Imaging the Deep Subsurface Plumbing of Old Faithful Geyser From Low‐Frequency Hydrothermal Tremor Migration

Wu, Sin‐Mei; Lin, Fan‐Chi; Farrell, Jamie; Allam, A. A.

doi:10.1029/2018gl081771

Cited by 27 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…1 when ζ, a conversion factor of mechanical work into kinetic and potential energies, is varied. Data are from the following sources: Vanna, Kovarny, Bol’shoy, and Velikan ( 56 ); El Jefe ( 64 ); Vega Rinconada ( 49 ); Strokkur and Geysir ( 57 ); Steamboat ( 22 ); Old Faithful ( 60 , 61 ); and Lone Star ( 58 , 59 , 63 ). Uncertainties are shown only if provided in the cited papers, and uncertainties in jet height are likely greater than 10%.…”

Section: Why Are Steamboat Eruptions So Tall?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Changes in thermodynamic conditions inside the conduit, such as a sharp increase in temperature with depth, have been interpreted as shallow water sources for Vega Rinconada in El Tatio, Chile ( 49 ) and Strokkur ( 57 ). Seismic surveys have provided useful insights about source dimensions and depth at Lone Star ( 58 , 59 ), Old Faithful ( 60 , 61 ), and Steamboat in Yellowstone ( 22 ), as well as for El Jefe in El Tatio, Chile ( 62 ). The height of the water column can vary from one eruption to another (e.g., refs.…”

Section: Why Are Steamboat Eruptions So Tall?mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The 2018 reawakening and eruption dynamics of Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest active geyser

Reed

Muñoz-Sáez

Hajimirza

et al. 2021

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park’s Norris Geyser Basin began a prolific sequence of eruptions in March 2018 after 34 y of sporadic activity. We analyze a wide range of datasets to explore triggering mechanisms for Steamboat’s reactivation and controls on eruption intervals and height. Prior to Steamboat’s renewed activity, Norris Geyser Basin experienced uplift, a slight increase in radiant temperature, and increased regional seismicity, which may indicate that magmatic processes promoted reactivation. However, because the geothermal reservoir temperature did not change, no other dormant geysers became active, and previous periods with greater seismic moment release did not reawaken Steamboat, the reason for reactivation remains ambiguous. Eruption intervals since 2018 (3.16 to 35.45 d) modulate seasonally, with shorter intervals in the summer. Abnormally long intervals coincide with weakening of a shallow seismic source in the geyser basin’s hydrothermal system. We find no relation between interval and erupted volume, implying unsteady heat and mass discharge. Finally, using data from geysers worldwide, we find a correlation between eruption height and inferred depth to the shallow reservoir supplying water to eruptions. Steamboat is taller because water is stored deeper there than at other geysers, and, hence, more energy is available to power the eruptions.

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Section: Why Are Steamboat Eruptions So Tall?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Why Are Steamboat Eruptions So Tall?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The 2018 reawakening and eruption dynamics of Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest active geyser

Reed

Muñoz-Sáez

Hajimirza

et al. 2021

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…We use data from a dense seismic array we deployed from mid‐June through mid‐July 2018 (Lin & Farrell, 2018), which recorded 25 out of the 62 summit collapses (Figure 1). Recently, dense seismic arrays have been widely used to image detailed crustal structure (e.g., Lin et al, 2013; Nakata et al, 2015; Schmandt & Clayton, 2013; Wang et al, 2019; Ward et al, 2018; Wu et al, 2017) and monitor ongoing volcanic and hydrothermal activity (Donaldson et al, 2017; Obermann et al, 2013; Olivier et al, 2019; Wu et al, 2019). Here we apply coda wave interferometry (Snieder et al, 2002) to the seismic noise recordings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatiotemporal Seismic Structure Variations Associated With the 2018 Kīlauea Eruption Based on Temporary Dense Geophone Arrays

