Subsurface structural imaging of Ceboruco Volcano area, Nayarit, Mexico using high-resolution aeromagnetic data

Abstract

Abstract Ceboruco volcano is one of the largest volcanoes of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB), which extends along central Mexico. Among the western TMVB, Ceboruco Volcano comes in the second place after Colima Volcano in its activity. Also, it is considered as the only one that has historically-documented eruptions. Few geophysical studies have been published with the aim of studying the internal structure of the volcano. In the current work, and throughout the support of the CeMIEGeo-P24 geothermal exploration project, we aim to delineate the possible subsurface structural trends, to determine the approximate depth to the basement surface, and to provide an illustrative 3D model for its subsurface structure. To achieve such goals, a detailed analysis of the aeromagnetic data for the volcano area was performed. 2D interpretation was carried out for the aeromagnetic data. Edge detection filters, such as Tilt Derivative, and Analytic Signal, were used to map the contact/faults within the study area. In addition, 3D inversion was used to image the subsurface structure of the volcano. Aeromagnetic data was inverted using the GMSYS-3D inversion program by applying Parker algorithm. Four subsurface layers at depths of 250, 500, 750 and 1000\u202fm were assumed during the inversion process. Results indicate that the limits “boundary” of the subsurface magma chamber of the volcano can be traced easily from the first subsurface layer. A secondary structure line appears towards the east from the volcano boundary and it can be observed from the inversion of the second and third layers. This indicates that both, the base of the volcano and the structure line, stem from the same source. Finally, they disappear in the inversion results for the last layer, which concludes that we reach the basement above which the volcano is formed. Combination of all obtained results with the geological information, helped to understand the main structure of the Ceboruco volcano.