The collapse of the Soufrière Hills Volcano lava dome on Montserrat in July 2003 is the largest such event worldwide in the historical record. Here we report on borehole dilatometer data recording a remarkable and unprecedented rapid (∼600s) pressurisation of a magma chamber, triggered by this surface collapse. The chamber expansion is indicated by an expansive offset at the near dilatometer sites coupled with contraction at the far site. By analyzing the strain data and using added constraints from experimental petrology and long‐term edifice deformation from GPS geodesy, we prefer a source centered at approximately 6 km depth below the crater for an oblate spheroid with overpressure increase of order 1 MPa and average radius ∼1 km. Pressurisation is attributed to growth of 1–3% of gas bubbles in supersaturated magma, triggered by the dynamics of surface unloading. Recent simulations demonstrate that pressure recovery from bubble growth can exceed initial pressure drop by nearly an order of magnitude.

[1] The SEA-CALIPSO experiment in December 2007 incorporated a sea-based airgun source, and seismic recorders both on Montserrat and on the adjacent sea floor. A high quality subset of the data was used for a first arrival P-wave velocity tomographic study. A total of more than 115,000 traveltime data from 4413 airgun shots, and 58 recording stations, were used in this highresolution tomographic inversion. The experiment geometry limited the depth of well resolved structures to about 5 km. The most striking features of the tomography are three relatively high velocity zones below each of the main volcanic centers on Montserrat, and three low velocity zones flanking Centre Hills. We suggest that the high velocity zones represent the solid andesitic cores of the volcano complexes, characterized by wave speeds faster than adjacent volcaniclastic material. The low velocity zones may reflect porous volcaniclastic material and/or alteration by formerly active hydrothermal systems.Citation: Shalev, E., et al. (2010), Three-dimensional seismic velocity tomography of Montserrat from the SEA-CALIPSO offshore/onshore experiment, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L00E17,

[1] The CALIPSO collaborative volcano monitoring system on the Caribbean island of Montserrat includes observations of strain at depths ∼200 m using SacksEvertson strainmeters. Strain data for the March 2004 explosion of the Soufrière Hills Volcano are characterized by large, roughly equal but opposite polarity changes at the two near sites and much smaller changes at a more distant site. The strain amplitudes eliminate a spherical pressure (Mogi-type) source as the sole contributor. The initial changes are followed by smaller recoveries, but with differing relative recovery magnitudes. This dissimilarity requires a minimum of two pressure sources, which we model as a deep spherical pressure source and a shallow dike. The spherical source is fixed at the location derived from data for the massive dome collapse in July 2003. We solve for the best fitting dike plus sphere source combination. The dike geometry is consistent with earlier interpretations of dikes based on GPS data and other lines of evidence.

[1] We use well-documented time histories of episodic GPS surface deformation and efflux of compressible magma to resolve apparent magma budget anomalies at Soufrière Hills volcano (SHV) on Montserrat, WI. We focus on data from 2003 to 2007, for an inflation succeeded by an episode of eruption-plus-deflation. We examine Mogi-type and vertical prolate ellipsoidal chamber geometries to accommodate both mineralogical constraints indicating a relatively shallow pre-eruption storage, and geodetic constraints inferring a deeper mean-pressure source. An exsolved phase involving several gas species greatly increases andesite magma compressibility to depths >10 km (i.e., for water content >4 wt%, crystallinity ∼40%), and this property supports the concept that much of the magma transferred into or out of the crustal reservoir could be accommodated by compression or decompression of stored reservoir magma (i.e., the "magma-sponge"). Our results suggest quasi-steady deep, mainly mafic magma influx of the order of 2 m 3 s −1 , and we conclude that magma released in eruptive episodes is approximately balanced by cumulative deep influx during the eruptive episode and the preceding inflation. Our magma-sponge model predicts that between 2003 and 2007 there was no evident depletion of magma reservoir volume at SHV, which comprises tens of km 3 with radial dimensions of order ∼1-2 km, in turn implying a long-lived eruption. Citation: Voight, B., C.Widiwijayanti, G. Mattioli, D. Elsworth, D. Hidayat, and M. Strutt (2010), Magma-sponge hypothesis and stratovolcanoes: Case for a compressible reservoir and quasi-steady deep influx at Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L00E05,

