Modelling eruptive event sources in distributed volcanic fields

Vent opening hazard models are routinely used as inputs for assessing distal volcanic hazards (lava flows, tephra fallout) in distributed volcanic fields. These vent opening hazard models have traditionally relied on the location of mapped vents; seldom have they taken into account how vents are linked in space and time. We show that inputs needed to appropriately model distal hazards are fundamentally different than thoses required to model near-vent hazards (ground deformation). We provide a computational model to obtain more appropriate eruptive source parameters (ESPs) for distal volcanic hazard sources and show the utility of our code through three examples. The code's strength is that it links events based on the spatio-temporal relationships of vents through heirarchical clustering. The development of the code and its strenghts and weaknesses are discussed. This work challenges previous ideas about ESPs and we hope this work leads to further improvement in hazard assessment methods.

Stratigraphy, facies architecture and emplacement history of the c. 3.6 ka B.P. Ngatoro Formation on the eastern flanks of Egmont Volcano, western North Island, New Zealand

<p>The Ngatoro Formation is an extensive volcaniclastic deposit distributed on the eastern lower flanks of Egmont Volcano, central North Island, New Zealand. Formally identified by Neall (1979) this deposit was initially attributed to an Egmont sourced water-supported mass flow event c. 3, 600 ¹⁴C years B.P. The Ngatoro Formation was subsequently described by Alloway (1989) as a single debris flow deposit closely associated with the deposition of the underlying Inglewood Tephra (c. 3,600 ¹⁴C yrs B.P) that had laterally transformed into a hyperconcentrated- to- flood flow deposit. Such water-supported mass flows have been well documented on volcanoes both within New Zealand (i.e. Mt Ruapehu) and elsewhere around the world (i.e. Mt Merapi, Central Java and Mt St Helens, Washington). This thesis comprises field mapping, stratigraphic descriptions, field and laboratory grain size and shape analysis, tephrochronology and palaeomagnetic analysis with the aim of refining the stratigraphy, facies architecture and emplacement history of the c. 3,600 ¹⁴C yrs B.P. Ngatoro Formation. This study has found that the Ngatoro Formation has a highly variable and complex emplacement history as evidenced by the rapid textural changes with increasing distance from the modern day Egmont summit. The Ngatoro Formation comprises two closely spaced mass flow events whose flow and emplacement characteristics have undergone both proximal to distal and axial to marginal transformations. On surfaces adjacent to the Manganui Valley on the deeply incised flanks of Egmont Volcano, the Ngatoro Formation is identified as overbank surge deposits whereas at the boundary of Egmont National Park it occurs as massive, pebble- to boulder-rich debris flow deposits. At intermediate to distal distances (17-23 km from the modern Egmont summit) the Ngatoro Formation occurs as a sequence of multiple coalescing dominantly sandy textured hyperconcentrated flow deposits. The lateral and longitudinal textural variability in the Ngatoro Formation reflects downstream transformation from gas-supported block-and-ash flows to water-supported debris flows, then subsequently to turbulent pebbly-sand dominated hyperconcentrated flows. Palaeomagnetic temperature estimates for the Ngatoro Formation at two sites (Vickers and Surrey Road Quarries, c. 10 km from the present day Egmont summit) indicate clast incorporation temperatures of c. 300°C and emplacement temperatures of c. 200°C. The elevated emplacement temperatures supported by the Ngatoro Formation’s coarse textured, monolithologic componentry suggest non-cohesive emplacement of block-and-ash flow debris generated by the sequential gravitational collapse of an effusive lava dome after the paroxysmal Inglewood eruptive event (c. 3,600 ¹⁴C yrs B.P.). The occurrence of a prominent intervening paleosol between these two events suggest that they are not part of the same eruptive phase but rather, the latter is a product of a previously unrecognised extended phase of the Inglewood eruptive event. This study recognises the potential for gravitational dome collapse, the generation of block-and-ash flows and their lateral transformation to water-support mass flows (debris, hyperconcentrated and stream flows) occurring in years to decades following from the main eruptive phase. This insight has implications with respect to the evaluation of post-eruptive hazards and risk.</p>

Stratigraphy, facies architecture and emplacement history of the c. 3.6 ka B.P. Ngatoro Formation on the eastern flanks of Egmont Volcano, western North Island, New Zealand

