Surface deformations and gravity changes caused by pressurized finite ellipsoidal cavities

We develop quasi-analytical solutions for the surface deformation field and gravity changes due to the pressurization of a finite (triaxial) ellipsoidal cavity in a half-space. The solution is in the form of a non-uniform distribution of triaxial point sources within the cavity. The point sources have the same aspect ratio, determined by the cavity shape, while their strengths and spacing are determined in an adaptive manner, such that the net point-source potency per unit volume is uniform. We validate and compare our solution with analytical and numerical solutions. We provide computationally efficient MATLAB codes tailored for source inversions. This solution opens the possibility of exploring the geometry of shallow magma chambers for potential deviations from axial symmetry

Dike intrusions during rifting episodes obey scaling relationships similar to earthquakes

As continental rifts evolve towards mid-ocean ridges, strain is accommodated by repeated episodes of faulting and magmatism. Discrete rifting episodes have been observed along two subaerial divergent plate boundaries, the Krafla segment of the Northern Volcanic Rift Zone in Iceland and the Manda-Hararo segment of the Red Sea Rift in Ethiopia. In both cases, the initial and largest dike intrusion was followed by a series of smaller intrusions. By performing a statistical analysis of these rifting episodes, we demonstrate that dike intrusions obey scaling relationships similar to earthquakes. We find that the dimensions of dike intrusions obey a power law analogous to the Gutenberg-Richter relation and the long-term release of geodetic moment is governed by a relationship consistent with the Omori law. Due to the effects of magma supply, the timing of secondary dike intrusions differs from that of the aftershocks. This work provides evidence of self-similarity in the rifting process

Explosive expansion of a slowly-decompressed magma analog:evidence of delayed bubble nucleation

While ascending in the plumbing system of volcanoes, magma undergoes decompression at rates spanning several orders of magnitude and set by a number of factors internal and external to the volcano. Slow decompression generally results in an effusive or mildly explosive expansion of the magma, but counterexamples of sudden switches from effusive to explosive eruptive behaviour have been documented at various volcanoes worldwide. The mechanisms involved in this behavior are currently debated, in particular regarding basaltic magmas. Here, we explore the interplay between decompression rate and vesiculation vigour by decompressing a magma analog obtained by dissolving pine resin into acetone in varying proportions. Our mixtures contain solid particles and upon decompression experience the nucleation of acetone bubbles. We find mixtures high in acetone, containing smaller and fewer solid particles, experience strong supersaturation and fragment for very slow decompressions, despite having low viscosity, while mixtures low in acetone, with more and larger solid particles degas efficiently. We interpret our results in terms of delayed bubble nucleation due to a lack of efficient nucleation sites. We discuss how a similar mechanism might induce violent, explosive expansion in volatile-rich and poorly crystalline low-silica magmas, by analogy to previous inferences for rhyolitic magmas

The stress shadow induced by the 1975-1984 Krafla rifting episode

It has been posited that the 1975\u20131984 Krafla rifting episode in northern Iceland was responsible for a significant drop in the rate of earthquakes along the H\ufasav\uedk\u2010Flatey Fault (HFF), a transform fault that had previously been the source of several magnitude 6\u20137 earthquakes. This compelling case of the existence of a stress shadow has never been studied in detail, and the implications of such a stress shadow remain an open question. According to rate\u2010state models, intense stress shadows cause tens of years of low seismicity rate followed by a faster recovery phase of rate increase. Here, we compare the long\u2010term predictions from a Coulomb stress model of the rifting episode with seismological observations from the SIL catalog (1995\u20132011) in northern Iceland. In the analyzed time frame, we find that the rift\u2010induced stress shadow coincides with the eastern half of the fault where the observed seismicity rates are found to be significantly lower than expected, given the historical earthquake activity there. We also find that the seismicity rates on the central part of the HFF increased significantly in the last 17 years, with the seismicity progressively recovering from west to east. Our observations confirm that rate\u2010state theory successfully describes the long\u2010term seismic rate variation during the reloading phase of a fault invested by a negative Coulomb stress. Coincident with this recovery, we find that the b\u2010value of the frequency\u2010magnitude distribution changed significantly over time. We conclude that the rift\u2010induced stress shadow not only decreased the seismic rate on the eastern part of the HFF but also temporarily modified how the system releases seismic energy, with more large magnitude events in proportion to small ones. This behavior is currently being overturned, as rift\u2010induced locking is now being compensated by tectonic forcing

Lava effusion — A slow fuse for paroxysms at Stromboli volcano?

