Digital photogrammetry as a tool in analogue modelling: applications to volcano instability

Three techniques of digital photogrammetry have been applied successfully to laboratory analogue models to study surface displacements caused by various volcano deformation types. Firstly, side-perspective videos are used to differentiate profile displacements between cryptodome intrusion models and models deforming by ductile inner-core viscous flow. Both models show similar morphologic features including a bulged flank and an asymmetric upper graben. However, differences in displacement trajectories of the bulge crest reflect upward intrusion push contrasting with essentially downward displacement vectors of weak core models. The other two techniques use vertical views correlated automatically either as time-sequence monoscopic views or as coeval stereoscopic pairs. This exploits to a maximum the method’s potential by imaging surface displacements over the whole model. Successive monoscopic photograms, because they suffer only moderate numerical processing for topographic effect removal, can detect very small displacements occurring early in deformation processes. As illustrated by analysis of intrusion models, the monoscopic method allows prediction of fault locations and main displacement locations. It can also anticipate the principal strain directions, and separate different deformation stages. On the other hand, the stereo-photogrammetry technique, although more complicated, provides topography and volume changes, as well as pictures of surface displacements in three dimensions. Results are presented for the spreading of volcano models on a ductile substratum and viscous cored cones. We have found digital photogrammetry to be a useful tool for analogue modelling, because it provides quantitative data on surface displacements, including movement invisible to the eye, as well as topographic changes. It is a good method for investigating and comparing different deformation mechanisms. It is especially useful for interpretation of displacement patterns obtained from monitoring of natural active volcanoes. In fact, results of the methods used in the laboratory can be directly compared with field data from geodetic or photogrammetric surveys, as at Mount St. Helens in 1980.     

The velocity structure of crust and uppermantle in the Wudalianchi volcano area in—ferred from the receiver function

The Wudalianchi volcano is a modern volcano erupted since the Holocene.Its frequent occurrence of the small earthquake is considered to be indicator of active dormancy volcano.The S wave velocity structure is inferred from the receiver function for the crust and upper mantle of the Wudalianchi volcano area.The results show that the low velocity structure of Swave is widely distributed undemeath the volcano area and part of the low-velocity-zone located at shallow depth in the Wudalianchi volcano area.The low velocity structure is related to the seismicity.The Moho interface is not clear undemeath the volcano area,which may be regard to be an nec-essary condition for the lava upwelling.Therefore,we infer that the Wudalianchi volcano has the deep structural condition for the volcano activity and may be alive again.     

Source mechanism of long-period events at Kusatsu–Shirane Volcano, Japan, inferred from waveform inversion of the effective excitation functions

We investigate the source mechanism of long-period (LP) events observed at Kusatsu–Shirane Volcano, Japan, based on waveform inversions of their effective excitation functions. The effective excitation function, which represents the apparent excitation observed at individual receivers, is estimated by applying an autoregressive filter to the LP waveform. Assuming a point source, we apply this method to seven LP events the waveforms of which are characterized by simple decaying and nearly monochromatic oscillations with frequency in the range 1–3 Hz. The results of the waveform inversions show dominant volumetric change components accompanied by single force components, common to all the events analyzed, and suggesting a repeated activation of a sub-horizontal crack located 300 m beneath the summit crater lakes. Based on these results, we propose a model of the source process of LP seismicity, in which a gradual buildup of steam pressure in a hydrothermal crack in response to magmatic heat causes repeated discharges of steam from the crack. The rapid discharge of fluid causes the collapse of the fluid-filled crack and excites acoustic oscillations of the crack, which produce the characteristic waveforms observed in the LP events. The presence of a single force synchronous with the collapse of the crack is interpreted as the release of gravitational energy that occurs as the slug of steam ejected from the crack ascends toward the surface and is replaced by cooler water flowing downward in a fluid-filled conduit linking the crack and the base of the crater lake.     

Argiles et zéolites dans l'altération d'un volcan bouclier en milieu tropical (Le Piton des Neiges,La Réunion)

The drilling of a gallery through the Roche-Écrite massif (Reunion Island) allowed to sample the old formations of the ‘Piton des Neiges’ volcano. The mineralogical study of the alteration products of the formations showed significant variations of the zeolites/clay minerals ratio depending on the location of the rocks in the volcano. The abundance of zeolites in the formation near the surface hydrographic network or the underground water drainage system seems to be due to the physicochemical processes favouring zeolites in more open systems in their competition with secondary clays. To cite this article: L. Bret et al., C. R. Geoscience 335 (2003).     

