International audienceWe present continuous SO2 measurements performed at Tungurahua volcano with a permanent network of 4 scanning DOAS instruments between 2007 and 2013. The volcano has been erupting since September 1999, but on the contrary to the first years of eruption when the activity was quasi-continuous, the activity transitioned in late 2008 towards the occurrence of distinct eruptive phases separated by periods of quiescence. During our study period we distinguish 11 phases lasting from 17 to 527 days separated by quiescence periods of 26 to 184 days. We propose a new routine to quantify the SO2 emissions when data from a dense DOAS monitoring network are available. This routine consists in summing all the highest validated SO2 measurements among all stations during the 10 h of daily working-time to obtain a daily observed SO2 mass. Since measurement time is constant at Tungurahua the “observed” amounts can be expressed in tons per 10 h and can easily be converted to a daily average flux or mass per day. Our results provide time series having an improved correlation on a long time scale with the eruptive phases and with quiescence periods. A total of 1.25 Mt (1.25 × 109 kg) of SO2 has been released by Tungurahua during the study period, with 95% of these emissions occurring during phases of activity and only 5% during quiescence. This shows a contrast with previous volcanic behaviour when passive degassing dominated the total SO2 emissions. SO2 average daily mass emission rates are of 73 ± 56 t/d during quiescent periods, 735 ± 969 t/d during long-lasting phases and 1424 ± 1224 t/d during short-lasting phases. Degassing during the different eruptive phases displays variable patterns. However, two contrasting behaviours can be distinguished for the onset of eruptive phases with both sudden and progressive onsets being observed. The first is characterised by violent opening of the conduit by high energy Vulcanian explosions; and the second by a progressive, in crescendo, development of the activity. The first case is becoming more frequent at Tungurahua making the volcano more dangerous and less predictable
A large earthquake (Mw 7.7) occurred on 16 April 2016 within the source region of the 1906 earthquake in the Ecuador‐Colombia subduction zone. The 1906 event has been interpreted as a megathrust earthquake (Mw 8.8) that ruptured the source regions of smaller earthquakes in 1942, 1958, and 1979 in this subduction. Our seismic analysis indicated that the spatial distribution of the 2016 earthquake and its aftershocks correlated with patches of high interplate coupling strength and was similar to those of the 1942 earthquake and its aftershocks, suggesting that the 2016 and 1942 earthquakes ruptured the same asperity. Our analysis of tsunami waveforms of the 1906 event indicated Mw around 8.4 and showed that large slip occurred near the trench off the source regions of the above three historical and the 2016 earthquakes, suggesting that a depth‐dependent complex rupture mode exists along this subduction zone.
Abstract. Volcanic plumes are common and far-reaching manifestations of volcanic activity during and between eruptions. Observations of the rate of emission and composition of volcanic plumes are essential to recognize and, in some cases, predict the state of volcanic activity. Measurements of the size and location of the plumes are important to assess the impact of the emission from sporadic or localized events to persistent or widespread processes of climatic and environmental importance. These observations provide information on volatile budgets on Earth, chemical evolution of magmas, and atmospheric circulation and dynamics. Space-based observations during the last decades have given us a global view of Earth's volcanic emission, particularly of sulfur dioxide (SO2). Although none of the satellite missions were intended to be used for measurement of volcanic gas emission, specially adapted algorithms have produced time-averaged global emission budgets. These have confirmed that tropospheric plumes, produced from persistent degassing of weak sources, dominate the total emission of volcanic SO2. Although space-based observations have provided this global insight into some aspects of Earth's volcanism, it still has important limitations. The magnitude and short-term variability of lower-atmosphere emissions, historically less accessible from space, remain largely uncertain. Operational monitoring of volcanic plumes, at scales relevant for adequate surveillance, has been facilitated through the use of ground-based scanning