International audienceThe 2007 effusive eruption of Stromboli followed a similar pattern to the previous 2002–2003 episode. In both cases, magma ascent led to breaching of the uppermost part of the conduit forming an eruptive fissure that discharged lava down the Sciara del Fuoco depression. Both eruptions also displayed a ‘paroxysmal' explosive event during lava flow output. From daily effusion rate measurements retrieved from helicopter- and satellite-based infrared imaging, we deduce that the cumulative volume of lava erupted before each of the two paroxysms was similar. Based on this finding, we propose a conceptual model to explain why both paroxysms occurred after this ‘threshold' cumulative volume of magma was erupted. The gradual decompression of the deep plumbing system induced by magma withdrawal and eruption, drew deeper volatile-rich magma into the conduit, leading to the paroxysms. The proposed model might provide a basis for forecasting paroxysmal explosions during future effusive eruptions of Stromboli

Effect of Scanning Strategy in the L-PBF Process of 18Ni300 Maraging Steel

Maraging steels are good candidates for the laser powder bed fusion process (L-PBF), also known as Selective Laser Melting, due to excellent weldability and resistance to quench cracking. Powders physical and chemical characteristics dominate the final microstructure and properties of the printed parts, that are also heavily influenced by the process parameters. In this study, the effects of the scanning strategies on dimensions, average surface roughness, density and material hardness were evaluated, keeping the powder type and the volumetric energy density (Andrew number) constant. The effects of the scanning strategy on these properties are far less understood than on other important ones, like residual stresses and distortion, strongly affected by the scanning strategy. In this study, parallel stripes, chessboard and hexagonal pattern strategies were studied, keeping the Andrew number constant but varying the interlayer rotation. In general, the hexagonal strategy underperformed compared to the chessboard and the stripes ones

Stress Inversion in a Gelatin Box: Testing Eruptive Vent Location Forecasts With Analog Models

Assessing volcanic hazard in regions of distributed volcanism is challenging because of the uncertain location of future vents. A statistical-mechanical strategy to forecast such locations was recently proposed: here, we further develop and test it with analog models. We stress a gelatin block laterally and with surface excavations, and observe air-filled crack trajectories. We use the observed surface arrivals to sample the distributions of parameters describing the stress state of the gelatin block, combining deterministic crack trajectory simulations with a Monte Carlo approach. While the individual stress parameters remain unconstrained, we effectively retrieve their ratio and successfully forecast the arrival points of subsequent cracks

Lava effusion – a slow fuse for paroxysms at Stromboli volcano?

The 2007 effusive eruption of Stromboli followed a similar pattern to the previous 2002-3 episode. In both cases, magma ascent led to breaching of the uppermost part of the conduit forming an eruptive fissure that discharged lava down the Sciara del Fuoco depression. Both eruptions also displayed a ‟paroxysmal„ explosive event during lava flow output. From daily effusion rate measurements retrieved from helicopter- and satellite-based infrared imaging, we deduce that the cumulative volume of lava erupted before each of the two paroxysms was similar. Based on this finding, we propose a conceptual model to explain why both paroxysms occurred after this „threshold‟ cumulative volume of magma was erupted. The gradual decompression of the deep plumbing system induced by magma withdrawal and eruption, drew deeper volatile-rich magma into the conduit, leading to the paroxysms. The proposed model might provide a basis for forecasting paroxysmal explosions during future effusive eruptions of Stromboli

The impact of unloading stresses on post-caldera magma intrusions

Calderas represent morphological depressions several kilometers in diameter, and the unloaded crustal stresses they produce can form rapidly (e.g. Pinatubo, 1990) or slowly (e.g. Hawaii, 2018). Active calderas are known as sites of persistent magma intrusions, and yet the dynamics of their shallow plumbing system is not well constrained. We use scaled laboratory experiments to study how experimental intrusions are created beneath a caldera by injecting dyed water (magma analogue) into the base of an elastic gelatin solid (crust analogue) with a cylindrical cavity in its surface to mimic a caldera-like topography. The evolving dike geometry and stress field were qualitatively determined using polarized light, and digital image correlation allowed the incremental and total strain to be quantified by tracking passive-tracer particles in the gelatin that fluoresced in a thin 2D vertical laser sheet. Our results show that the unloaded stress field from a caldera can cause a divergence of vertical dikes, and leads to circumferential dikes and cone sheets. When the caldera was large the initially vertical dike became arrested, then grew laterally via circumferentially-propagating en echelon segments; these eventually joined to complete a cone sheet that was parallel to, but extended outside and beneath, the large caldera. When the caldera was small, a circumferential dike erupted, producing a short fissure which was outside, but parallel to, the caldera. We suggest that the distinct curved geometry, velocity, strain and stress characteristics of circumferential dikes and cone sheets can be used to interpret the origin and growth of post-caldera magmatism and the likelihood of eruption in caldera systems

Slip on wavy frictional faults : Is the 3rd dimension a sticking point?

Funding T.D. has been funded by the DFG-ICDP, grant agreement N. RI 2782/3-1. Acknowledgements We thank both reviewers for the constructive reviews which resulted in improvements to the manuscript, the editor Cees Passchier and lastly, Lydia Jagger who helped improve the language of the initial draft. The work here was funded through the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/International Continental Scientific Drilling Program, grant agreement N. RI 2782/3-1.Peer reviewedPostprin