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Could Kı̄lauea's 2020 post caldera-forming eruption have been anticipated?

August 12, 2022

In 2018 Kīlauea volcano erupted a decade’s worth of basalt, given estimated magma supply rates, triggering caldera collapse. Yet, less than 2.5 years later Kīlauea re-erupted. At the 2018 eruption onset, pressure within the summit reservoir was ~20 MPa above magmastatic. By the onset of collapse this decreased by ~17 MPa. Analysis of magma surges at the 2018 fissures, following collapse events, implies excess pressure at the eruption end of only ~1 MPa. Given the new vent elevation, ∼11 − 12 MPa pressure increase was required to bring magma to the surface in December 2020. Analysis of GPS data between 8/2018 and 12/2020 shows there was a 73% probability that this condition was met at the onset of the 2020 eruption. Given a plausible range of possible vent elevations, there was a 40 to 88% probability of sufficient pressure to bring magma to the surface 100 days before the eruption.

Publication Year 2022
Title Could Kı̄lauea's 2020 post caldera-forming eruption have been anticipated?
DOI 10.1029/2022GL099270
Authors Paul Segall, Kyle R. Anderson, Taiyi Wang
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Geophysical Research Letters
Index ID 70234573
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Volcano Science Center