivine crystals, clinopyroxene dissolution, and hybrid melt compositions testify to extensive mixing processes leading to a homogenization of the pristine geochemical footprint of melts upon ascent. Enrichment in incompatible trace elements in some evolved melt inclusions suggests that magma ponding at the depth of the mantle-crust underplating layer favours also assimilation of melts originating from low degrees of partial melting of cumulates (wehrlites, dunites). Conversely, the most primitive melt inclusions documented so far at La Reunion Island (MgO up to 11.2 wt%) better preserve a pristine geochemical variability related to partial melting of a slightly heterogeneous mantle source. We suggest that these slightly distinct source components may mirror the compositions of recent melts from the two closely located Piton de la Fournaise and Piton des Neiges volcanoes.

Prolonged Trachyte Storage and Unusual Remobilization at Piton de la Fournaise, La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean: Li, O, Sr, Nd, Pb and Th Isotope Study

Abstract La Réunion Island includes two major volcanic systems. About 0·5 Myr ago, Piton des Neiges volcano declined, while Piton de la Fournaise volcano grew on its flank. Since then the Piton de la Fournaise shield volcano has produced homogeneous lavas with chemical compositions transitional between alkali and tholeiitic basalts. In April 2007, the volcano emitted a very small volume of trachytic pumice during its largest historical eruption. We conducted a comprehensive petrological and geochemical study of the pumice to understand the occurrence of such silicic melt in the feeding system of this highly active basaltic volcano. Isotopes of Sr, Nd, Pb and O, together with trace elements, indicate that the trachyte is genetically related to the La Réunion mantle plume and derives from crystallization of a typical basalt. The trachyte chemistry records a long and complex history of differentiation and outgassing. The extensive depletion of moderately volatile elements (F, Cl, B, Cs, Cu, Li) and less volatile uranium is consistent with exsolution of dense fluids at depths of several kilometres. Lithium isotopes point to closed-system degassing during the very late stages of crystallization. U-series isotopes and radiogenic 208Pb*/206Pb* constrain the age of U loss to between 0·4 and 2·1 Ma. This age is as old as or older than the Piton de la Fournaise shield edifice. The 2007 trachyte could thus be a liquid remnant of an extinct volcano, such as Piton des Neiges or Les Alizés (Piton de la Fournaise proto-volcano). It could also result from partial melting of an old syenite intrusion or remobilization of interstitial melts not fully solidified. Thermal modelling indicates that the sustained heat flux from hot basaltic magmas rising from the mantle can maintain temperatures above 800 °C in the central feeding system, and prevent total solidification of magmas trapped in this hot core.

Locating Rockfalls Using Inter‐Station Ratios of Seismic Energy at Dolomieu Crater, Piton de la Fournaise Volcano

AbstractRockfalls generate seismic signals that can be used to detect and monitor rockfall activity. Event locations can be estimated on the basis of arrival times, amplitudes, or polarization of these seismic signals. However, surface topography variations can significantly influence seismic wave propagation and hence compromise results. Here, we specifically use the signature of topography on the seismic signal to better constrain the source location. Seismic impulse responses are predicted using Spectral Element based simulation of three‐dimensional wave propagation in realistic geological media. Subsequently, rockfalls are located by minimizing the misfit between simulated and observed inter‐station energy ratios. The method is tested on rockfalls at Dolomieu crater, Piton de la Fournaise volcano, Reunion Island. Both single boulder impacts and distributed granular flows are successfully located, tracking the complete rockfall trajectories by analyzing the signals in sliding time windows. Results from the highest frequency band (here 13–17 Hz) yield the best spatial resolution, making it possible to distinguish detachment positions less than 100 m apart. By taking into account surface topography, both vertical and horizontal signal components can be used. Limitations and the noise robustness of the location method are assessed using synthetic signals. Precise representation of the topography controls the location resolution, which is not significantly affected by the assumed impact direction. Tests on the network geometry reveal best resolution when the seismometers triangulate the source. We conclude that this method can improve the monitoring of rockfall activity in real time once a simulated database for the region of interest is created.

