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Magmatic unrest beneath Mammoth Mountain, California Magmatic unrest beneath Mammoth Mountain, California

Mammoth Mountain, which stands on the southwest rim of Long Valley caldera in eastern California, last erupted ∼57,000 years BP. Episodic volcanic unrest detected beneath the mountain since late 1979, however, emphasizes that the underlying volcanic system is still active and capable of producing future volcanic eruptions. The unrest symptoms include swarms of small (M ≤ 3) earthquakes...
Authors
D.P. Hill, S. Prejean

An efficient algorithm for double-difference tomography and location in heterogeneous media, with an application to the Kilauea volcano An efficient algorithm for double-difference tomography and location in heterogeneous media, with an application to the Kilauea volcano

Improving our understanding of crustal processes requires a better knowledge of the geometry and the position of geological bodies. In this study we have designed a method based upon double-difference relocation and tomography to image, as accurately as possible, a heterogeneous medium containing seismogenic objects. Our approach consisted not only of incorporating double difference in...
Authors
V. Monteiller, J.-L. Got, J. Virieux, P. Okubo

Thermal observations of gas pistoning at Kilauea Volcano Thermal observations of gas pistoning at Kilauea Volcano

Data acquired by three continuously recording thermal infrared thermometers situated on the north rim of Pu'u'O' o Crater at Kilauea Volcano during 2002 revealed episodes of periodic thermal pulses originating from a degassing vent on the crater floor. These thermal pulses are interpreted as gas release (jetting events) associated with gas pistoning, a mechanism observed previously at...
Authors
J.B. Johnson, A.J.L. Harris, R. Hoblitt

Decadal-scale change of infiltration characteristics of a tephra-mantled hillslope at Mount St Helens, Washington Decadal-scale change of infiltration characteristics of a tephra-mantled hillslope at Mount St Helens, Washington

The cataclysmic 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens radically reduced the infiltration characteristics of ∼60 000 ha of rugged terrain and dramatically altered landscape hydrology. Two decades of erosional, biogenic, cryogenic, and anthropogenic activity have modified the infiltration characteristics of much of that devastated landscape and modulated the hydrological impact of the eruption...
Authors
J. J. Major, T. Yamakoshi

Seasonal seismicity at western United States volcanic centers Seasonal seismicity at western United States volcanic centers

We examine 20-yr data sets of seismic activity from 10 volcanic areas in the western United States for annual periodic signals (seasonality), focusing on large calderas (Long Valley caldera and Yellowstone) and stratovolcanoes (Cascade Range). We apply several statistical methods to test for seasonality in the seismic catalogs. In 4 of the 10 regions, statistically significant seasonal...
Authors
L.B. Christiansen, S. Hurwitz, M.O. Saar, S. E. Ingebritsen, P. A. Hsieh

Acoustic Flow Monitor System - User Manual Acoustic Flow Monitor System - User Manual

INTRODUCTION The Acoustic Flow Monitor (AFM) is a portable system that was designed by the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory to detect and monitor debris flows associated with volcanoes. It has been successfully used internationally as part of real-time warning systems in valleys threatened by such flows (Brantley, 1990; Marcial and others, 1996; Lavigne and others...
Authors
Richard LaHusen

Late Pleistocene granodiorite source for recycled zircon and phenocrysts in rhyodacite lava at Crater Lake, Oregon Late Pleistocene granodiorite source for recycled zircon and phenocrysts in rhyodacite lava at Crater Lake, Oregon

Rhyodacite tephra and three lavas erupted ∼27 ka, interpreted to be early leaks from the climactic magma chamber of Mount Mazama, contain ubiquitous resorbed crystals (antecrysts) that were recycled from young granodiorite and related plutonic rocks of the same magmatic system. The shallow composite pluton is represented by blocks ejected in the 7.7-ka climactic eruption that formed...
Authors
C. R. Bacon, J. B. Lowenstern

Repeating coupled earthquakes at Shishaldin Volcano, Alaska Repeating coupled earthquakes at Shishaldin Volcano, Alaska

Since it last erupted in 1999, Shishaldin Volcano, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, has produced hundreds to thousands of long-period (1-2 Hz; LP) earthquakes every day with no other sign of volcanic unrest. In 2002, the earthquakes also exhibited a short-period (4-7 Hz; SP) signal occurring between 3 and 15 s before the LP phase. Although the SP phase contains higher frequencies than the LP...
Authors
J. Caplan-Auerbach, T. Petersen

DUCKS: Low cost thermal monitoring units for near-vent deployment DUCKS: Low cost thermal monitoring units for near-vent deployment

During 1999 we designed and tested a thermal monitoring system to provide a cheap, robust, modular, real-time system capable of surviving the hostile conditions encountered proximal to active volcanic vents. In November 2000 the first system was deployed at Pu'u 'O'o (Kilauea, Hawai'i) to target persistently active vents. Aside from some minor problems, such as sensor damage due to...
Authors
A. Harris, D. Pirie, K. Horton, H. Garbeil, E. Pilger, H. Ramm, R. Hoblitt, C. Thornber, M. Ripepe, E. Marchetti, P. Poggi

Source mechanism of Vulcanian degassing at Popocatépetl Volcano, Mexico, determined from waveform inversions of very long period signals Source mechanism of Vulcanian degassing at Popocatépetl Volcano, Mexico, determined from waveform inversions of very long period signals

The source mechanism of very long period (VLP) signals accompanying volcanic degassing bursts at Popocatépetl is analyzed in the 15–70 s band by minimizing the residual error between data and synthetics calculated for a point source embedded in a homogeneous medium. The waveforms of two eruptions (23 April and 23 May 2000) representative of mild Vulcanian activity are well reproduced by...
Authors
Bernard A. Chouet, Phillip B. Dawson, Alejandra Arciniega-Ceballos

Catastrophic precipitation-triggered lahar at Casita volcano, Nicaragua: Occurrence, bulking and transformation Catastrophic precipitation-triggered lahar at Casita volcano, Nicaragua: Occurrence, bulking and transformation

A catastrophic lahar began on 30 October 1998, as hurricane precipitation triggered a small flank collapse of Casita volcano, a complex and probably dormant stratovolcano. The initial rockslide‐debris avalanche evolved on the flank to yield a watery debris flood with a sediment concentration less than 60 per cent by volume at the base of the volcano. Within 2·5 km, however, the watery flow...
Authors
K. M. Scott, J.W. Vallance, N. Kerle, J.L. Macias, W. Strauch, G. Devoli
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