Transient dynamics of vulcanian explosions and column collapse

Identifying rheological regimes within pyroclastic density currents

Pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) are the most lethal of all volcanic hazards. An ongoing challenge is to accurately forecast their run-out distance such that effective mitigation strategies can be implemented. Central to this goal is an understanding of the flow mobility-a quantitative rheological model detailing how the high temperature gas-pyroclast mixtures propagate. This is currently unknown, yet critical to accurately forecast the run-out distance. Here, we use a laboratory apparatus to perform rheological measurements on real gas-pyroclast mixtures at dynamic conditions found in concentrated to intermediate pumice-rich PDCs. We find their rheology to be non-Newtonian featuring (i) a yield stress where deposition occurs; (ii) shear-thinning behavior that promotes channel formation and local increases in velocity and (iii) shear-thickening behavior that promotes decoupling and potential co-PDC plume formation. We provide a universal regime diagram delineating these behaviors and illustrating how flow can transition between them during transport.

Global shockwaves of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano eruption measured at ground stations

The eruption of the Tonga volcano created globally propagating spherical shockwaves in the atmosphere. Analyses are done to data from two southern U.S. stations of the author sampling at 3–21 s intervals and 189 weather stations at 1–5 min intervals. The shockwaves arrived from two routes in the atmosphere: the shortest spherical arc and the longer spherical arc through the antipole. In most stations, signals up to the 6^th path of shockwaves were recorded as the waves traveled around the globe multiple times. The speed of shockwaves is estimated to be 309.5 ± 2.9 m/s, consistent with the speed of sound at the top of the troposphere where a waveguide exists. Discussion is made on the post-shockwave ringing of 4–8 min as higher amplitude oscillations above the level of pre-shockwaves background noise. A theoretical wave dispersion is derived which verifies that the spherical shockwave’s phase speed is the same as the speed of sound.

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Dispersion equation of global spherical shockwaves from a point source derived

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Air pressure of 3–21 s recorded the shockwaves from the Tonga volcano eruption

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Shockwaves and ringing with higher energy analyzed using data from 191 stations

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Shockwaves up to 6^th pass from 191 stations consistent with global spherical waves

PlumeTraP: A New MATLAB-Based Algorithm to Detect and Parametrize Volcanic Plumes from Visible-Wavelength Images

Tephra plumes from explosive volcanic eruptions can be hazardous for the lives and livelihoods of people living in the proximity of volcanoes. Monitoring and forecasting tephra plumes play essential roles in the detection, characterization and hazard assessment of explosive volcanic events. However, advanced monitoring instruments, e.g., thermal cameras, can be expensive and are not always available in monitoring networks. Conversely, visible-wavelength cameras are significantly cheaper and much more widely available. This paper proposes an innovative approach to the detection and parametrization of tephra plumes, utilizing videos recorded in the visible wavelengths. Specifically, we have developed an algorithm with the objectives of: (i) identifying and isolating plume-containing pixels through image processing techniques; (ii) extracting the main geometrical parameters of the eruptive column, such as the height and width, as functions of time; and (iii) determining quantitative information related to the plume motion (e.g., the rise velocity and acceleration) using the physical quantities obtained through the first-order analysis. The resulting MATLAB-based software, named Plume Tracking and Parametrization (PlumeTraP), semi-automatically tracks the plume and is also capable of automatically calculating the associated geometric parameters. Through application of the algorithm to the case study of Vulcanian explosions from Sabancaya volcano (Peru), we verify that the eruptive column boundaries are well recognized, and that the calculated parameters are reliable. The developed software can be of significant use to the wider volcanological community, enabling research into the dynamics of explosive volcanic eruptions, as well as potentially improving the use of visible-wavelength cameras as part of the monitoring networks of active volcanoes. Furthermore, PlumeTraP could potentially find a broader application for the analysis of any other plume-shaped natural or anthropogenic phenomena in visible wavelengths.