Simulation of Topography Effects on Rockfall‐Generated Seismic Signals: Application to Piton de la Fournaise Volcano

AbstractSeismic waves generated by rockfalls contain valuable information on the properties of these events. However, as rockfalls mainly occur in mountainous regions, the generated seismic waves can be affected by strong surface topography variations. We present a methodology for investigating the influence of topography using a Spectral‐Element‐based simulation of 3‐D wave propagation in various geological media. This methodology is applied here to Dolomieu crater on the Piton de la Fournaise volcano, Reunion Island, but it can be used for other sites, taking into account local topography and medium properties. The complexity of wave fields generated by single‐point forces is analyzed for different velocity models and topographies. Ground‐motion amplification is studied relative to flat reference models, showing that Peak Ground Velocity (PGV) and total kinetic energy can be amplified by factors of up to 10 and 20, respectively. Simulations with Dolomieu‐like crater shapes suggest that curvature variations are more influential than depth variations. Topographic effects on seismic signals from rockfalls at Dolomieu crater are revealed by interstation spectral ratios. Results suggest that propagation along the topography rather than source direction dominates the spectral ratios and that resulting radiation patterns can be neglected. The seismic signature of single rockfall impacts is studied. Using Hertz contact theory, impact force and duration are estimated and then used to scale simulations, achieving order‐of‐magnitude agreement with observed signal amplitudes and frequency thresholds. Our study shows that combining Hertz theory with high‐frequency seismic wave simulations on real topography improves the quantitative analysis of rockfall seismic signals.

Detection, Classification, and Location of Seismovolcanic Signals with Multicomponent Seismic Data: Example from the Piton de La Fournaise Volcano (La Réunion, France)

AbstractWe apply three different methods based on the analysis of the multicomponent seismic data to detect seismovolcanic tremors and other seismovolcanic signals, to propose an approach to classify them, and to locate their sources. We use continuous seismograms recorded during 1 year by 21 stations at the Piton de la Fournaise volcano (La Réunion, France). The first method allows the detection of seismovolcanic signals based on stability in time of the intercomponent cross‐correlation function. Two other methods based on the simultaneous analysis of the whole network can be used to detect seismovolcanic signals and to locate their sources. In the first network‐based method, the seismic wavefield is analyzed by calculating the width of the network covariance matrix eigenvalue distribution.The second network‐based method consists in performing the 3‐D backprojection of the interstation cross correlations in order to calculate the network response function. Simultaneous analysis of the parameters measured by the three different methods can be used to classify different types of seismovolcanic tremors. Our results demonstrate that all three methods efficiently detect seismovolcanic tremors accompanying the 2010 eruptions and the preceding pre‐eruptive seismic swarms. Furthermore, Methods 2 and 3 based on simultaneous analysis of the whole network detect a large number of volcanic earthquakes. Our location results show that each seismovolcanic tremor is located in a distinct regionof the volcano, close to the eruptive site at a shallow depth, and the preceding seismic crisis is located deeper at about the sea level under the summit crater.

Dating young (

Dating recent lava flows is a critical issue to assess the volcanic hazards for nearby human populations, but traditional methods such as radiocarbon dating are often not applicable. We propose here a simple statistical method that relates the age of lava flows of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano (PdF) to the size of Agarista salicifolia (Ericaceae), a long-lived pioneer tree that quickly establishes after eruption and able to live > 600 years. We measured the diameter at base of 711 trees on 20 dated lava flows (between 1401 CE and 2007 CE). We used a log-log linear model to assess the relationship between maximum diameter at base of Agarista salicifolia and the age of lava flows, and showed a very strong correlation (R2 = 0.987, p < 10-15). We then used this calibrated model to estimate the age of 11 lava flows between 1447 CE (CI: 1349–1531) and 1823 CE (CI: 1806–1839). These new ages, combined with existing radiocarbon ages and historical records, indicate three clusters of eruptions (1460–1630, 1690–1840, since 1970 CE) affecting both the caldera and the flanks of PdF. We interpret such discontinuous dynamics made of periods of intense and low activity as evidencing pulses of high magma supply since at least the 11th century. Overall, our work shows that dating lava flow with calibration based on the size distribution of long-lived pioneer trees represents an accurate alternative method to redefine the hazard map of lava flow inundation. The existence of long-lived pioneer trees in several volcanic areas provides the opportunity to use the same framework in order to better understand eruption recurrence patterns.