A geomechanical interpretation of the local seismicity related to eruptions and renewed activity on Tolbachik, Koryakskii, and Avacha Volcanoes, Kamchatka, in 2008–2012

The local seismicity during the 2012–2013 eruption of Tolbachik Volcano and the 2008–2009 steam–gas eruption of Koryakskii Volcano is here considered as resulting from injections of magma that produced dikes, sills, and renewed activity at preexisting faults. We identified plane-oriented earthquake clusters in order to reveal the above zones using earthquake catalogs made at the Kamchatka Branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences (KB GS RAS). Subsequent space–time analysis of these observations lends itself to the following interpretation. The November 27, 2012 Tolbachik lava eruption was preceded by an injection of magma resulting in a series of dikes trending west-northwestward in the range of absolute depths between –4 and +3 km in a zone situated southeast of the Ploskii Tolbachik Volcano edifice. The dikes penetrated into a nearly horizontal permeable zone at an absolute depth of approximately zero, producing sills and emplacing a magma-conducting dike along the top of the zone of cinder cones (the dip angle is 50° toward the azimuth 300°) 5.5 km from the epicenter of the initial magma injection. The summit steam–gas eruption of Koryakskii Volcano in 2008–2009 was preceded by magma filling a crustal chamber (the top of the chamber is at –3 km absolute depth; the chamber is 2.5 km across) close to the southwestern base of Koryakskii. Further, magma injection in a nearly north–south zone (7.5 by 2.5 km), the absolute depth between –2 and –5 km) in the north sector of Koryakskii Volcano was occurring concurrently with the summit steam–gas eruption. The injection of magma into the cone of Avacha Volcano (2010) produced sills (at altitudes between +1600 and +1900 m) and dikes (mostly striking northwest)

Magmatic plumbing systems of the Koryakskii–Avacha Volcanic Cluster as inferred from observations of local seismicity and from the regime of adjacent thermal springs

An analysis of local seismicity within the Avacha–Koryakskii Volcanic Cluster during the 2000–2016 period revealed a sequence of plane-oriented earthquake clusters that we interpret as a process of dike and sill emplacement. The highest magmatic activity occurred in timing with the 2008–2009 steam–gas eruption of Koryakskii Volcano, with magma injection moving afterwards into the cone of Avacha Volcano (2010–2016). The geometry of the magma bodies reflects the NF geomechanical conditions (tension and normal faults, Sv >SHmax >Shmin ) at the basement of Koryakskii Volcano dominated by vertical stresses Sv, with the maximum horizontal stress SHmax pointing north. A CFRAC simulation of magma injection into a fissure under conditions that are typical of those in the basement of Koryakskii Volcano (the angle of dip is 60о, the size is 2 × 2 km2, and the depth is –4 km abs.) showed that when the magma discharge is maintained at the level of 20000 kg/s during 24 hours the fissure separation increases to reach 0.3 m and the magma injection is accompanied by shear movements that occur at a rate as high as 2 × 10–3 m/s, thus corresponding to the conditions of local seismic events with Mw below 4.5. We are thus able to conclude that the use of planeoriented clusters of earthquakes for identification of magma emplacement events is a physically sound procedure. The August 2, 2011 seismicity increase in the area of the Izotovskii hot spring (7 km from the summit of Koryakskii Volcano), which is interpreted as the emplacement of a dike, has been confirmed by an increase in the spring temperature by 10–12°С during the period from October 2011 to July 2012

Inverse modeling and forecasting for the exploitation of the Pauzhetsky geothermal field, Kamchatka, Russia

