Abstract
Dissection of a composite volcanic earthquake at Santiaguito, Guatemala
Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, USA
Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, USA
Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, USA
Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, USA
Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, USA
Department of Geological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
Volcano earthquake sources associated with eruptions at Santiaguito volcano in Guatemala are complex. Rock fracture, fluid flow, and gas expansion occur at variable time scales and induce superposed ground motions, including both static and dynamic deformation, and atmospheric pressure disturbances. Dissection of this composite event is facilitated through extra-seismic observations, such as infrasound, geodetic, and visual monitoring. Multi-parametric investigation of an eruptive event on Jan. 4th 2009 reveals increased degassing, apparent as both geodetic tilt and harmonic seismo-infrasonic tremor, preceding an explosive event. The explosive event itself entails surface dome uplift, multiple eruptive pulses, and subsequent re-equilibration of the volcanic edifice manifested in derived tilt. We report here on an integrated approach to discerning the physical processes at the actively effusing and exploding Santiaguito volcano and describe the composite earthquake that occurs here.
Received 4 June 2009; accepted 28 July 2009; published 28 August 2009.
Citation: (2009), Dissection of a composite volcanic earthquake at Santiaguito, Guatemala, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L16308, doi:10.1029/2009GL039370.
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