Flexure and seismicity beneath the south flank of Kilauea Volcano and tectonic implications

Thurber, C. H.; Gripp, Alice E.

doi:10.1029/jb093ib05p04271

Cited by 84 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Generally, magma intrusion is accompanied by different types of focal mechanisms (sometimes at short distances from each other), as observed for example at Hawaii (Thurber and Gripp, 1988) and at Mt. Usu (Matsumura et al, 1991).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continuous dynamic response along a pre-existing structural discontinuity induced by the 2001 eruption at Mt. Etna

Gambino

2014

Earth Planet Sp

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The intrusive process of the 2001 Mt. Etna eruption was accompanied by marked ground deformation and relevant seismic activity recorded between 12 and 17 of July (INGV-CT, 2001). At the same time, extensometer data evidenced the re-activation of a dry surface failure zone on the high south-eastern sector of Mt. Etna; this fracture system, formed in 1989, has been related to the propagation of a shallow blade-like dike along a NNE-SSW discontinuity (Bonaccorso and Davis, 1993;Bianco et al., 1998). The NNW-SSE discontinuity represents a complex low cohesion structure in which deformation may concentrate. Displacement measurements recorded on the surface fracture and the constraints obtained from seismicity show that the intrusion phase of the 2001 eruption has forced the NNE-SSW structure to move continuously with prevalent left-lateral displacement from a depth of 2-2.5 km b. s. l. to the surface with a compositive slip of about 3-5 centimeters.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continuous dynamic response along a pre-existing structural discontinuity induced by the 2001 eruption at Mt. Etna

Gambino

2014

Earth Planet Sp

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“…Thus a different origin than magmatic intrusion may account for the intermediate depth seismic events beneath Kilauea's middle SWRZ. We propose that these earthquakes are derived from deeper volcano-tectonic processes, for example, (1) interactions between Kilauea's SWRZ and the buried extension of the Kao'iki fault zone [Swanson et al, 1976], (2) edifice cracking due to lithospheric flexure [Thurber and Gripp, 1988] or rupture [Got et al, 2008] in response to volcanic loading of Mauna Loa, and/or (3) interactions between Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes at depth, triggering seismicity at their boundaries.…”

Section: Seismicity At Kilauea Volcanomentioning

confidence: 99%

Volcano‐tectonic implications of 3‐D velocity structures derived from joint active and passive source tomography of the island of Hawaii

Park¹,

Morgan²,

Zelt³

et al. 2009

J. Geophys. Res.

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[1] We present a velocity model of the onshore and offshore regions around the southern part of the island of Hawaii, including southern Mauna Kea, southeastern Hualalai, and the active volcanoes of Mauna Loa, and Kilauea, and Loihi seamount. The velocity model was inverted from about 200,000 first-arrival traveltime picks of earthquakes and air gun shots recorded at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). Reconstructed volcanic structures of the island provide us with an improved understanding of the volcano-tectonic evolution of Hawaiian volcanoes and their interactions. The summits and upper rift zones of the active volcanoes are characterized by high-velocity materials, correlated with intrusive magma cumulates. These high-velocity materials often do not extend the full lengths of the rift zones, suggesting that rift zone intrusions may be spatially limited. Seismicity tends to be localized seaward of the most active intrusive bodies. Low-velocity materials beneath parts of the active rift zones of Kilauea and Mauna Loa suggest discontinuous rift zone intrusives, possibly due to the presence of a preexisting volcanic edifice, e.g., along Mauna Loa beneath Kilauea's southwest rift zone, or alternatively, removal of high-velocity materials by large-scale landsliding, e.g., along Mauna Loa's western flank. Both locations also show increased seismicity that may result from edifice interactions or reactivation of buried faults. New high-velocity regions are recognized and suggest the presence of buried, and in some cases, previously unknown rift zones, within the northwest flank of Mauna Loa, and the south flanks of Mauna Loa, Hualalai, and Mauna Kea.

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“…This base is about 8-9 km beneath Kilauea and dips gently westward owing to lithospheric sagging by the island's load [Thurber and Gripp, 1988]. Earthquakes extend to greater depths beneath Kilauea's summit (Figure 1), reflecting magma ascent from underlying mantle; the shallowest region of persistent earthquakes is above the summit magma reservoir [Klein et al, 1987;Denlinger and Okubo, 1995].…”

Section: Seismicity Structure and Aftershock Decaymentioning

confidence: 99%

Volcanic spreading at Kilauea, 1976–1996

Delaney¹,

Denlinger²,

Lisowski³

et al. 1998

J. Geophys. Res.

102

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Because the magnitudes of these contractions and extensions are much less than the extension across the rift system, the subaerial south flank is apparently sliding seaward on its basal decollement more than it is accumulating horizontal strains within the overlying volcanic pile. Kilauea suffers from gravitational spreading made even more unstable by accumulation of magma along the rift system at depths in excess of about 4-5 km in the presence hot rock incapable of withstanding deviatoric stresses. This seismicly quiescent zone decouples the south flank from the rest of Hawaii's volcanic edifice; the rift zones at lesser depths exhibit a more brittle and, therefore, sporadic extensional behavior. Judging from the modern extension record of the summit, which both predates the M 7.2 earthquake of 1975 and has outlived its 10-year period of aftershocks, Kilauea will continue to spread along its rift system as its south flank slips seaward to accommodate the accretion of magma and its relatively dense olivine-rich differentiate.

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Flexure and seismicity beneath the south flank of Kilauea Volcano and tectonic implications

Cited by 84 publications

References 28 publications

Continuous dynamic response along a pre-existing structural discontinuity induced by the 2001 eruption at Mt. Etna

Continuous dynamic response along a pre-existing structural discontinuity induced by the 2001 eruption at Mt. Etna

Volcano‐tectonic implications of 3‐D velocity structures derived from joint active and passive source tomography of the island of Hawaii

Volcanic spreading at Kilauea, 1976–1996

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