Tsuneomi Kagiyama

Magma ascent beneath Unzen Volcano, SW Japan, deduced from the electrical resistivity structure

The resistivity structure of Unzen Volcano has been revealed by extensive magnetotelluric surveys since the first eruption on November 17, 1990. This structure comprises a highly resistive surface layer, a low-resistive second layer at several hundred meters depth, interpreted as a water-saturated layer, a resistive third layer, and a low-resistive fourth layer at 10 km depth, possibly related to the deep magmatic activity. The structure has influenced the volcanic activity of Unzen. This activity was characterized by a series of dramatic changes in eruption type: a minor phreatic eruption on November 17, 1990; phreatic eruptions after February 12, 1991, preceded by several weeks of volcanic tremor; phreatomagmatic eruptions after April 9, and dome effusion beginning May 19, 1991. This paper presents a hypothesis in which the top of the magma column rose about 20 m/day, reached the base of the water-saturated layer at the end of January, 1991, and approached the upper boundary of this layer on April 9. Thus, the temporal change of eruption type and associated phenomena are systematically explained by an interaction between magma and groundwater contained in the saturated layer.

Magnetic and electric field observations during the 2000 activity of Miyake-jima volcano, Central Japan

Magnetic and electric field variations associated with the 2000 eruption of Miyake-jima volcano are summarized. For about 1 week prior to the July 8 phreatic explosion, significant changes in the total intensity were observed at a few stations, which indicated uprising of a demagnetized area from a depth of 2 km towards the summit: this nonmagnetic source can be regarded as a vacant space itself. Electric and magnetic field variations were observed simultaneously associated with the tilt-step event, which was the abrupt (V50 s) inflation at a few km depth within the volcano followed by gradual recovery (Vseveral hours). The electric field is ascribed to the electrokinetic effect most probably due to forced injection of fluids from the source, while the magnetic field to the piezomagnetic effect due to increased pressure. Large magnetic variations amounting to a few tens of nT were observed at several stations since July 8, and they turned almost flat after the August 18 largest eruption. Magnetic changes are explained mostly by the vanishing of magnetic mass in the summit and additionally by the thermal demagnetization at a rather shallow depth. A large increase in the self-potential by 130 mV was also observed near the summit caldera associated with the August 18 eruption, which suggests that the hydrothermal circulation system sustained within the volcano for the past more than 10 years was destroyed by this eruption. 9 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Evaluation methods of heat discharge and their applications to the major active volcanoes in Japan

Abstract The rates at which thermal energy is released by non-eruptive mechanisms associated with active volcanoes in Japan have been estimated from surface temperature distributions or from shapes of the fumarolic plume rise. Values of 5.3 x 107 W and 1.2 x 108 W have been calculated for non-eruptive release rates in 100-km segments of the Northeast and the Southwest Japan Arc, respectively. It appears that non-eruptive heat discharge is of the same order as that caused by eruptions.

A study of annual variations in the geomagnetic total intensity with special attention to detecting volcanomagnetic signals

This paper investigates the cause of annual variations in the geomagnetic total intensity that are often seen especially in the volcanic areas. As a hypothesis of the cause, a model was proposed, in which such a change is produced by changes in the inhomogeneous magnetization of near-surface rocks due to temporal changes of the atmospheric temperature. This hypothesis was tested by field and laboratory experiments. First, amplitude and phase difference of annual variations in the total intensity and ground temperature data were determined by time series analyses. Considering thermal diffusion from the surface into the ground, the phase difference between the total intensity and temperature was converted to a characteristic depth, and then the amplitude of annual temperature variation at the depth was estimated. Finally, the observed total intensity variations were compared with the expected change on the basis of the temperature dependence of rock’s magnetization obtained by a laboratory experiment and the local magnetic anomaly obtained by a magnetic survey at each magnetometer site. A good agreement between the observed and expected changes was obtained, which strongly suggests that the hypothesis is correct. It was also shown that a correction of annual variations by using temperature data will enable us more accurate detection of volcanomagnetic signals.

Resistivity structure of high-angle subduction zone in the southern Kyushu district, southwestern Japan

Magnetotelluric observations were carried out in the southern Kyushu district of southwestern Japan to investigate the characteristics of the electrical resistivity structure of a high-angle subduction zone. We constructed a 2-D resistivity model parallel to the subducting plate motion by using the inversion technique with the Akaike Bayesian Information Criterion (ABIC) smoothness constraint. The general features of the obtained resistivity structure are as follows: (1) a conductive block (below 1 Ω·m) is found beneath the volcanic zone and is widespread bilaterally below 40 km depth, (2) a resistive block (about 1000 Ω·m) distributes from 10 to 25 km depth in the forearc region and (3) a conductor (1 ∼ 30 Ω·m) is embedded beneath the resistive block, which may correspond to the negative Bouguer gravity anomaly observed in this region. We propose the following for the high-angle subduction zone: A serpentinized block is generated in the lower crust of the forearc region and a partial melting and hydrothermal fluid are well developed beneath the volcanic front.

Color change of lake water at the active crater lake of Aso volcano, Yudamari, Japan: is it in response to change in water quality induced by volcanic activity?

One feature of volcanic lakes influenced by subaqueous fumaroles existing at lake bottoms (called active crater lakes) is the remarkable color of their waters: turquoise or emerald green. The active crater lake named Yudamari at Mt. Nakadake of Aso volcano, Japan, takes on a milky pale blue-green. The particular blue component of the lake water color results from Rayleigh scattering of sunlight by very fine aqueous colloidal sulfur particles; the green component is attributable to absorption of sunlight by dissolved ferrous ions. An objective color observation conducted during 2000–2007 revealed that the lake water color changed from blue-green to solid green. The disappearance of the blue ingredient of the water color will result in diminution of aqueous colloidal sulfur from chemical analyses of lake waters sampled simultaneously. The aqueous sulfur is produced by the reaction of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide supplied from subaqueous fumaroles. However, its production efficiency decreases by domination of sulfur dioxide in the subaqueous fumarolic sulfur gas species with increasing subaqueous fumarolic temperature. The disappearance of blue ingredients from the blue-green color of the lake water may be attributed to activation of subaqueous fumarole activity.

