Geochemical evidence of different sources of long-period seismic events at Deception volcano, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

• Published in: Antarctic Science
• Main Authors: Padrón, Eleazar, Hernández, Pedro A., Carmona, Enrique, Pérez, Nemesio M., Melián, Gladys, Sumino, Hirochika, Almendros, Javier, Kusakabe, Minoru, Wakita, Hiroshi, Padilla, Germán D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2015
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctic Science; Antarctica; South Shetland Islands
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102015000346; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102015000346

Abstract This is the first detailed analysis of a CO 2 diffuse degassing time series from Deception volcano, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, performed during an episode of anomalously high long-period (LP) seismicity. Diffuse CO 2 emissions measured by an automatic geochemical station between 7 December 2009 and 13 February 2010 showed an excellent temporal agreement with the LP seismicity in December 2009. The absence of such a temporal correlation with the second burst of seismicity that occurred in late January 2010 suggests a different source for this LP activity. This was confirmed by analysis of seismic array data. The LP seismicity observed during December 2009 was caused by fluid-driven cracks that originated from pressure fluctuations in the volcano-hydrothermal systems beneath Deception volcano that were probably caused by a deep injection of undegassed magma before December 2009. The diffuse CO 2 degassing data have provided evidence of the activation of at least two different sources of seismicity during the study period at Deception volcano.