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Sound produced by the rapidly inflating Santiaguito lava dome, Guatemala
Author(s) -
Johnson Jeffrey B.,
Lees Jonathan M.
Publication year - 2010
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 - 10.1029/2010gl045217
Subject(s) - lava , lava dome , dome (geology) , geology , seismology , volcano , sound (geography) , paleontology , geomorphology
Vertical inflation of the Caliente lava dome at Santiaguito (Guatemala) occurs coincidentally with the onset of explosive eruptions and produces infrasound that is generally peaked between 0.5 and 2 Hz with amplitude of up to 5 Pa (at ∼1 km from vent). Inflation of up to ∼1 m progresses rapidly (within ∼2 s) and can encompass the entire surface of the ∼200‐m‐diameter dome. We use particle image velocimetry to quantify the time history of dome uplift and demonstrate that deflection of a volcano's solid surface can generate infrasound waves with amplitudes of a few Pa. The volumetric displacement history is used to model linear volumetric acoustic sources, both compact and of finite extent. Synthetic waveforms match recorded infrasound in terms of timing and frequency content. Amplitude fit is very good for a station located 3.3 km from the vent and less good for stations shielded by near vent topography.