Deformation (volcanology)

This article is about volcanic deformation. For other uses, see Deformation.
Summit inflation at Mauna Loa, as indicated by GPS measurements between June 2004 and April 2005.

In volcanology, deformation refers to the change in the shape of a volcano or the surrounding landscape due to the movement of magma.[1] This can be in the form of inflation, which is a response to pressurization, or deflation, which is a response to depressurization. Inflation is represented by swelling of the ground surface, a volcanic edifice, or a subsurface magma body. It can be caused by magma accumulation, exsolution of volatiles, geothermal processes, heating, and tectonic compression. Deflation is represented by shrinking of the ground surface, a volcanic edifice, or a subsurface magma body. It can be caused by magma withdrawal (related to intrusion or eruption), volatile escape, thermal contraction, phase changes during crystallization, and tectonic extension.[2] Deformation is a key indicator of pre-eruptive unrest at many active volcanoes, but deformation signals must be used in combination with other eruption indicators for forecasting reliability.[3]

  1. ^ Lisowski, Michael (2007), Dzurisin, Daniel (ed.), "Analytical volcano deformation source models", Volcano Deformation: Geodetic Monitoring Techniques, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, pp. 279–304, doi:10.1007/978-3-540-49302-0_8, ISBN 978-3-540-49302-0, retrieved 2024-10-04
  2. ^ Dzurisin, Daniel (2019). Volcano Deformation: Insights into Magmatic Systems. Springer Science+Business Media. pp. 372, 379. ISBN 978-3-642-27737-5.
  3. ^ Garthwaite, Matthew C.; Miller, Victoria L.; Saunders, Steve; Parks, Michelle M.; Hu, Guorong; Parker, Amy L. (2019). "A Simplified Approach to Operational InSAR Monitoring of Volcano Deformation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Case Study of Rabaul Caldera, Papua New Guinea". Frontiers in Earth Science. 6 (240). Higher Education Press: 1. Bibcode:2018FrEaS...6..240G. doi:10.3389/feart.2018.00240. ISSN 2095-0195.