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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 31, L06610, doi:10.1029/2003GL019079, 2004

Explosion dynamics of pyroclastic eruptions at Santiaguito Volcano

Jeffrey B. Johnson

HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA


Andrew J. L. Harris

HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA


Steve T. M. Sahetapy-Engel

HIGP/SOEST, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA


Rudiger Wolf

CONRED, Guatemala City, Guatemala


William I. Rose

Department of Geological Engineering, Geology and Geophysics Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, USA


Abstract

In Jan. 2003 we monitored explosions at Santiaguito Volcano (Guatemala) with thermal, infrasonic, and seismic sensors. Thermal data from 2 infrared thermometers allowed computation of plume rise speeds, which ranged from 8 to 20 m/s. Rise rates correlated with cumulative thermal radiance, indicating that faster rising plumes correspond to explosions with greater thermal flux. The relationship between rise speeds and elastic energy is less clear. Seismic radiation may not scale well with thermal output and/or rise speed because some of the thermal component may be associated with passive degassing, which does not induce significant seismicity. But non-impulsive gas release is still able to produce a high thermal flux, which is the primary control on buoyant rise speed.

Received 14 November 2003; accepted 24 February 2004; published 20 March 2004.

Index Terms: 8414 Volcanology: Eruption mechanisms; 8419 Volcanology: Eruption monitoring (7280); 8494 Volcanology: Instruments and techniques.

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Citation: Johnson, J. B., A. J. L. Harris, S. T. M. Sahetapy-Engel, R. Wolf, and W. I. Rose (2004), Explosion dynamics of pyroclastic eruptions at Santiaguito Volcano, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L06610, doi:10.1029/2003GL019079.