Assessments of pyroclastic flow (PF) hazards are commonly based on mapping of PF and surge deposits and estimations of inundation limits, and/or computer models of varying degrees of sophistication. In volcanic crises a PF hazard map may be sorely needed, but limited time, exposures, or safety aspects may preclude fieldwork, and insufficient time or baseline data may be available for reliable dynamic simulations. We have developed a statistically constrained simulation model for block-and-ash type PFs to estimate potential areas of inundation by adapting methodology from Iverson et al. (Geol Soc America Bull 110:972-984, 1998) for lahars. The predictive equations for block-and-ash PFs are calibrated with data from several volcanoes and given by A=(0.05 to 0.1)V 2/3 , B=(35 to 40)V 2/3 , where A is cross-sectional area of inundation, B is planimetric area and V is deposit volume. The proportionality coefficients were obtained from regression analyses and comparison of simulations to mapped deposits. The method embeds the predictive equations in a GIS program coupled with DEM topography, using the LAHARZ program of Schilling (1998). Although the method is objective and reproducible, any PF hazard zone so computed should be considered as an approximate guide only, due to uncertainties on the coefficients applicable to individual PFs, the authenticity of DEM details, and the volume of future collapses. The statistical uncertainty of the predictive equations, which imply a factor of two or more in predicting A or B for a specified V, is superposed on the uncertainty of forecasting V for the next PF to descend a particular valley. Multiple inundation zones, produced by simulations using a selected range of volumes, partly accommodate these uncertainties. The resulting maps show graphically that PF inundation potentials are highest nearest volcano sources and along valley thalwegs, and diminish with distance from source and lateral distance from thalweg. The model does not explicitly consider dynamic behavior, which can be important. Ash-cloud surge impact limits must be extended beyond PF hazard zones and we provide several approaches to do this. The method has been used to supply PF and surge hazard maps in two crises: Merapi 2006; and Montserrat 2006-2007.

[1] Vulcanian explosions with plumes to 12 km occurred at Soufrière Hills volcano (SHV) between July 2008 and January 2009. We report strainmeter and barometric data, featuring quasi-linear strain changes that correlate with explosive evacuation of the conduit at rates of ∼0.9−2 × 10 7 kg s −1 . July and January explosion-generated strains were similar, ∼20 nanostrain at ∼5 km, and interpreted as contractions of a quasi-cylindrical conduit, with release of magmastatic pressure, and exsolution-generated overpressure of order 10 MPa. The 3 December 2008 event was distinctive with larger signals (∼140-200 nanostrain at 5-6 km) indicating that a rapid pressurization preceded and triggered the explosion. Modeling suggests a dike with ENE trend, implying that feeder dikes at SHV had diverse attitudes at different times during the eruption. All explosions were associated with acoustic pulses and remarkable atmospheric gravity waves. Citation: Chardot, L., et al. (2010), Explosion dynamics from strainmeter and microbarometer observations,

Pyroclastic fl ows entering the sea may cause tsunamis at coastal volcanoes worldwide, but geophysically monitored fi eld occurrences are rare. We document the process of tsunami generation during a prolonged gigantic collapse of the Soufrière Hills volcano lava dome on Montserrat on 12-13 July 2003. Tsunamis were initiated by largevolume pyroclastic fl ows entering the ocean. We reconstruct the collapse from seismic records and report unique and remarkable borehole dilatometer observations, which recorded clearly the passage of wave packets at periods of 250-500 s over several hours. Strain signals are consistent in period and amplitude with water loading from passing tsunamis; each wave packet can be correlated with individual pyroclastic fl ow packages recorded by seismic data, proving that multiple tsunamis were initiated by pyroclastic fl ows. Any volcano within a few kilometers of water and capable of generating hot pyroclastic fl ows or cold debris fl ows with volumes greater than 5 × 10 6 m 3 may generate signifi cant and possibly damaging tsunamis during future eruptions.

[1] Five Vulcanian explosions were triggered by collapse of the Soufrière Hills Volcano lava dome in 2003. We report strainmeter data for three explosions, characterized by four stages: a short transition between the onset of disturbance and a pronounced change in strain; a quasi-linear ramp accounting for the majority of strain change; a more gradual continued decline of strain to a minimum value; and a strain recovery phase lasting hours. Remarkable ∼800 s barometric gravity waves propagated at ∼30 m s −1 . Eruption volumes estimated from plume height and strain data are 0.32-0.42 × 10 6 , 0.26-0.49 × 10 6 , and 0.81-0.84 × 10 6 m 3 , for Explosions 3-5 respectively, consistent with quasi-cylindrical conduit drawdown <2 km. The duration of vigorous explosion is given by the strain signature, indicating mass fluxes of order 10 7 kg s −1 . Conduit pressures released reflect static weight of porous gas-charged magma, and exsolution-generated overpressures of order 10 MPa.