The footprint of column collapse regimes on pyroclastic flow temperatures and plume heights

The gravitational collapse of eruption columns generates ground-hugging pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) with highly variable temperatures, high enough to be a threat for communities surrounding volcanoes. The reasons for such great temperature variability are debated in terms of eruptive versus transport and emplacement processes. Here, using a three-dimensional multiphase model, we show that the initial temperature of PDCs linearly correlates to the percentage of collapsing mass, with a maximum temperature decrease of 45% in the case of low percentages of collapse (10%), owing to an efficient entrainment of air into the jet structure. Analyses also demonstrate that column collapse limits the dispersal capabilities of volcanic plumes, reducing their maximum height by up to 45%. Our findings provide quantitative insights into the mechanism of turbulent mixing, and suggest that temperatures of PDC deposits may serve as a marker for determining column collapse conditions, which are of primarily importance in hazard studies.

Pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) are a major threat during explosive volcanic eruptions, hence the possibility to forecast them would be a vital improvement for risk mitigation. Here the authors present a 3D flow model to quantify the thermal patterns leading to volcanic ash plume collapse conditions.

First in-situ observation of a moving natural pyroclastic density current using Doppler radar

Pyroclastic density currents are one of the most devastating volcanic hazards. Understanding their dynamics is a key to develop successful hazard mitigation strategies. The hazard associated with pyroclastic density currents is commonly investigated a posteriori from their deposits or a priori using analogue and numerical experiments. Despite the low probability of observing a natural moving pyroclastic density current, we present the first in-situ analysis of the internal particle velocities of pyroclastic density currents at Volcán de Colima using a Doppler radar. Our data show two Vulcanian explosions, immediately followed by column collapse and a first pyroclastic density current travelling down the south flank with an average speed of 30 m/s (>50 m/s maximum speed) to a distance of 3 km from the crater rim. The direction of the pyroclastic density current coincided with that of the radar beam enabling measurement of velocity spectra (histogram of particle velocities within the radar beam). The measurement geometry enables the simultaneous measurement of the dense undercurrent at the crater rim (with <20 m/s and an increasing echo power over 20 s) and the dilute cloud higher above the topography approaching the radar (with >20 m/s and approximately constant echo power). The presented data set may be used as a benchmark for future experimental and numerical models that simulate the dynamics of pyroclastic density currents. Using the measured velocities of the collapsing column as input for numerical models will permit the validation of the models for the prediction of the true run-out distance, and thus provide valuable information for hazard assessments.

Chapter 1 An overview of the eruption of Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat from 2000 to 2010

The 1995–present eruption of Soufrière Hills Volcano on Montserrat has produced over a cubic kilometre of andesitic magma, creating a series of lava domes that were successively destroyed, with much of their mass deposited in the sea. There have been five phases of lava extrusion to form these lava domes: November 1995–March 1998; November 1999–July 2003; August 2005–April 2007; July 2008–January 2009; and October 2009–February 2010. It has been one of the most intensively studied volcanoes in the world during this time, and there are long instrumental and observational datasets. From these have sprung major new insights concerning: the cyclicity of magma transport; low-frequency earthquakes associated with conduit magma flow; the dynamics of lateral blasts and Vulcanian explosions; the role that basalt–andesite magma mingling in the mid-crust has in powering the eruption; identification using seismic tomography of the uppermost magma reservoir at a depth of 5.5 > 7.5 km; and many others. Parallel to the research effort, there has been a consistent programme of quantitative risk assessment since 1997 that has both pioneered new methods and provided a solid evidential source for the civil authority to use in mitigating the risks to the people of Montserrat.

Direct evidence for projectile charge-state dependent crater formation due to fast ions

We report on craters formed by individual 3 MeV/u Au (q(ini)+) ions of selected incident charge states q_(ini) penetrating thin layers of poly(methyl methacrylate). Holes and raised regions are formed around the region of the impact, with sizes that depend strongly and differently on q_(ini). Variation of q_(ini) of the film thickness and of the angle of incidence allows us to extract information about the depth of origin contributing to different crater features.