Experimental multiblast craters and ejecta — seismo-acoustics, jet characteristics, craters, and ejecta deposits and implications for volcanic explosions

Blasting experiments were performed that investigate multiple explosions that occur in quick succession in the ground and their effects on host material and atmosphere. Such processes are known to occur during volcanic eruptions at various depths, lateral locations, and energies. The experiments follow a multi-instrument approach in order to observe phenomena in the atmosphere and in the ground, and measure the respective energy partitioning. The experiments show significant coupling of atmospheric (acoustic)- and ground (seismic) signal over a large range of (scaled)distances (30--330\m, 1--10\(\m\J^{-1/3}\)). The distribution of ejected material strongly depends on the sequence of how the explosions occur. The overall crater sizes are in the expected range of a maximum size for many explosions and a minimum for one explosion at a given lateral location. The experiments also show that peak atmospheric over-pressure decays exponentially with scaled depth at a rate of \bar{d}_0 = 6.47x10^{-4} mJ^{-1/3}; at a scaled explosion depth of \(4x10^{-3} mJ^{-1/3} ca. 1% of the blast energy is responsible for the formation of the atmospheric pressure pulse; at a more shallow scaled depth of 2.75x10^{-3 \mJ^{-1/3} this ratio lies at ca. 5.5–7.5%. A first order consideration of seismic energy estimates the sum of radiated airborne and seismic energy to be up to 20\% of blast energy.

Hundreds of Volcanic Explosions Detected Underwater at Kīlauea

Hundreds of volcanic explosions detected underwater at KīlaueaThe explosions, identified during the 2018 eruption phase, offer a clear acoustic signal that researchers could use to measure ocean properties.

Comparison of volcanic explosions in Japan using impulsive ionospheric disturbances

Using the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) data from ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers in Japan, we compared ionospheric responses to five explosive volcanic eruptions 2004–2015 of the Asama, Shin-Moe, Sakurajima, and Kuchinoerabu-jima volcanoes. The TEC records show N-shaped disturbances with a period ~ 80 s propagating outward with the acoustic wave speed in the F region of the ionosphere. The amplitudes of these TEC disturbances are a few percent of the background absolute vertical TEC. We propose to use such relative amplitudes as a new index for the intensity of volcanic explosions. Graphical Abstract

On the initial velocity of the glacial-stone material movement, the air-blast, the nature of the carrier medium and the range of action of sudden explosion-like gas-dynamic surge of the Kolka glacier

Начальная массовая скорость компактного движения выброшенного ледово-каменного материала ледника Колка, достигнутая на стадии газового ускорения в эпицентральной зоне взрывоподобного внезапного газодинамического выброса ледника, составляла около 300 м/с. Именно столь высокие значения величины начальной массовой скорости выброса основного количества ледово-каменного материала определили возможность образования сопутствовавшей выбросу ударной воздушной волны, которая и на большом расстоянии от эпицентра выброса (порядка 15 км) все еще имела значительную интенсивность. Воздушным был характер несущей среды для всего Геналдонского лавинообразного потока в пределах выделенной прежде всего по этому признаку зоны транзита на всем многокилометровом ее протяжении, а для начальной и основной стадий выброса – и за пределами этой зоны (до Скалистого хребта). Дальность же действия взрывоподобного внезапного газодинамического выброса ледника Колка 20 сентября 2002 года, безусловно, не ограничивалась лишь вместилищем ледника Колка или Колкинским цирком, как иногда полагают, а захватывала огромную территорию Колкинского и Геналдонского ущелий и была ограничена (да и то не полностью) лишь непреодолимой механической преградой Скалистого хребта. Цель работы. В плане сопоставления с взрывоподобными направленными газодинамическими выбросами ледников рассматривается вопрос об истории изучения направленных вулканических взрывов, установленных полстолетием ранее. Методы работы. Проведен анализ имеющихся данных и существующих походов их оценок. Результаты работы. Показана огромная мощность взрывоподобных направленных газодинамических выбросов ледника Колка, вполне сопоставимых в данном отношении с крупными направленными вулканическими взрывами. The initial mass velocity of the compact movement of the ejected glacial-stone material of the Kolka glacier, reached at the stage of gas acceleration in the epicentral zone of the sudden explosion-like gas-dynamic surge of the glacier, was about 300 m/s. Exactly such high values of the initial mass velocity of the surge of the main amount of glacial-stone material that determined the possibility of the formation of an accompanying ejection of the air-blast, which had a significant intensity even at a great distance from the surge epicenter (about 15 km). The nature of the carrier medium for the entire Genaldon avalanche flow was aerial within the transit zone distinguished primarily according this character along its entire length of many kilometers; and for the initial and main stages of the surge the nature was the same outside this zone (up to the Skalisty (Rocky) Ridge). The range of action of the sudden explosion-like gas-dynamic surge of the Kolka glacier on September 20, 2002, was certainly not limited only by the reservoir of the Kolka glacier or the Kolka cirque, as it is sometimes supposed, but captured the vast territory of the Kolka and Genaldon gorges and was limited (and even then not completely) only by the insurmountable mechanical barrier of the Skalisty (Rocky Ridge). Aim. In terms of the comparison with explosion-like directional gas-dynamic surges of glaciers, the article considers an issue of the history of study of directional volcanic explosions determined half a century earlier. Methods. The analysis of the available data and the existing approaches for their assessments was carried out. Results. The results of the work show the enormous power of explosion-like directed gas-dynamic surges of the Kolka glacier, which are quite comparable in this respect with large directed volcanic explosions.

