Unexpected large eruptions from buoyant magma bodies within viscoelastic crust

Freysteinn Sigmundsson (), Virginie Pinel, Ronni Grapenthin, Andrew Hooper, Sæmundur A. Halldórsson, Páll Einarsson, Benedikt G. Ófeigsson, Elías R. Heimisson, Kristín Jónsdóttir, Magnús T. Gudmundsson, Kristín Vogfjörd, Michelle Parks, Siqi Li, Vincent Drouin, Halldór Geirsson, Stéphanie Dumont, Hildur M. Fridriksdottir, Gunnar B. Gudmundsson, Tim J. Wright and Tadashi Yamasaki
Additional contact information
Freysteinn Sigmundsson: University of Iceland
Virginie Pinel: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, IRD, IFSTTAR, ISTerre
Ronni Grapenthin: University of Alaska Fairbanks
Andrew Hooper: University of Leeds
Sæmundur A. Halldórsson: University of Iceland
Páll Einarsson: University of Iceland
Benedikt G. Ófeigsson: Icelandic Meteorological Office
Elías R. Heimisson: California Institute of Technology
Kristín Jónsdóttir: Icelandic Meteorological Office
Magnús T. Gudmundsson: University of Iceland
Kristín Vogfjörd: Icelandic Meteorological Office
Michelle Parks: Icelandic Meteorological Office
Siqi Li: University of Iceland
Vincent Drouin: Iceland GeoSurvey
Halldór Geirsson: University of Iceland
Stéphanie Dumont: Instituto Dom Luiz - University of Beira Interior
Hildur M. Fridriksdottir: Icelandic Meteorological Office
Gunnar B. Gudmundsson: Icelandic Meteorological Office
Tim J. Wright: University of Leeds
Tadashi Yamasaki: Geological Survey of Japan, AIST

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Large volume effusive eruptions with relatively minor observed precursory signals are at odds with widely used models to interpret volcano deformation. Here we propose a new modelling framework that resolves this discrepancy by accounting for magma buoyancy, viscoelastic crustal properties, and sustained magma channels. At low magma accumulation rates, the stability of deep magma bodies is governed by the magma-host rock density contrast and the magma body thickness. During eruptions, inelastic processes including magma mush erosion and thermal effects, can form a sustained channel that supports magma flow, driven by the pressure difference between the magma body and surface vents. At failure onset, it may be difficult to forecast the final eruption volume; pressure in a magma body may drop well below the lithostatic load, create under-pressure and initiate a caldera collapse, despite only modest precursors.

Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-16054-6

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16054-6

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