Gradual caldera collapse at Bárdarbunga volcano, Iceland, regulated by lateral magma outflow

Large volcanic eruptions on Earth commonly occur with a collapse of the roof of a crustal magma reservoir, forming a caldera. Only a few such collapses occur per century, and the lack of detailed observations has obscured insight into the mechanical interplay between collapse and eruption.We usemult...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science
Main Authors: Gudmundsson, Magnús T., Jónsdóttir, Kristín, Hooper, Andrew, Holohan, Eoghan P., Halldórsson, Sæmundur A., Ófeigsson, Benedikt G., Cesca, Simone, Vogfjörd, Kristín S., Sigmundsson, Freysteinn, Högnadóttir, Thórdís, Einarsson, Páll, Sigmarsson, Olgeir, Jarosch, Alexander H., Jónasson, Kristján, Magnússon, Eyjólfur, Hreinsdóttir, Sigrún, Bagnardi, Marco, Parks, Michelle M., Hjörleifsdóttir, Vala, Pálsson, Finnur, Walter, Thomas R., Schöpfer, Martin P J, Heimann, Sebastian, Reynolds, Hannah I., Dumont, Stéphanie, Bali, Eniko, Gudfinnsson, Gudmundur H., Dahm, Torsten, Roberts, Matthew J., Hensch, Martin, Belart, Joaquín M C, Spaans, Karsten, Jakobsson, Sigurdur, Gudmundsson, Gunnar B., Fridriksdóttir, Hildur M., Drouin, Vincent, Dürig, Tobias, Adalgeirsdóttir, Gudfinna, Riishuus, Morten S., Pedersen, Gro B M, Van Boeckel, Tayo, Oddsson, Björn, Pfeffer, Melissa A., Barsotti, Sara, Bergsson, Baldur, Donovan, Amy, Burton, Mike R., Aiuppa, Alessandro
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2016
Subjects:
Iceland
Online Access:https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/85fdb05a-b5de-4abd-a3a1-20253225735a
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf8988
https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/ws/files/55507889/aaf8988_16June_Bardarbunga_revised_ALL.pdf
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84978402488&partnerID=8YFLogxK
Description
Summary:Large volcanic eruptions on Earth commonly occur with a collapse of the roof of a crustal magma reservoir, forming a caldera. Only a few such collapses occur per century, and the lack of detailed observations has obscured insight into the mechanical interplay between collapse and eruption.We usemultiparameter geophysical and geochemical data to show that the 110-squarekilometer and 65-meter-deep collapse of Bárdarbunga caldera in 2014-2015 was initiated through withdrawal of magma, and lateral migration through a 48-kilometers-long dike, from a 12-kilometers deep reservoir. Interaction between the pressure exerted by the subsiding reservoir roof and the physical properties of the subsurface flow path explain the gradual, nearexponential decline of both collapse rate and the intensity of the 180-day-long eruption.

Similar Items