Increment in the volcanic unrest and number of eruptions after the 2012 large earthquakes sequence in Central America

Abstract

Understanding the relationship cause/effect between tectonic earthquakes and volcanic eruptions is a striking topic in Earth Sciences. Volcanoes erupt with variable reaction times as a consequence of the impact of seismic waves (i.e. dynamic stress) and changes in the stress field (i.e. static stress). In 2012, three large (Mw ≥ 7.3) subduction earthquakes struck Central America within a period of 10 weeks; subsequently, some volcanoes in the region erupted a few days after, while others took months or even years to erupt. Here, we show that these three earthquakes contributed to the increase in the number of volcanic eruptions during the 7 years that followed these seismic events. We found that only those volcanoes that were already in a critical state of unrest eventually erupted, which indicates that the earthquakes only prompted the eruptions. Therefore, we recommend the permanent monitoring of active volcanoes to reveal which are more susceptible to culminate into eruption in the aftermath of the next large-magnitude earthquake hits a region.

Tectonic controls on geomorphology and spatial distribution of monogenetic volcanoes in the Central Southern Volcanic Zone of the Andes (Argentina)

“…In the area, several earthquake-induced eruptions can occur as far as 500 km from their epicenters (Bonali et al, 2013). This finding highlights the role of earthquakes in inducing monogenetic activity, especially in subduction zones such as the SVZ (González et al, 2021).…”

Quantifying the Statistical Relationships Between Flank Eruptions and Major Earthquakes at Mt. Etna Volcano (Italy)

“…The 1992 Landers earthquake in California triggered seismicity in the Long Valley caldera region which also experienced a significant coincident deformation transient (Linde & Sacks, 1998). In 2012, three M w ≥ 7.3 earthquakes struck Central America within a period of 10 weeks; subsequently, some volcanoes in the region erupted a few days after, while others took months or even years to erupt (Gonzàlez et al., 2021). Several other examples can be found in literature (Bell et al., 2021; Cannata et al., 2010; Farías & Basualto, 2020; Walter, 2007).…”

Spatial and Temporal Quantification of Subaerial Volcanism From 1980 to 2019: Solid Products, Masses, and Average Eruptive Rates

“…However, to properly identify the baseline (and the patterns) of the eruption rates of each magmatic province, it would be important to extend, where possible, this data set to the previous (and futures) decades. Deeper investigation of the pre‐eruptive and syn‐eruptive processes that govern the eruptive style and the volcanic products in those volcanoes showing a shift from explosive to effusive activity and vice versa identifiable in our data set. Deeper investigation of the relationship between the magnitude of an earthquake and the mass erupted in arc volcanoes. This relationship was mainly investigated in terms of number of volcanoes which erupted after an earthquake (Eggert & Walter, 2009; González et al., 2021; Hill et al., 2002; Walter & Amelung, 2007). However, important differences can exist when considering the erupted mass instead of the number of erupting volcanoes.…”

“…Deeper investigation of the relationship between the magnitude of an earthquake and the mass erupted in arc volcanoes. This relationship was mainly investigated in terms of number of volcanoes which erupted after an earthquake (Eggert & Walter, 2009; González et al., 2021; Hill et al., 2002; Walter & Amelung, 2007). However, important differences can exist when considering the erupted mass instead of the number of erupting volcanoes.…”