Seismic Imaging of Kilauea East Rift Zone Magma Reservoirs Using Receiver Functions
Description:
Shield volcanoes, such as Kilauea in Hawaii, are the largest volcanoes on Earth and form as eruptions of basaltic lava flows build up into broad, gentle slopes over time. A common characteristic of shield volcanoes are well developed rift zone systems, which weaken the volcano’s structure and facilitate the expansion of volcanic systems by enabling magma to flow horizontally and erupt in areas away from the summit. With two active rift zones, Kilauea poses significant risks to nearby neighborhoods and infrastructure. Though magma reservoirs beneath these rift zones have been identified, recent activity suggests changes in magma movement along the rift zone. To investigate these possible changes, about 130 nodal seismometers were temporarily deployed in two dense linear arrays across the Kilauea East Rift Zone (ERZ) in September 2024, one near Pu’u ‘Ō‘ō and the other along Highway 130 across the Lower East Rift Zone. Upon retrieving the instruments in November 2024, the data were processed for analysis. We will select relevant earthquake arrivals and implement receiver function (RF) techniques – including H-k stacking to estimate crustal thickness and common conversion point (CCP) stacking to visualize crustal discontinuities. Preliminary analysis of ERZ data collected along Highway 130 in 2018 and 2019 shows that higher Gaussian frequencies generate the clearest arrivals of RFs on CCP profiles. These arrivals begin at about 15 km depth, representing the Moho discontinuity. Surrounding regions of low and high seismic velocity contrast likely correspond to areas of solidified lava rock and zones of magma storage. The H-k and CCP stacking methods will allow us to produce a crustal structure profile using current data, highlighting velocity discontinuities in the crust that could provide new insights into the rift zone history and magma behavior beneath Kilauea, with significant ramifications for both comprehending magma storage and movement within the volcano, and improving hazard assessments for communities settled in close proximity to these active rift zones.
Session: Earth’s Structure from the Crust to the Core [Poster]
Type: Poster
Date: 4/16/2025
Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)
Presenting Author: Sofia
Student Presenter: Yes
Invited Presentation:
Poster Number: 91
Authors
Sofia DaSilva Presenting Author sofia_dasilva@uri.edu University of Rhode Island |
Yang Shen yshen@uri.edu University of Rhode Island |
Jamie Farrell jamie.farrell@utah.edu University of Utah |
Fan-Chi Lin FanChi.Lin@utah.edu University of Utah |
Xiaozhuo Wei xiaozhuo@caltech.edu California Institute of Technology |
Sofia DaSilva Corresponding Author sofia_dasilva@uri.edu University of Rhode Island |
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Seismic Imaging of Kilauea East Rift Zone Magma Reservoirs Using Receiver Functions
Category
Earth’s Structure from the Crust to the Core