Monitoring changes in seismic velocity related to an ongoing rapid inflation event at Okmok volcano, Alaska

Journal of Geophysical Research
By: , and 

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Abstract

Okmok is one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian Arc. In an effort to improve our ability to detect precursory activity leading to eruption at Okmok, we monitor a recent, and possibly ongoing, GPS-inferred rapid inflation event at the volcano using ambient noise interferometry (ANI). Applying this method, we identify changes in seismic velocity outside of Okmok’s caldera, which are related to the hydrologic cycle. Within the caldera, we observe decreases in seismic velocity that are associated with the GPS-inferred rapid inflation event. We also determine temporal changes in waveform decorrelation and show a continual increase in decorrelation rate over the time associated with the rapid inflation event. Themagnitude of relative velocity decreases and decorrelation rate increases are comparable to previous studies at Piton de la Fournaise that associate such changes with increased production of volatiles and/ormagmatic intrusion within the magma reservoir and associated opening of fractures and/or fissures. Notably, the largest decrease in relative velocity occurs along the intrastation path passing nearest to the center of the caldera. This observation, along with equal amplitude relative velocity decreases revealed via analysis of intracaldera autocorrelations, suggests that the inflation sourcemay be located approximately within the center of the caldera and represent recharge of shallow magma storage in this location. Importantly, there is a relative absence of seismicity associated with this and previous rapid inflation events at Okmok. Thus, these ANI results are the first seismic evidence of such rapid inflation at the volcano.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Monitoring changes in seismic velocity related to an ongoing rapid inflation event at Okmok volcano, Alaska
Series title Journal of Geophysical Research
DOI 10.1002/2015JB011939
Volume 120
Issue 8
Year Published 2015
Language English
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Contributing office(s) Volcano Science Center
Description 13 p.
First page 5664
Last page 5676
Country United States
State Alaska
Other Geospatial Okmok Volcano
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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