Uncertainty in Detection of Volcanic Activity Using Infrasound Arrays: Examples From Mt. Etna, Italy
Metadatos
Mostrar el registro completo del ítemEditorial
Frontiers Media
Materia
Volcano infrasound Infrasound arrays Volcanic degassing Ash explosions Lava flow Mt. Etna
Fecha
2020-05Referencia bibliográfica
De Angelis S, Haney MM, Lyons JJ, Wech A, Fee D, Diaz-Moreno A and Zuccarello L (2020) Uncertainty in Detection of Volcanic Activity Using Infrasound Arrays: Examples From Mt. Etna, Italy. Front. Earth Sci. 8:169. [DOI: 10.3389/feart.2020.00169]
Patrocinador
NERC Natural Environment Research Council NE/P00105X/1; European Union (EU); Geoscientists without Borders grant from the Society of Exploration GeophysicsResumen
The injection of gas and pyroclastic material from volcanic vents into the atmosphere is
a prolific source of acoustic waves. Infrasound arrays offer efficient, cost-effective, and
near real-time solutions to track the rate and intensity of surface activity at volcanoes.
Here, we present a simple framework for the analysis of acoustic array data, based
on least-squares beamforming, that allows to evaluate the direction and speed of
propagation of acoustic waves between source and array. The algorithms include a new
and computationally efficient approach for quantitative assessment of the uncertainty
on array measurements based on error propagation theory. We apply the algorithms to
new data collected by two 6-element infrasound arrays deployed at Mt. Etna during the
period July–August 2019. Our results demonstrate that the use of two infrasound arrays
allowed detecting and tracking acoustic sources from multiple craters and active vents
associated with degassing and ash-rich explosions, vigorous and frequent Strombolian
activity, opening of new eruptive fractures and emplacement of lava flows. Finally, we
discuss the potential use of metrics based on infrasound array analyses to inform
eruption monitoring operations and early warning at volcanoes characterized by episodic
intensification of activity.