Rapid pre-explosion increase in dome extrusion rate at La Soufrière, St. Vincent quantified from synthetic aperture radar backscatter

Edna Dualeh; Susanna Ebmeier; Tim J. Wright; M. Poland; Raphael Grandin; Adam Stinton; M. Camejo-Harry; B. Esse; Mike Burton

doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117980

Rapid pre-explosion increase in dome extrusion rate at La Soufrière, St. Vincent quantified from synthetic aperture radar backscatter

Earth and Planetary Science Letters

By: Edna Dualeh, Susanna Ebmeier, Tim J. Wright, M. Poland, Raphael Grandin, Adam Stinton, M. Camejo-Harry, B. Esse, and Mike Burton

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117980

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Abstract

The extrusion rate of a lava dome is a critical parameter for monitoring silicic eruptions and forecasting their development. Satellite radar backscatter can provide unique information about dome growth during a volcanic eruption when other datasets (e.g., optical, thermal, ground-based measurements, etc.) may be limited. Here, we present an approach for estimating volcanic topography from individual backscatter images. Using data from multiple SAR sensors we apply the method to the dome growth during the 2021 eruption at La Soufrière, St. Vincent. We measure an average extrusion rate of 1.8 m³s⁻¹ between December 2020 and March 2021 before an acceleration in extrusion rate to 17.5 m³s⁻¹ in the 2 days prior to the explosive eruption on 9 April 2021. We estimate a final dome volume of 19.4 million m³, extrapolated from the SAR sensors, with approximately 15% of the total extruded volume emplaced in the last 2 days. A possible explanation for the acceleration in extrusion rate could be the combined emptying of a conduit and reservoir of older material before the ascent of gas-rich magma in April 2021.

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Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Rapid pre-explosion increase in dome extrusion rate at La Soufrière, St. Vincent quantified from synthetic aperture radar backscatter
Series title	Earth and Planetary Science Letters
DOI	10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117980
Volume	603
Year Published	2023
Language	English
Publisher	Elsevier
Contributing office(s)	Volcano Science Center
Description	117980, 11 p.
Country	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Other Geospatial	La Soufrière, Saint Vincent
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page