Collaborative Research: Active and Passive Seismic Imaging of the Three-Dimensional Structure and Magma System beneath the Summit of Kilauea Volcano

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

In 2018, the Kilauea volcano in Hawai’i experienced its largest Lower East Rift Zone eruption and caldera collapse in over 200 years. While much was learned from the massive magma drainage and surface collapse, there remains little knowledge about the magma plumbing system beneath the collapsed summit and the migration of magma to the East Rift Zone. A detailed model of Kilauea’s magmatic system is critical for addressing questions related to magma evolution and transport in volcanic systems. This project partners with the United States Geologic Survey and applies active and passive seismic surveys along with novel geophysical techniques to provide a high-resolution three-dimensional image of the subsurface summit structure after the 2018 collapse. The project will result in an unprecedented image of the magma plumbing system in an active volcano which is of critical importance for predicting magma storage and transport prior to future eruptions and reducing potential economic and societal losses. The seismic dataset and high-resolution modeling provide a template for fundamental breakthroughs at other active volcanic systems. This project provides support and training for several graduate and undergraduate students. This project integrates an active-passive-source investigation of the Kilauea summit in Hawai’i with a temporary three-component nodal array to provide the high-resolution seismic images needed to gain new insights into the magma plumbing system. The data from the seismic survey are used for a battery of processing techniques including arrival-time tomography, earthquake relocation, full waveform inversion, surface wave imaging, ambient-noise tomography, and joint inversions with gravity and magnetotelluric data. The work provides an unprecedented seismic wavefield dataset and structural resolution for the summit area of Kilauea volcano. Independent, upper-crustal velocity of primary and surface wave constraints are invaluable in improving accuracies of earthquake hypocenters and the resolution of deeper structure using earthquake arrival time and ambient-noise data. The attendant insights into structure and composition help evaluate the potential of future seismic and volcanic hazards in Hawai’i. The geophysical record obtained in this project are also linked to the geochemistry of subsequently erupted olivine and glasses to establish a link between geochemical signals and reservoir geometry and distribution within the volcanic edifice. This project is an integral part of a larger collaborative effort between the investigators and United States Geologic Survey researchers that brings together a broad spectrum of geophysical imaging techniques, along with geodynamics and petrology, in a coordinated effort. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.