Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2015

Keywords

Different eruption styles, Volcano acoustic signatures, Deep submarine volcano, Explosive boninite eruptions

Abstract

West Mata is a 1200 m deep submarine volcano where explosive boninite eruptions were observed in 2009. The acoustic signatures from the volcano’s summit eruptive vents Hades and Prometheus were recorded with an in situ (~25m range) hydrophone during ROV dives in May 2009 and with local (~5km range) moored hydrophones between December 2009 and August 2011. The sensors recorded low frequency (1–40 Hz), short duration explosions consistent with magma bubble bursts from Hades,and broadband, 1–5 min duration signals associated with episodes of fragmentation degassing from Prometheus. Long-term eruptive degassing signals, recorded through May 2010, preceded a several month period of declining activity. Degassing episodes were not recorded acoustically after early 2011, although quieter effusive eruption activity may have continued. Synchronous optical measurements of turbidity made between December 2009 and April 2010 indicate that turbidity maxima resulted from occasional south flank slope failures triggered by the collapse of accumulated debris during eruption intervals.

Publication Title

Geophysical Research Letters

Volume

42

Required Publisher's Statement

©2015. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved

DOI:10.1002/2014GL062603.

Comments

This publisher allows the publisher PDF to be added to an institutional repository six months after publication. This article was accepted online 11 FEB 2015.

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Submarine volcanoes--Polynesia; Volcanic eruptions--Polynesia; Magmatism--Polynesia

Geographic Coverage

Polynesia

Genre/Form

articles

Type

Text

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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