Science & Technology: Method Offers Better Tracking of the Trajectory of Magma

A Novel Way to Track Magma Flow (EOS)

Sparse seismic data can accurately predict volcanic eruptions.

In contrast to traditional methods, seismic amplitude ratio analysis (SARA) requires only the background amplitude of seismic waves to locate where an earthquake originates. Although previous studies have shown that the method can complement the traditional approach and reveal the path of traveling magma, it has never been directly compared with such a high-resolution set of traditional sensors. 

Using just 15 stations, the team was able to track the magma’s trajectory with remarkable accuracy, they report. The SARA technique also revealed new dynamics in the magma’s flow. The technique could help scientists track volcanic activity in settings where there aren’t many monitoring stations, the team says. 

Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JB014660, 2018)

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(Thanks to GRC Member Marcelo Lippmann, Staff Scientist (retired) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the submission.)