Groundmass pargasite in the 1991–1995 dacite of Unzen volcano: phase stability experiments and volcanological implications

Pargasite commonly occurs in the dacitic groundmass of the 1991–1995 eruption products of Unzen volcano. We described the occurrence and chemical compositions of amphibole in the dacite, and also carried out melting experiments to determine the low-pressure stability limit of amphibole in the dacite. The 1991–1995 ejecta of the Unzen volcano show petrographic evidence of magma mixing, such as reverse compositional zoning of plagioclase and amphibole phenocrysts, and we used a groundmass separate as a starting material for the experiments. Reversed experiments show that the maximum temperature for the crystallization of amphibole is 930°C at 196 MPa, 900°C at 98 MPa, and 820°C at 49 MPa. Compared with the experimental results on the Mount St. Helens dacite, present experiments on the Unzen dacitic groundmass show that amphibole is stable to pressures ca. 50 MPa lower at 850°C. Available Fe–Ti oxide thermometry indicates the crystallization temperature of the groundmass of the Unzen dacite to be 880±30°C, suggesting that the groundmass pargasite crystallized at >70 MPa, corresponding to a depth of more than 3 km in the conduit. The chlorine content of the groundmass pargasite is much lower than that of phenocrystic magnesiohornblende in the 1991–1995 dacite of Unzen volcano, indicating that vesiculation/degassing of magma took place before the crystallization of the groundmass pargasite. The present study shows that the magma was water oversaturated and that the degassing of magma along with magma mixing caused crystallization of the groundmass amphibole at depths of more than 3 km in the conduit.     

The Sr, Nd and O isotopic studies of the 1991–1995 eruption at Unzen, Japan

The magma generation at Unzen volcano may be considered as the product of crustal material mixed with mantle magma accompanied by fractional crystallization (AFC). The magma in the Unzen volcano is estimated to consist of about 50–80% of residual magma (F) and about 30–70% assimilated crustal material (A) relative to the original magma. Concerning the 1991–1995 eruption, it is estimated that the magma formed as the result of mixing of about 50–60% crustal material and about 55–65% of residual magma. An alternative magma eruption model for the 1991–1995 eruption is proposed here. In the early stage, the isotopic characteristics of 1991 eruption are defined by AFC process in the deeper magma chamber. Later, the magma ascended through the conduit and quiescently stayed for a long time in a shallow reservoir before eruption. The minerals continuously crystallized as phenocrysts especially at the chilled top and outer margin in the shallow chamber. The crystallized phenocryst mush was reworked into the central part of the magma chamber by means of magma convection and rapid magma ascent. Therefore, the reaction between phenocrysts and melt occurs only in internal chemical disequilibrium in the magma chamber. In contrast, the isotopic compositions of the original magma shall be little influenced by the above processes throughout its eruptive history. The 1991–1995 eruptive rocks of the Unzen volcano show their characteristics in Sr and Nd isotopic values independent of their two previous eruptions. However, the isotopic values of early eruptive product could represent the original magma value. This result also supports the previous work of Chen et al. (1993) [Chen, C.H., DePaolo, D.J., Nakada, S., Shieh, Y.N., 1993. Relationship between eruption volume and neodymium isotopic composition at Unzen volcano. Nature 362, 831–834], that suggested the Nd of early or precursory eruptive products could be a qualitative indicator of the maximum size of a continuing or impending eruption.     