<p>The Ngatoro Formation is an extensive volcaniclastic deposit distributed on the eastern lower flanks of Egmont Volcano, central North Island, New Zealand. Formally identified by Neall (1979) this deposit was initially attributed to an Egmont sourced water-supported mass flow event c. 3, 600 ¹⁴C years B.P. The Ngatoro Formation was subsequently described by Alloway (1989) as a single debris flow deposit closely associated with the deposition of the underlying Inglewood Tephra (c. 3,600 ¹⁴C yrs B.P) that had laterally transformed into a hyperconcentrated- to- flood flow deposit. Such water-supported mass flows have been well documented on volcanoes both within New Zealand (i.e. Mt Ruapehu) and elsewhere around the world (i.e. Mt Merapi, Central Java and Mt St Helens, Washington). This thesis comprises field mapping, stratigraphic descriptions, field and laboratory grain size and shape analysis, tephrochronology and palaeomagnetic analysis with the aim of refining the stratigraphy, facies architecture and emplacement history of the c. 3,600 ¹⁴C yrs B.P. Ngatoro Formation. This study has found that the Ngatoro Formation has a highly variable and complex emplacement history as evidenced by the rapid textural changes with increasing distance from the modern day Egmont summit. The Ngatoro Formation comprises two closely spaced mass flow events whose flow and emplacement characteristics have undergone both proximal to distal and axial to marginal transformations. On surfaces adjacent to the Manganui Valley on the deeply incised flanks of Egmont Volcano, the Ngatoro Formation is identified as overbank surge deposits whereas at the boundary of Egmont National Park it occurs as massive, pebble- to boulder-rich debris flow deposits. At intermediate to distal distances (17-23 km from the modern Egmont summit) the Ngatoro Formation occurs as a sequence of multiple coalescing dominantly sandy textured hyperconcentrated flow deposits. The lateral and longitudinal textural variability in the Ngatoro Formation reflects downstream transformation from gas-supported block-and-ash flows to water-supported debris flows, then subsequently to turbulent pebbly-sand dominated hyperconcentrated flows. Palaeomagnetic temperature estimates for the Ngatoro Formation at two sites (Vickers and Surrey Road Quarries, c. 10 km from the present day Egmont summit) indicate clast incorporation temperatures of c. 300°C and emplacement temperatures of c. 200°C. The elevated emplacement temperatures supported by the Ngatoro Formation’s coarse textured, monolithologic componentry suggest non-cohesive emplacement of block-and-ash flow debris generated by the sequential gravitational collapse of an effusive lava dome after the paroxysmal Inglewood eruptive event (c. 3,600 ¹⁴C yrs B.P.). The occurrence of a prominent intervening paleosol between these two events suggest that they are not part of the same eruptive phase but rather, the latter is a product of a previously unrecognised extended phase of the Inglewood eruptive event. This study recognises the potential for gravitational dome collapse, the generation of block-and-ash flows and their lateral transformation to water-support mass flows (debris, hyperconcentrated and stream flows) occurring in years to decades following from the main eruptive phase. This insight has implications with respect to the evaluation of post-eruptive hazards and risk.</p>

Modified data on geoeffective solar flares and seismic noise variations

The problem of the relationship between strong magnetic swarms caused by solar flares and variations in seismicity is considered. The data on the temporal dependences of the parameters of seismic noise (average level, and standard deviation, RMS) recorded by the stations of the KNET seismic network have been used as the output data of monitoring the territory of the Bishkek geodynamic proving ground (Northern Tien Shan). The signatures of the influence of a magnetic swarm that occurred after an ultra-strong solar flare on September 6, 2017 have been established. The results obtained on the increase in seismic noise after this super-strong eruptive event are consistent with the results of studies on the influence of magnetic swarms on changes in regional seismicity.

Chemical-physical constraints of the 2015 eruptive activity of Mt. Etna: new insights from thermo-barometry and geochemistry of olivine-hosted melt inclusions

