Mud Volcanoes

Abstract

The eruption of mud and magma can be influenced by earthquakes and reports date back more than 2000 years. Dozens of examples of eruptions have now been documented in response to both static and dynamic stresses from earthquakes. Already erupting systems are most sensitive to earthquakes compared to initiating new eruptions. Multiple plausible mechanisms have been proposed for triggering eruptions including disrupting particle-rich materials, mobilizing bubbles, or changing permeability—changes may occur both within and outside the reservoir hosting the materials that ultimately erupt. Using historical examples of triggered mud eruptions, we explain why it is unlikely that the Sidoarjo mud flow (sometimes nicknamed “Lusi”) was initiated by an earthquake. As multiparameter monitoring of volcanoes expands, it may eventually be possible to identify triggering mechanisms and how seismic waves influence magma and mud mobility in field settings.

Fluid conduits and shallow-reservoir structure defined by geoelectrical tomography at the Nirano Salse (Italy)

“…They are hazardous phenomena, because as of today, it is impossible to define the parameters for modelling the recurrence intervals of the extreme events (Gattuso et al, 2021). Azerbaijan hosts some mud volcanoes where the most violent eruptions worldwide are recorded; the Lökbatan mud volcano, for example, ex-plodes every 3-5 years in spectacular eruptions, which send detritus and breccia rafts into the Caspian Sea (Mazzini et al, 2021;Wang and Manga, 2021). In recent times (2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015)(2016), the massive eruption of the Indonesian Lusi mud volcano, triggered by the drilling of a borehole, continued for years with peak mudflows of 180 000 m 3 d −1 that caused the burial of nearby villages and the displacement of 60 000 people (Mazzini et al, 2007;Tingay, 2015).…”

Identification of a large mud volcano field in the Hyuga-nada, northern end of the Ryukyu trench, offshore Japan

“…Deformation and decreasing strength of rocks under the compressional stress field can be a driving or triggering force for mud volcanism (Soto et al, 2021a;. Seismic activities that occur nearby can also trigger mud volcanisms (Manga et al, 2009;Wang and Manga, 2021).…”

Assessing the activity of mud volcanism using boron isotope ratios in pore water from surface sediments of mud volcanoes off Tanegashima (SW Japan)

“…The ejected materials comprise gas, mainly CH 4 and CO 2 , mud, rock fragments, and water (Kopf, 2002), which are thought to be related to natural gases, petroleum, and/or gas hydrates (Etiope et al, 2009;Tinivella and Giustiniani, 2012). Some studies have indicated that earthquakes trigger MV activities (e.g., Tsunogai et al, 2012), but not all earthquakes are associated with MVs (Manga et al, 2009;Tingay et al, 2018;Wang and Manga, 2021). To investigate causal relationships, it is essential to monitor MV activity.…”