The 2001 Taupō Fault Belt Seismicity as Evidence of Magma‐Tectonic Interaction at Taupō Volcano

Abstract

Forecasting eruptions is one of the most important challenges of modern volcanology (Sparks et al., 2012). Detecting and identifying volcanic unrest is key to eruption forecasting, as many eruptions are preceded by unrest. Volcanic unrest can manifest as earthquake swarms, ground deformation and fissuring, and an increased flux of hydrothermal gas and fluids (

Fast 1-D Velocity Optimization Inversion to 3D Velocity Imaging: A Case Study of Sichuan Maerkang Earthquake Swarm in 2022

“…The time-space distribution of earthquakes can well depict the nature of earthquakegenerating fault movement [47,48]. The spatial locations of the three M S 5.0 or higher earthquakes were shown in the precise relocation results: 0:03 M S 5.8 Maerkang earthquake: 32.28 • N, 101.81 • E, depth 12.3 km; 1:28 M S 6.0 Maerkang earthquake: 32.28 • N, 101.83 • E, depth 18.8 km; 3:27 M S 5.2 aftershock: 32.26 • N 101.86 • E, depth 19.45 km.…”

The Response of Taupō Volcano to the M7.8 Kaikōura Earthquake

“…It is also possible that there was accompanying low-magnitude seismicity, below the detection limit. While the location of the modeled dike intrusion lies outside of the estimated silicic magma reservoir (Figure 1), it is in a similar location to an inferred intrusion in 2001 (McGregor et al, 2022), and further modeled magma intrusions (Smith et al, 2007). Dike intrusions are usually accompanied by earthquakes, however it is not unknown for them to propagate aseismically (Belachew et al, 2011;Grandin et al, 2011).…”

“…In addition, aseismic fault slip, analogous to slow‐slip earthquakes, has been observed in volcanic settings (Cattania et al., 2017; Himematsu & Furuya, 2015). The modeled fault location extends into Taupō caldera in a region that has seen recent evidence for magmatic intrusions (McGregor et al., 2022; Smith et al., 2007). It is possible that the presence of magmatic and/or geothermal fluids could facilitate aseismic slip, in a similar process to what has been proposed for slow‐slip events on the Hikurangi margin (Warren‐Smith et al., 2019).…”

“…Taupō is situated within a rift zone, in which extension is accommodated by the interplay between purely tectonic faulting, dike intrusions and co‐volcanic faulting (Barker et al., 2021; McGregor et al., 2022; Muirhead et al., 2022; Rowland et al., 2010; Villamor et al., 2011; Wilson et al., 1995). The Taupō fault belt, situated on the northern shores of the lake, is the main expression of the Taupō rift in the area and consists of predominantly northeast–southwest oriented normal faults (Barker et al., 2021; Rowland et al., 2010).…”

“…Taupōis situated within a rift zone, in which extension is accommodated by the interplay between purely tectonic faulting, dike intrusions and co-volcanic faulting (Barker et al, 2021;McGregor et al, 2022;Muirhead Figure 1. GNSS stations around Lake Taupō(triangles) with the approximate location of the modern caldera structure (Barker et al, 2021;Leonard et al, 2010) and magma reservoir (Illsley-Kemp et al, 2021) indicated by the orange outline and transparent orange circle respectively.…”