Degassing system from the magma reservoir of Miyakejima volcano revealed by GPS observations

Miyake-jima is a volcanic island located approximately 180 km south of Tokyo. The island is an active basaltic volcano that was dormant for a 17-year period between an eruption in 1983 and June 26, 2000, when it again became active. The volcanic activity that occurred in 2000 is divided into the following four stages: the magma intrusion stage, summit subsidence stage, summit eruptive stage, and degassing stage (Nakada et al., 2001). Earthquake swarm activity began on June 26, 2000, accompanied by large-scale crustal deformation. This led to a summit eruption on July 8, 2000. Based on the pattern of hypocenter migration and the nature of crustal deformation, it was estimated that magma migrated from beneath the summit of Miyake-jima to the northwest during the magma intrusion stage. The rapid collapse of the summit took place between July 8 and the beginning of August 2000 (summit subsidence stage). Large-scale eruptions took place on August 10, 18, and 29, 2000 (explosion stage). The eruptions largely ceased after August 29, followed by the release of large amounts of gas from the summit crater (degassing stage). In this study, we examined the location of the magma reservoir during the degassing stage based on crustal deformation observed by GPS. By comparing the amounts of degassing and volume change of the magma reservoir, as determined from crustal deformation, we determined the mechanism of degassing and the nature of the magma reservoir-vent system. According to observations by the Japan Meteorological Agency, a large amount of volcanic gas began to be released from Miyake-jima in September 2000 (Kazahaya et al., 2003). Approximately 42,000 tons/day of SO2 was released during the period between September 2000 and January 2001. Analysis of GPS data during the period [Figure 1] indicates a source of crustal deformation on the south side of the summit crater wall at a depth of 5.2 km. The rate of volume change was -3.8 x 106 m3/month [Figure 2]. As the volume is equivalent to the volume occupied by the volatile components such as SO2, H2O, CO2 dissolved in the magma, it is proposed that contraction of the magma reservoir reflects degassing of its volatile components. The observations indicate that the magma reservoir is connected to the summit crater by a magma-filled vent. Convection within the vent carries volatile-rich magma upward to the crater, where volcanic gas is released by degassing. The depleted magma is then carried into the magma reservoir, which contracts due to the loss of volume originally occupied by the volcanic gas. Figure 1 shows displacements per month. Vectors show the horizontal movements. Contours and shading indicate vertical displacement. Figure 2 shows theoretical displacement assuming the Mogi model.