Determining the current size and state of subvolcanic magma reservoirs

Determining the state of magma reservoirs is essential to mitigate volcanic hazards. However, geophysical methods lack the spatial resolution to quantify the volume of eruptible magma present in the system, and the study of the eruptive history of a volcano does not constrain the current state of th...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Weber, Gregor (Author) , Caricchi, Luca (Author) , Arce, José L. (Author) , Schmitt, Axel Karl (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 05 November 2020
In: Nature Communications
Year: 2020, Volume: 11
ISSN:2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/s41467-020-19084-2
Online Access:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19084-2
Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-19084-2
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Author Notes:Gregor Weber, Luca Caricchi, José L. Arce & Axel K. Schmitt
Description
Summary:Determining the state of magma reservoirs is essential to mitigate volcanic hazards. However, geophysical methods lack the spatial resolution to quantify the volume of eruptible magma present in the system, and the study of the eruptive history of a volcano does not constrain the current state of the magma reservoir. Here, we apply a novel approach to Nevado de Toluca volcano (Mexico) to tightly constrain the rate of magma input and accumulation in the subvolcanic reservoir. We show that only a few percent of the supplied magma erupted and a melt volume of up to 350 km3 is currently stored under the volcano. If magma input resumes, the volcano can reawake from multi-millennial dormancy within a few years and produce a large eruption, due to the thermal maturity of the system. Our approach is widely applicable and provides essential quantitative information to better assess the state and hazard potential of volcanoes.
Item Description:Gesehen am 23.02.2021
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/s41467-020-19084-2