A three-dimensional numerical model of the Pauzhetsky geothermal field has been developed based on a conceptual hydrogeological model of the system. It extends over a 13.6-km2 area and includes three layers: (1) a base layer with inflow; (2) a geothermal reservoir; and (3) an upper layer with discharge and recharge/infiltration areas. Using the computer program iTOUGH2 (Finsterle, 2004), the model is calibrated to a total of 13,675 calibration points, combining natural-state and 1960-2006 exploitation data. The principal model parameters identified and estimated by inverse modeling include the fracture permeability and fracture porosity of the geothermal reservoir, the initial natural upflow rate, the base-layer porosity, and the permeabilities of the infiltration zones. Heat and mass balances derived from the calibrated model helped identify the sources of the geothermal reserves in the field. With the addition of five makeup wells, simulation forecasts for the 2007-2032 period predict a sustainable average steam production of 29 kg/s, which is sufficient to maintain the generation of 6.8 MWe at the Pauzhetsky power plant

Criticality in coupled quantum spin-chains with competing ladder-like and two-dimensional couplings

Motivated by the geometry of spins in the material CaCu$_2$O$_3$, we study a two-layer, spin-half Heisenberg model, with nearest-neighbor exchange couplings J and \alpha*J along the two axes in the plane and a coupling J_\perp perpendicular to the planes. We study these class of models using the Stochastic Series Expansion (SSE) Quantum Monte Carlo simulations at finite temperatures and series expansion methods at T=0. The critical value of the interlayer coupling, J_\perp^c, separating the N{\'e}el ordered and disordered ground states, is found to follow very closely a square root dependence on $\alpha$. Both T=0 and finite-temperature properties of the model are presented.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figs., 1 tabl

Magmatic Systems and the Conditions for Hydrothermal Circulation at Depth in the Klyuchevskoi Volcanic Cluster as Inferred from Observations of Local Seismicity and Thermo-Hydrodynamic Simulation

An analysis of local seismicity within the Klyuchevskoi Volcanic Cluster and Shiveluch Volcano for the period 2000–2017 revealed a sequence of plane-oriented earthquake clusters that are interpreted here as the emplacement of dikes and sills (magmatic fracking). The geometry of magma bodies reflects the geomechanical conditions in volcanic plumbing systems and at the bases of the volcanoes. Magmatic fracking within active magmatic plumbing systems results in the formation of permeable reservoirs whose vertical extent can reach 35 km (Klyuchevskoi) and can be as wide as 15 km across (Shiveluch), depending on the geomechanical condition of the host rocks. These reservoirs will be the arena of subsequent hydrothermal circulation, producing geothermal and ore fields, as well as hydrocarbon fields. TOUGH2-EOS1sc simulation tools were used to estimate the conditions for the formation of hydrothermal reservoirs at temperatures below 1200°С and pressures below 1000 bars

ON THE CONDITIONS OF WATER AND HEAT FEEDING OF THE PAUZHETKA HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEM (SOUTH KANCHATKA, USSR)

The Pauzhetka hydrothermal system is located in a volcano-tectonic depression near active volcanic centers. Temperatures at depths of 300-800 m are 180-210 C. The natural discharge of the hydrothermal system includes the discharge of the Pauzhetka springs and a concealed discharge in the bed of the Pauzhetka River (95 kg/s) and the steam discharge in the Kambalny Ridge (15 kg/s). Only the upper part of geothermal reservoir was penetrated by drillholes (up to 1200 m), therefore they have used a mathematical modeling to assess the conditions of water and heat feeding of the hydrothermal system. The hydrothermal system belongs to a linear fracturing zone of NW trend, therefore the two-dimensional model was used in the calculations. It has been defined that (1) the source of heating is a magma chamber located at a shallow depth; (2) the heat and mass transfer in the geothermal reservoir is defined by free and forced hydraulic convection, (3) the conductivity coefficient of a linear fracturing zone is 400-600 m{sup 2}/day, its width is 2 km and length is 10 km, and (4) the water feeding is defined by infiltration in the recharge area. Calculations of temperature and velocity fields agree with real data obtained in the Pauzhtka geothermal area, therefore they may be a base for assessment of water and heat feeding of the hydrothermal system. In accordance with these assessments, the main part of water resources is derived from infiltration. Heat feeding may be maintained by cooling of the magma chamber with a volume of 18 km{sup 3} that is in accordance with the volume of Holocene igneous rocks