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Hydroacoustic investigation of submarine landslides at West Mata volcano, Lau Basin
Author(s) -
CaplanAuerbach J.,
Dziak R. P.,
Bohnenstiehl D. R.,
Chadwick W. W.,
Lau T.K.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2014gl060964
Subject(s) - geology , volcano , landslide , submarine landslide , seismology , mass wasting , submarine , flank , structural basin , geomorphology , oceanography , sociology , anthropology
Abstract Submarine landslides are an important process in volcano growth yet are rarely observed and poorly understood. We show that landslides occur frequently in association with the eruption of West Mata volcano in the NE Lau Basin. These events are identifiable in hydroacoustic data recorded between ~5 and 20 km from the volcano and may be recognized in spectrograms by the weak and strong powers at specific frequencies generated by multipathing of sound waves. The summation of direct and surface‐reflected arrivals causes interference patterns in the spectrum that change with time as the landslide propagates. Observed frequencies are consistent with propagation down the volcano's north flank in an area known to have experienced mass wasting in the past. These data allow us to estimate the distance traveled by West Mata landslides and show that they travel at average speeds of ~10–25 m/s.