Precise remote-monitoring technique of water volume and temperature of a crater lake in Aso volcano, Japan: implications for a sensitive window of a volcanic hydrothermal system

A high-resolution Digital Surface Model and a commercial digital camera have enabled precise and continuous monitoring of the crater lake at Aso volcano. From July 2006 onwards, infrared (IR) thermometry has been used with this system, enabling more accurate measurements of lake volume and temperature based on simple and intensive observations than has been possible in any other previous studies. The heat discharge remained largely constant at approximately 220 MW, with the exception of an abrupt increase to 280 MW that coincided with a rapid decrease in the water level in August 2007. Simultaneously, an increase in temperature at a shallow depth was suggested by other observations. The crater lake was found to respond to even slight changes in volcanic fluid supply, which can be well quantified by our method. Thus, a crater lake can be monitored more precisely than subaerial fumaroles whose energy estimation is often accompanied by large uncertainties. Our monitoring technique of a crater lake provides information on the subsurface hydrothermal system beneath it, for which any in-situ measurements are practically impossible.

Hydrothermal system in the Tatun Volcano Group, northern Taiwan, inferred from crustal resistivity structure by audio-magnetotellurics

The present study proposes an improved conceptual model for the hydrothermal system in the Tatun Volcano Group in northern Taiwan. In the study, audio-magnetotellurics (AMT) surveys were conducted to reveal the spatial distribution of resistivity, which is highly sensitive to fluids and hydrothermal alteration. By combining the obtained resistivity structure with other geophysical and geochemical evidence, the following hydrothermal system was inferred. Beneath Chishinshan, vapor-dominant hydrothermal fluids, supplied from a deeper part, are maintained in a low to relatively low resistivity region (5 to 20 Ω m) that is covered by a clay-rich cap, represented by an upper extremely low resistivity layer. Fluid ascent is suggested by a pressure source and clustered seismicity. Exsolved gases result in fumarolic areas, such as Siao-you-keng, while mixing of gases with shallow groundwater forms a shallow flow system of hydrothermal fluids in the Matsao area, represented by a region of less than 10 Ω m. The fumarole in the Da-you-keng area originates from vapor-dominant hydrothermal fluids that may be supplied from a deeper part beneath Cing-tian-gang, suggested by a pressure source and low to relatively low resistivity. Horizontally extended vapor-bearing regions also suggest the possibility of future phreatic eruptions. The proposed conceptual model may provide clues to detecting precursors of potential volcanic activity.

3‐D electrical resistivity structure based on geomagnetic transfer functions exploring the features of arc magmatism beneath Kyushu, Southwest Japan Arc

Our 3-D electrical resistivity model clearly detects particular subsurface features for magmatism associated with subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) in three regions: a southern and a northern volcanic region, and a non-volcanic region on the island of Kyushu. We apply 3-D inversion analyses for geomagnetic transfer function data of a short-period band, in combination with results of a previous 3-D model that was determined using Network-Magnetotelluric response function data of a longer-period band as an initial model in the present inversion to improve resolution at shallow depths; specifically, a two-stage inversion is used instead of a joint inversion. In contrast to the previous model, the presented model clearly reveals a conductive block on the back-arc side of Kirishima volcano at shallow depths of ~50 km; the block is associated with hydrothermal fluids and hydrothermal alteration zones related to the formation of epithermal gold deposits. A second feature revealed by the model is another conductive block regarded as upwelling fluids, extending from the upper surface of the PSP in the mantle under Kirishima volcano in the southern volcanic region. Third, a resistive crustal layer, which confines the conductive block in the mantle, is distributed beneath the non-volcanic region. Fourth, our model reveals a significant resistive block, which extends below the continental Moho at the fore-arc side of the volcanic front and extends into the non-volcanic region in central Kyushu.

Two-dimensional resistivity structure of Unzen Volcano revealed by AMT and MT surveys

AMT and MT surveys were conducted to investigate at high resolution the spatial resistivity structure of Unzen volcano, with consideration given to understanding its regional dimensionality. Our phase tensor analysis supports the conclusion that the resistivity structure is two-dimensional, with the strike in the E-W direction. Two-dimensional inversions suggest that Unzen volcano is likely to comprise 4 layers: a high resistivity surface (greater than 1000 Ω m), an intermediate second layer (20 to several hundreds of Ωm), a low resistivity third layer (less than 20 Ω m), and a relatively high resistivity basement. We assume the upper-most high resistivity layer consists of undersaturated lava and pyroclastic flow deposits. The second and third layers are likely to be water-saturated and form an aquifer that seems to correlate well with the emergence of groundwater discharge at the surface. In deeper areas beneath the summit, a region with a resistivity of 20–80 Ω m is surrounded by areas of extremely low resistivity (less than 3 Ω m); this structural features in Unzen volcano was first identified in this study, but is typical of the resistivity structure observed in active volcanoes. Interpreting the results of well logs and geodetic studies of Unzen volcano in light of the findings of the present study and the resistivity structure of other active volcanoes, we suggest that Unzen volcano possesses a hydrothermal system of high-temperature fluids beneath its edifice; this hydrothermal system may play a non-negligible role in controlling heat and mass transfer in the magmatic system of Unzen volcano.