Modulation of Popocatépetl’s activity by regional and worldwide earthquakes

Abstract

Volcanoes switching from quiescence to eruption shortly after catastrophic earthquakes have raised interest for volcanic triggering and the influence of earthquakes on volcanic activity. Its influence on already active systems and especially at open-vent volcanoes is more difficult to apprehend. A number of recent observations suggest an influence of tectonic earthquakes on Popocatépetl’s activity, the importance of which remains unknown. To further investigate this, we introduce an index, based on the near-field concept, identifying the earthquakes with the highest potential to promote volcanic activity (hereafter termed “significant earthquakes”). The time series of significant earthquakes is compared with the intensity of the volcanic activity, as characterized by the number and energy of volcano-tectonic earthquakes, the number of dome extrusions, the intensity of thermal and degassing fluxes, and ash production. Three main periods with contrasting activity stand out showing that Popocatépetl presents intense activity when significant tectonic earthquakes are frequent. Enhanced extrusion apparently follows significant earthquakes quickly with pulses of dome extrusion that peak after 1.3 ± 0.3 years. Conversely, extrusive activity vanishes when significant seismicity disappears, as during the period 2003–2011, which coincides with a 12-year-long significant seismicity gap. Hence, we propose that the 1994–2022 open-vent activity at Popocatépetl is in part modulated by the repetitive occurrence of significant earthquakes that periodically promote volcanic activity.

Combined direct-sun ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopies at Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico)

“…Following a relatively intense extrusive activity during September-December 2018, with the succession of the dome emplacement-destruction cycles #80 and #81 (CENAPRED daily reports; Caballero Jimenez et al, 2019), January 2019 is marked by a powerful explosion on day 22, apparently without a dome occupying the crater. Such explosions are rare, but they became more frequent following the earthquakes of 2017 (Boulesteix et al, 2022). A crater overflight was operated on day 27, which confirmed that the crater was still empty and that the conduit was permeable.…”

Lava dome cycles reveal rise and fall of magma column at Popocatépetl volcano

“…Popocatépetl has experienced since its reactivation in 1994 32 successive episodes of lava dome construction and destruction 33 , 34 . The morphological characteristics of the domes fall into the broad category of low lava domes 3 , typically pancake-shaped and affected by subsidence and dome-destruction explosive processes following their emplacement 34 .…”

New Insights into the Simulations of Electric Currents for Discharges and ULF Magnetic-Field Perturbations: Applications to the Popocatepetl Volcano and a Micro-Discharge Model

“…Numerous studies show that seismic events can be frequently used as precursors to volcanic processes [13][14][15]. Boulesteix et al [16] noted that volcanoes very often erupt, i.e., change from a passive phase to an active phase, soon after strong earthquakes. Many authors refer to catastrophic earthquakes as a seismic trigger for volcanism [15][16][17].…”

“…The Popocatépetl volcano (latitude: 19.023 N, longitude: −98.622 E, elevation: 5465 m), located in the platform part of Mexico and one of the most active volcanoes in North America, was chosen as an object for studying these processes. A number of researchers [16] have suggested that the activity of Popocatepetl is influenced by tectonic activity. These authors introduced an index based on the near-field concept to assess the influence of seismicity on volcanic activity [16].…”

“…A number of researchers [16] have suggested that the activity of Popocatepetl is influenced by tectonic activity. These authors introduced an index based on the near-field concept to assess the influence of seismicity on volcanic activity [16]. In that case, the time series of strong earthquakes was compared with the intensity of volcanic activity, characterized by the number and energy of volcano-tectonic earthquakes, the number of dome extrusions, the intensity of thermal and degassing flows, and ash formation.…”