Triggering of volcanic activity by large earthquakes

Statistical analysis of temporal relationships between large earthquakes and volcanic eruptions suggests seismic waves may trigger eruptions even over great distances, although the causative mechanism is not well constrained. In this study the relationship between large earthquakes and subtle changes in volcanic activity was investigated in order to gain greater insight into the relationship between dynamic stress and volcanic response. Daily measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), onboard the Aura satellite, provide constraints on volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission rates as a measure of subtle changes in activity. An SO2 timeseries was produced from OMI data for thirteen persistently active volcanoes. Seismic surface-wave amplitudes were modeled from the source mechanisms of moment magnitude (Mw) ≥7 earthquakes, and peak dynamic stress (PDS) was calculated. The SO2 timeseries for each volcano was used to calculate a baseline threshold for comparison with post-earthquake emission. Delay times for an SO2 response following each earthquake at each volcano were analyzed and compared to a random catalog. The delay time analysis was inconclusive. However, an analysis based on the occurrence of large earthquakes showed a response at most volcanoes. Using the PDS calculations as a filtering criterion for the earthquake catalog, the SO2 mass for each volcano was analyzed in 28-day windows centered on the earthquake origin time. If the average SO2 mass after the earthquake was greater than an arbitrary percentage of pre-earthquake mass, we identified the volcano as having a response to the event. This window analysis provided insight on what type of volcanic activity is more susceptible to triggering by dynamic stress. The volcanoes with lava lakes included in this study, Ambrym, Gaua, Villarrica, and Erta Ale, showed a clear response to dynamic stress while the volcanoes with lava domes, Merapi, Semeru, and Bagana showed no response at all. Perhaps dynamic stress triggers release of accumulated gasses or gas nucleation events , which is more likely to produce an observable degassing response in less viscous magmas, or in a magmatic system that facilitates the equilibrium needed to maintain a lava lake.