Rapid magma ascent beneath La Palma revealed by seismic tomography
Abstract For the first time, we obtained high-resolution images of Earth's interior of the La Palma volcanic eruption that occurred in 2021 derived during the eruptive process. We present evidence of a rapid magmatic rise from the base of the oceanic crust under the island to produce an eruptio...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-21818-9 |
| _version_ | 1811336393269444608 |
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| author | Luca D’Auria Ivan Koulakov Janire Prudencio Iván Cabrera-Pérez Jesús M. Ibáñez Jose Barrancos Rubén García-Hernández David Martínez van Dorth Germán D. Padilla Monika Przeor Victor Ortega Pedro Hernández Nemesio M. Peréz |
| author_facet | Luca D’Auria Ivan Koulakov Janire Prudencio Iván Cabrera-Pérez Jesús M. Ibáñez Jose Barrancos Rubén García-Hernández David Martínez van Dorth Germán D. Padilla Monika Przeor Victor Ortega Pedro Hernández Nemesio M. Peréz |
| author_sort | Luca D’Auria |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract For the first time, we obtained high-resolution images of Earth's interior of the La Palma volcanic eruption that occurred in 2021 derived during the eruptive process. We present evidence of a rapid magmatic rise from the base of the oceanic crust under the island to produce an eruption that was active for 85 days. This eruption is interpreted as a very accelerated and energetic process. We used data from 11,349 earthquakes to perform travel-time seismic tomography. We present high-precision earthquake relocations and 3D distributions of P and S-wave velocities highlighting the geometry of magma sources. We identified three distinct structures: (1) a shallow localised region (< 3 km) of hydrothermal alteration; (2) spatially extensive, consolidated, oceanic crust extending to 10 km depth and; (3) a large sub-crustal magma-filled rock volume intrusion extending from 7 to 25 km depth. Our results suggest that this large magma reservoir feeds the La Palma eruption continuously. Prior to eruption onset, magma ascended from 10 km depth to the surface in less than 7 days. In the upper 3 km, melt migration is along the western contact between consolidated oceanic crust and altered hydrothermal material. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:38:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-85595e276d1e4ad1aff1df6fc3853f36 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:38:50Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-85595e276d1e4ad1aff1df6fc3853f362022-12-22T02:37:16ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-10-0112111310.1038/s41598-022-21818-9Rapid magma ascent beneath La Palma revealed by seismic tomographyLuca D’Auria0Ivan Koulakov1Janire Prudencio2Iván Cabrera-Pérez3Jesús M. Ibáñez4Jose Barrancos5Rubén García-Hernández6David Martínez van Dorth7Germán D. Padilla8Monika Przeor9Victor Ortega10Pedro Hernández11Nemesio M. Peréz12Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN)Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics SB RASDepartment of Theoretical Physics and Cosmos, Science Faculty, University of GranadaInstituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN)Department of Theoretical Physics and Cosmos, Science Faculty, University of GranadaInstituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN)Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN)Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN)Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN)Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN)Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN)Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN)Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN)Abstract For the first time, we obtained high-resolution images of Earth's interior of the La Palma volcanic eruption that occurred in 2021 derived during the eruptive process. We present evidence of a rapid magmatic rise from the base of the oceanic crust under the island to produce an eruption that was active for 85 days. This eruption is interpreted as a very accelerated and energetic process. We used data from 11,349 earthquakes to perform travel-time seismic tomography. We present high-precision earthquake relocations and 3D distributions of P and S-wave velocities highlighting the geometry of magma sources. We identified three distinct structures: (1) a shallow localised region (< 3 km) of hydrothermal alteration; (2) spatially extensive, consolidated, oceanic crust extending to 10 km depth and; (3) a large sub-crustal magma-filled rock volume intrusion extending from 7 to 25 km depth. Our results suggest that this large magma reservoir feeds the La Palma eruption continuously. Prior to eruption onset, magma ascended from 10 km depth to the surface in less than 7 days. In the upper 3 km, melt migration is along the western contact between consolidated oceanic crust and altered hydrothermal material.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-21818-9 |
| spellingShingle | Luca D’Auria Ivan Koulakov Janire Prudencio Iván Cabrera-Pérez Jesús M. Ibáñez Jose Barrancos Rubén García-Hernández David Martínez van Dorth Germán D. Padilla Monika Przeor Victor Ortega Pedro Hernández Nemesio M. Peréz Rapid magma ascent beneath La Palma revealed by seismic tomography Scientific Reports |
| title | Rapid magma ascent beneath La Palma revealed by seismic tomography |
| title_full | Rapid magma ascent beneath La Palma revealed by seismic tomography |
| title_fullStr | Rapid magma ascent beneath La Palma revealed by seismic tomography |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rapid magma ascent beneath La Palma revealed by seismic tomography |
| title_short | Rapid magma ascent beneath La Palma revealed by seismic tomography |
| title_sort | rapid magma ascent beneath la palma revealed by seismic tomography |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-21818-9 |
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