Comparison of Volcanic Explosions in Japan Using Impulsive Ionospheric Disturbances

Using the total ionospheric electron content (TEC) data from ground-based global satellite navigation system (GNSS) receivers in Japan, we compared ionospheric responses to five explosive volcanic eruptions 2004-2015 of the Asama, Shin-Moe, Sakurajima, and Kuchinoerabu-jima volcanoes. The TEC records show N-shaped disturbances with a period ~80 seconds propagating outward with the acoustic wave speed in the F region of the ionosphere. The amplitudes of these TEC disturbances are a few percent of the background absolute vertical TEC. We propose to use such relative amplitudes as a new index for the intensity of volcanic explosions.

Atmospheric wave energy of the 2020 August 4 explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, from ionospheric disturbances

<p>Atmospheric waves excited by strong surface explosions, both natural and anthropogenic, often disturb upper atmosphere. In this letter, we report an N-shaped pulse with period ~1.3 minutes propagating southward at ~0.8 km/s, observed as changes in ionospheric total electron content using continuous GNSS stations in Israel and Palestine, ~10 minutes after the August 4, 2020 chemical explosion in Beirut, Lebanon.  The peak-to-peak amplitude of the disturbance reached ~2% of the background electrons, comparable to recently recorded volcanic explosions in the Japanese Islands. We also succeeded in reproducing the observed disturbances assuming acoustic waves propagating upward and their interaction with geomagnetic fields.</p><p><strong>Keywords:</strong> Chemical explosion,<strong> </strong>Beirut, N-shaped pulse, Total electron content</p>

Atmospheric wave energy of the 2020 August 4 explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, from ionospheric disturbances

Atmospheric waves excited by strong surface explosions, both natural and anthropogenic, often disturb upper atmosphere. In this letter, we report an N-shaped pulse with period ~ 1.3 min propagating southward at ~ 0.8 km/s, observed as changes in ionospheric total electron content using continuous GNSS stations in Israel and Palestine, ~ 10 min after the August 4, 2020 chemical explosion in Beirut, Lebanon. The peak-to-peak amplitude of the disturbance reached ~ 2% of the background electrons, comparable to recently recorded volcanic explosions in the Japanese Islands. We also succeeded in reproducing the observed disturbances assuming acoustic waves propagating upward and their interaction with geomagnetic fields.

USING MEDIUM-RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGES TO ASSESS IMPACT OF VOLCANIC EXPLOSIONS ON ECOSYSTEMS

Activation of volcanic processes can lead to catastrophic consequences for ecosystems, loss of life and significant material damage. Territory of the Kuril Islands and the Kamchatka territory is a risk zone. Therefore, research in this direction is extremely important. The aim of the study was to determine the pattern degradation of ecosystem during explosions and the rate of succession in the affected territories using medium-resolution Landsat and Sentinel satellite images. The paper presents results of an area-based assessment of impact on ecosystems of the North-Western part of Atlasov Island (Kuril Islands) of eruption of volcano Alaid in 1972. Based on use of 1972-2019 medium-resolution satellite images of Landsat and Sentinel systems, NDVI values were calculated in geoinformation system, which allowed tracing dynamics and nature of successions of affected area. It was found that multi-zone images of medium resolution allow determining the essence of processes occurring on territories where solid products of eruptions fell out quite qualitatively.