Precursor-free eruption triggered by edifice rupture at Nyiragongo volcano

D. Smittarello (), B. Smets, J. Barrière, C. Michellier, A. Oth, T. Shreve, R. Grandin, N. Theys, H. Brenot, V. Cayol, P. Allard, C. Caudron, O. Chevrel, F. Darchambeau, P. Buyl, L. Delhaye, D. Derauw, G. Ganci, H. Geirsson, E. Kamate Kaleghetso, J. Kambale Makundi, I. Kambale Nguomoja, C. Kasereka Mahinda, M. Kervyn, C. Kimanuka Ruriho, H. Mével, S. Molendijk, O. Namur, S. Poppe, M. Schmid, J. Subira, C. Wauthier, M. Yalire, N. d’Oreye, F. Kervyn and A. Syavulisembo Muhindo
Additional contact information
D. Smittarello: European Center for Geodynamics and Seismology
B. Smets: Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Museum for Central Africa
J. Barrière: European Center for Geodynamics and Seismology
C. Michellier: Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Museum for Central Africa
A. Oth: European Center for Geodynamics and Seismology
T. Shreve: Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science
R. Grandin: Université Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS
N. Theys: Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB)
H. Brenot: Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB)
V. Cayol: Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans
P. Allard: Université Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS
C. Caudron: Laboratoire G-Time, Department of Geoscience, Environment and Society, Université libre de Bruxelles
O. Chevrel: Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, OPGC, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans
F. Darchambeau: ContourGlobal/KivuWatt Ltd
P. Buyl: Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium
L. Delhaye: Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Museum for Central Africa
D. Derauw: Centre Spatial de Liège, Université de Liège
G. Ganci: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio Etneo
H. Geirsson: University of Iceland
E. Kamate Kaleghetso: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, KU Leuven University
J. Kambale Makundi: Protection civile au Nord Kivu
I. Kambale Nguomoja: Protection civile de Goma
C. Kasereka Mahinda: Goma Volcano Observatory
M. Kervyn: Department of Geography, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
C. Kimanuka Ruriho: Institut National de la Statistique Nord-Kivu
H. Mével: Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science
S. Molendijk: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, KU Leuven University
O. Namur: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, KU Leuven University
S. Poppe: Laboratoire G-Time, Department of Geoscience, Environment and Society, Université libre de Bruxelles
M. Schmid: Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Surface Waters—Research and Management
J. Subira: European Center for Geodynamics and Seismology
C. Wauthier: Department of Geosciences,The Pennsylvania State University
M. Yalire: Goma Volcano Observatory
N. d’Oreye: European Center for Geodynamics and Seismology
F. Kervyn: Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Museum for Central Africa
A. Syavulisembo Muhindo: Goma Volcano Observatory

Nature, 2022, vol. 609, issue 7925, 83-88

Abstract: Abstract Classical mechanisms of volcanic eruptions mostly involve pressure buildup and magma ascent towards the surface1. Such processes produce geophysical and geochemical signals that may be detected and interpreted as eruption precursors1–3. On 22 May 2021, Mount Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo), an open-vent volcano with a persistent lava lake perched within its summit crater, shook up this interpretation by producing an approximately six-hour-long flank eruption without apparent precursors, followed—rather than preceded—by lateral magma motion into the crust. Here we show that this reversed sequence was most likely initiated by a rupture of the edifice, producing deadly lava flows and triggering a voluminous 25-km-long dyke intrusion. The dyke propagated southwards at very shallow depth (less than 500 m) underneath the cities of Goma (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Gisenyi (Rwanda), as well as Lake Kivu. This volcanic crisis raises new questions about the mechanisms controlling such eruptions and the possibility of facing substantially more hazardous events, such as effusions within densely urbanized areas, phreato-magmatism or a limnic eruption from the gas-rich Lake Kivu. It also more generally highlights the challenges faced with open-vent volcanoes for monitoring, early detection and risk management when a significant volume of magma is stored close to the surface.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05047-8

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