Lin

Farrell

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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During the 2018 Kīlauea volcanic eruption, lava erupted from a series of new fissures in the lower East Rift Zone more than 30 km away from the summit through a dike intrusion. Between late May and early August, variations in the effusion rate at the persistent eruptive vent (Fissure 8) were observed following near-daily summit caldera collapse events. Targeting the ongoing eruptive activity and the subsurface magma movement, we deployed a temporary dense seismic array. The observed time-lapse changes in seismic velocity associated with the response of the summit collapse in three areas are presented in this study. The results show (1) clear spatially dependent co-collapse velocity reductions across the newly-intruded dike structure, (2) a gradual post-collapse velocity increase near Fissure 8 correlated with the surge of magma supply, and (3) a gradual post-collapse velocity increase on the summit likely associated with reservoir pressurization and crustal welding.Plain Language Summary Volcanic eruptions commonly involve failure of rocks surrounding the subsurface magma transport system, such as fracturing and rupturing. During the 2018 Kīlauea volcano eruption, lava mainly erupted from new fissures within the lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) located tens of kilometers away from the magma reservoir beneath the summit. As magma drained from the summit system to feed the LERZ eruption, the summit caldera subsided in an episodic fashion through a series of 62 collapses. Despite this spatial separation, we observe correlation between the summit collapse and the LERZ eruptive activity suggesting the two features are interconnected through a subsurface dike. To better study the eruption dynamics and subsurface magma movement, we deployed a temporary dense seismic array across the Kīlauea volcano system during the steady phase after mid-June in 2018. In this study, we present the time-lapse changes in crustal seismic velocity observed across the dense array correlated with the summit collapses. We show that different volcanic components (i.e., summit, dike, and fissure) react to summit magma pressurization differently. Our findings provide new constraints on the time-evolving mechanical structure of a volcano during a major eruption.

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“…To extract weak tremor signals from noise, they cross correlated waveforms at all stations with a reference station assuming dominance of a persistent seismic source close to the reference station. They detected the tremor source migrating to significantly greater depths (~80 m) following the main eruption and then gradually ascending vertically to an approximate depth of 20 m (Wu et al, 2019). The background tremor observed at OFG and the change in tremor source locations are continuous through the eruption cycle.…”

Section: /2020jb019711mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They also identified a reservoir laterally offset by ~15 m from the surface location of the geyser cone, which is seismically active only at the beginning of the eruption cycle. Data from a more recent array of seismometers deployed around OFG reveal a much larger offset reservoir and tremor sources that extend still deeper (Wu et al, 2017, 2019). The data also document a systematic upward and downward migration of tremor leading up to, and following eruptions (Wu et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Origin and Properties of Hydrothermal Tremor at Lone Star Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, USA

et al. 2020

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Geysers are rare geologic features that intermittently discharge liquid water and steam driven by heating and decompression boiling. The cause of variability in eruptive styles and the associated seismic signals are not well understood. Data collected from five broadband seismometers at Lone Star Geyser, Yellowstone National Park are used to determine the properties, location, and temporal patterns of hydrothermal tremor. The tremor is harmonic at some stages of the eruption cycle and is caused by near-periodic repetition of discrete seismic events. Using the polarization of ground motion, we identify the location of tremor sources throughout several eruption cycles. During preplay episodes (smaller eruptions preceding the more vigorous major eruption), tremor occurs at depths of 7-10 m and is laterally offset from the geyser's cone by~5 m. At the onset of the main eruption, tremor sources migrate laterally and become shallower. As the eruption progresses, tremor sources migrate along the same path but in the opposite direction, ending where preplay tremor originates. The upward and then downward migration of tremor sources during eruptions are consistent with warming of the conduit followed by evacuation of water during the main eruption. We identify systematic relations among the two types of preplays, discharge, and the main eruption. A point-source moment tensor fit to low-frequency waveforms of an individual tremor event using half-space velocity models indicates average V S ≳ 0.8 km/s, source depths 4-20 m, and moment tensors with primarily positive isotropic and compensated linear vector dipole moments.

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Imaging the Deep Subsurface Plumbing of Old Faithful Geyser From Low‐Frequency Hydrothermal Tremor Migration

Cited by 27 publications

References 35 publications

The 2018 reawakening and eruption dynamics of Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest active geyser

The 2018 reawakening and eruption dynamics of Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest active geyser

Spatiotemporal Seismic Structure Variations Associated With the 2018 Kīlauea Eruption Based on Temporary Dense Geophone Arrays

Origin and Properties of Hydrothermal Tremor at Lone Star Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, USA

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