differential optical absorption spectrometer (ScanDOAS) instruments since the beginning of this century, largely due to the coordinated effort of the Network for Observation of Volcanic and Atmospheric Change (NOVAC). In this study, we present a compilation of results of homogenized post-analysis of measurements of SO2 flux and plume parameters obtained during the period March 2005 to January 2017 of 32 volcanoes in NOVAC. This inventory opens a window into the short-term emission patterns of a diverse set of volcanoes in terms of magma composition, geographical location, magnitude of emission, and style of eruptive activity. We find that passive volcanic degassing is by no means a stationary process in time and that large sub-daily variability is observed in the flux of volcanic gases, which has implications for emission budgets produced using short-term, sporadic observations. The use of a standard evaluation method allows for intercomparison between different volcanoes and between ground- and space-based measurements of the same volcanoes. The emission of several weakly degassing volcanoes, undetected by satellites, is presented for the first time. We also compare our results with those reported in the literature, providing ranges of variability in emission not accessible in the past. The open-access data repository introduced in this article will enable further exploitation of this unique dataset, with a focus on volcanological research, risk assessment, satellite-sensor validation, and improved quantification of the prevalent tropospheric component of global volcanic emission. Datasets for each volcano are made available at https://novac.chalmers.se (last access: 1 October 2020) under the CC-BY 4 license or through the DOI (digital object identifier) links provided in Table 1.
Ecuador has 55 active volcanoes in the northern half of the Ecuadorian Andes. There, consequences of active volcanism include ashfalls, pyroclastic flows (fast moving fluidized material of hot gas, ash, and rock), and lahars (mudflows), which result in serious damage locally and regionally and thus are of major concern to Ecuadorians. In particular, Tungurahua (elevation, 5023 meters) and Cotopaxi (elevation, 5876 meters) are high‐risk volcanoes. Since 1999, eruption activity at Tungurahua has continued and has produced ashfalls and lahars that damage towns and villages on the flanks of the volcano. More than 20,000 people live on these flanks.
We used low-cost Raspberry Pi ultraviolet (UV) cameras to measure sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) fluxes from Sabancaya volcano, Peru, during eruptive activity on 27 April 2018. Light dilution corrections were made by operating instruments at two distances simultaneously. Estimated SO 2 fluxes of 27.1 kg s −1 are higher than previously reported, likely due to the current eruptive episode (ongoing since November 2016). Each eruptive event included frequent (2-3 per minute), ash-rich emissions, forming gas pulses with masses of 3.0-8.2 tonnes SO 2 . Sustained degassing and lack of overpressure suggest open-vent activity. Mean fluxes are consistent with those measured by a permanent NOVAC station (25.9 kg s −1 ) located under the plume, with remaining differences likely due to windspeed estimates and sampling rate. Our work highlights the importance of accurate light dilution and windspeed modelling in SO 2 retrievals and suggests that co-location of UV cameras with permanent scanning spectrometers may be valuable in providing accurate windspeeds. ResumenUtilizamos cámaras ultravioletas (UV) Raspberry Pi para medir los flujos de dióxido de azufre (SO 2 ) en el volcán Sabancaya, Perú, durante la actividad del 27 abril 2018. La corrección por dilución de luz se realizó midiendo simultáneamente en dos sitios a diferentes distancias. Los flujos promedio (27.1 kg s −1 ) son superiores a los reportados previamente, probablemente debido al actual episodio explosivo. Cada evento tuvo frecuentes emanaciones ricas en ceniza y gas, emitiendo 3.0-8.2 toneladas de SO 2 . La desgasificación sostenida, sin sobrepresión, indica una chimenea abierta. Estos flujos son similares a los medidos en una estación permanente de NOVAC (25.9 kg s −1 ) debajo de la pluma. La diferencia restante es por velocidad del viento estimada y la frecuencia de la muestreo. Nuestro trabajo muestra la importancia de modelar con precisión la dilución de luz y velocidad del viento, y que co-instalar cámaras UV y espectrómetros permanentes podrían dar velocidades del viento más exactos.
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