Earthquake swarms to the west of Mt Ruapehu preceding its 1995 eruption

Some months prior to the 1995 eruption of Mt Ruapehu (New Zealand), a series of shallow earthquake swarms occurred about 15–20 km west of the summit of Ruapehu. Several earthquakes in these swarms were felt, and the largest event was M_L 4.8. Crustal earthquakes of M_L≥3.0 within 20 km of the summit of Ruapehu have been rather uncommon in recent years. Furthermore, the two periods of strongest activity were both just before times when the temperature of Crater Lake showed rapid increases. The second of these rapid heating phases was immediately followed by increases in the Mg²⁺ ion concentration in Crater Lake, indicating that chemical interactions were occurring between fresh magmatic material and the lake water. The coincidence between seismicity and lake changes suggested a link with the following eruption. A 1-D simultaneous inversion to locate the earthquakes more accurately showed that most of the earthquakes fell into three spatial clusters, each cluster having a small horizontal cross-section. The predominant depth was about 10–16 km. The b-value of this swarm was 0.74, quite compatible with ordinary tectonic earthquakes. Each cluster of earthquakes lies close to the normal Raurimu Fault which runs predominantly north–south to the west of Ruapehu, with an east-trending branch splaying off near its northern end (see Fig. 1b). Composite focal mechanisms of events in the two more southern clusters are oblique-normal, while the other cluster to the north has an oblique-reverse mechanism. The two oblique-normal mechanisms suggest that extension has occurred on part of the fault. This stress pattern was also observed in the focal mechanism solutions of events that occurred after the eruption, when a denser network of portable seismographs covered the region. Although we cannot definitely connect the occurrence of these swarms to the eruptions later in 1995, there is a strong suggestion that the seismicity was connected to the process of magma movement, which temperature and chemical changes in Crater Lake suggest was occurring during the first half of 1995.     

中国东北地区新生代火山活动构造控制及火山灾害

东北地区的新生代火山、火山岩主要沿北东向、北北东向断裂带,其次沿北西向断裂等分布,这是由东北地区所处的区域大地构造环境所决定的。４２．４Ｍａ以后,太平洋板块运动方向由ＮＮＷ转为ＮＷＷ,这与我们研究的断裂带内,由断裂、节理求得的主压应力方位转化是吻合的。在伊通—依兰断裂带内,前第三纪主压应力σ１平均方位ＳＥ１２２°,第三纪以后,主压应力σ１方位转为９８°。因此,新生代特别是渐新世以后,在近东西向最大水平挤压应力作用下,使得东北地区已存在的北东向、北北东向断裂发生右旋扭动,在右旋扭动过程中将这些断裂拉开,逐渐演化为走滑拉伸裂陷盆地或裂谷盆地,同时为岩浆上升提供了通道。由于太平洋板块对欧亚大陆俯冲,东北地区４个活火山群（即长白山火山群、五大连池火山群、龙岗火山群和镜泊湖火山群）中的活火山都有再次爆发、造成灾害的危险     

龙岗金垅顶子近代活动火山的岩石学与地球化学

距今１６００ 年前喷发的金龙顶子火山是龙岗火山群中一座最年轻的近代活动火山, 它的喷发物包括金龙顶子火山锥体 （海拔９９９．４ｍ ）、熔岩流及其广布的火山碎屑席 （四海火山渣层）。金龙顶子火山岩为单一的粗面玄武岩, 有着极为相似的ＲＥＥ和不相容元素分布模式, ８７Ｓｒ／８６Ｓｒ和１４３Ｎｄ／１４４Ｎｄ 分别变化于０．７０４８４６～０．７０４９２１ 和０．５１２６１９～０．０．５１２６４６, 这反映了它们直接来自地幔源区, 岩浆上升过程极少演化和壳源混染, 具有较为原始的岩浆特点。年轻火山岩中的幔源捕虏体提供了该区存在相对低温 （～９００℃） 含水的地幔。     

中国新疆北天山和台湾南部陆地泥火山研究进展

在系统介绍中国新疆北天山地区和台湾南部地区泥火山研究进展的基础上, 对其地质特征进行了对比分析。结果显示, 北天山和台湾南部地区的泥火山均沿着断裂带分布, 主要位于背斜轴部, 泥火山分布区地层多出露为含泥岩层。对两个地区泥火山喷出物物理特征进行了对比分析, 固体喷发物的矿物成分相似, 如石英、 蒙脱石等; 液体喷出物的泥浆温度与冒泡频率相近, 但最大气泡直径与气体流量有很大差别。又分别对两地区液体、 气体喷出物的化学特征进行了对比分析, 液体喷出物均盐度高; 甲烷是大多数泥火山喷发气体的主要成分, 一些泥火山喷发的气体主要是二氧化碳。区域构造地质和气候条件不同, 导致两地泥火山喷出物存在差异。从现有研究来看, 两地泥火山的喷发都是岩层的孔隙压力增大造成的。两个地区泥火山与当地地震活动之间表现出良好的对应关系。泥火山的地球化学参数可能是地震活动的潜在指标。