Using An Extensive Catalogue of Repeatable Strombolian Eruptions to Monitor Small Medium Changes at Mount Erebus Volcano, Antarctica

A recent study by Gret et al. (2005) reconfirmed earlier work demonstrating remarkable, though variable, repeatability of short-period seismic signals produced by characteristic Strombolian eruptions of Mount Erebus. The eruptions originate as impulsive explosions of large simple gas bubbles from the surface of a long-lived, actively convecting phonolitic lava lake that rapidly refills afterwards. This self-reconstructing eruptive system lends itself to highly repeatable seismic sources. Gret et al. further noted that these repeatable seismograms (extending many 10s of seconds into the coda) and associated seismic energy scattered within the low-velocity waveguide of the volcano conduit might facilitate the novel tracking of small temporal changes in seismic velocity and/or impedance contrast within the near summit magma body and more general conduit system. We expand on this suggestive work using comprehensive correlation-based similar seismogram analysis of an extensive database of over 3000 candidate Strombolian eruptions occurring between Jan 1992 and July 2005, and recorded at up to 9 different seismic stations situated around the volcano. To obviate potential complications caused by nonlinear response (e.g., clipping) at short-period instruments, we incorporate data from broadband, high-dynamic range sensors and digital telemetry installed since 2001, and take advantage of a new period of prolific eruptions, especially since early 2005, Gret, A., Snieder, R., Aster, R., Kyle, P., Monitoring rapid temporal change in a volcano with coda wave interferometry, Geop. Res. Lett., 32, L06304, doi:10.1029/2004GL021143, 2005.