&lt;p&gt;The concomitant activation off all four summit craters of Mt. Etna during the December 2015 eruptive event allow us to investigate the chemical-physical crystallization conditions and magma dynamics in the shallower portion of the open-conduit feeding system. In this study, we discuss new petrological, geochemical and thermo-barometric data as well as the composition of major element and volatile content (H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O, CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;, F, Cl and S) of olivine-hosted melt inclusions from the explosive and effusive products emitted during the December 2015 eruptive event.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Results and rhyolite-MELTS thermodynamic modelling of mineral phase stability highlight the relatively shallow crystal equilibrium depth prior to the eruption ranging from 400-500 MPa for Central Crater and North East Crater, up to 200 MPa below the New South East Crater. The study of high-pressure and high-temperature homogenized olivine-hosted melt inclusions allowed us to identify the composition of the almost primary alkali-basalt magma (11.8 wt% MgO) containing up to 4.9 wt% and 8151 ppm of H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O and CO&lt;sub&gt;2 &lt;/sub&gt;respectively. The results, together with those already reported for the previous paroxystic events of the 2011-2012 (Giacomoni et al., 2018), reinforce the model of a vertically extended feeding system and highlight that the activity at the New South East Crater was fed by a magma residing at significant shallower depth with respect to Central Craters and North East Crater, although all conduits are fed by a common deep (P = 530-440 MPa) basic magmatic refilling. Plagioclase stability model and dissolution and resorption textures confirm its dependence on H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O content, thus suggesting that further studies on the effect that flushing from fluids with different H&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O/CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; ratio are needed in order to understand the eruption triggering mechanisms of paroxystic fountaining.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;References&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Giacomoni P., Coltorti M., Mollo S., Ferlito C., Braiato M., Scarlato P. 2018. The 2011-2012 paroxysmal eruptions at Mt. Etna volcano: Insights on the vertically zoned plumbing system. JVGR 349, 370-391.&lt;/p&gt;

Decolonizing the Anthropocene: ‘Slow Violence’ and Indigenous Resistance in Cherie Dimaline’s The Marrow Thieves

Through a reading of Cherie Dimaline’s 2017 young adult novel The Marrow Thieves, a survival story set in a futuristic Canada destroyed by global warming, this article explores the conceptualization and reimagination of the Anthropocene in contemporary postcolonial and Indigenous theory and fiction. Firstly, I will argue that literary representations of climate change can be complicit in producing hegemonic strands of Anthropocene discourse that consider human destructiveness and vulnerability at undifferentiated species level. Secondly, I will suggest that the novel’s apocalypse reveals the processes of colonial violence and dispossession that have culminated in the eruptive event of environmental catastrophe, rather than portraying a story of universal and disembodied human threat that conceals oppression against Indigenous people.

Using WRF-Chem Volcano to model the in-plume halogen chemistry of Etna’s 2018 eruption

&lt;p&gt;Volcanic eruptions emit halogen-containing species in varying quantities, with their emission ratio to tracer species such SO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; varying between volcanoes, eruptions, and even phases of an eruptive event.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The bromine explosion is known to occur within volcanic plumes, converting bromine from HBr &amp;#8211; the primary form in which it is emitted &amp;#8211; to other forms, including the spectroscopically detectable BrO. Measurements of BrO have been made in the plumes of many volcanoes from both ground-based and satellite-based instruments. There also exist a small number of measurements of OClO.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We present results from WRF-Chem Volcano (WCV), a modified version of the three-dimensional regional atmospheric chemistry and transport model WRF-Chem and associated utilities. We have simulated the Christmas 2018 eruptive event of Mount Etna using a nested implementation the model at maximum lateral resolution of 1km, as well as a weaker emission plume representing Etna&amp;#8217;s more common quiescent degassing state. The plume of this 2018 eruption was observed remotely by the TROPOMI instrument.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;WCV is able to model the transport and dispersion of the plume. We compare these model outputs to the satellite observations and use this to estimate the volcanic emission column height.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In terms of chemistry, WCV is able to reproduce the bromine explosion and the major features of the satellite observation &amp;#8211; including a cross-plume variation in the BrO/SO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; column ratio. We find that variations in the BrO/SO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; ratio are primarily caused by variations in the concentration of ozone. Ozone is consumed by bromine chemistry and is replenished by the mixing in of ozone-rich background air. This creates a zone of low ozone in the core of the plume which is consequently low in BrO and surrounded by a higher-ozone edge with a higher BrO/SO2 ratio.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For the temporal evolution of the plume, we find that the bromine-chemistry of a concentrated emission plume can be divided into four phases, also governed by ozone availability. In the last phase ozone limitation is minimal and the proportion of bromine in the form of BrO (and the BrO/SO2 ratio) is approximately stable. We find this stable regime also with a simulation of a weaker emission plume. These results could facilitate the use of remote-sensing BrO measurements as a means of quantifying total bromine emissions from volcanoes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Oxidized forms of chlorine are modelled to be formed within the plume due to the heterogenous reaction of HOBr with HCl, forming BrCl that photolyzes and produces Cl radicals. We also investigate the extent to which mercury could be oxidized by halogens within the plume.&lt;/p&gt;