Volcanic, coseismic, and seasonal changes detected at white Island (Whakaari) volcano, New Zealand, using seismic ambient noise

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Yates, A.S., Savage, M.K., Jolly, A.D., Caudron, Corentin, Hamling, I.J.
• Other Authors: Institut des Sciences de la Terre (ISTerre), Institut Français des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux (IFSTTAR)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Institut de recherche pour le développement IRD : UR219-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB Université de Savoie Université de Chambéry )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Grenoble Alpes 2016-2019 (UGA 2016-2019 )
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2019
• Subjects: NOUVELLE ZELANDE; [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics]; [SDU.STU.GP]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Geophysics [physics.geo-ph]; White Island
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-02295450; https://hal.science/hal-02295450/document; https://hal.science/hal-02295450/file/2018GL080580.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080580

Ambient noise interferometry is becoming increasingly popular for studying seismic velocity changes. Such changes contain information on the structural and mechanical properties of Earth systems. Application to monitoring, however, is complicated by the large number of processes capable of inducing crustal velocity changes. We demonstrate this at White Island volcano over a 10 year period containing multiple well documented eruptions. Using individual seismic stations, we detect velocity perturbations that we ascribe to volcanic activity, large earthquakes, and seasonality. Distant seismic stations capture widespread nonvolcanic changes that are also present at the volcano. Comparison between velocity changes recorded by distant and local stations then allows us to distinguish volcanic phenomena from seasonality. Through this, we resolve distinct features in ambient noise derived velocity changes that relate to volcanic unrest and a phreatic eruption, illustrating the strength of the approach.