Drift-corrected seafloor pressure observations of vertical deformation at Axial Seamount 2013–2014

Abstract

Axial Seamount on the Juan de Fuca Ridge is a site of ongoing volcanic activity. The vertical component of the deformation can be observed with ambient seawater pressure gauges, which have excellent short-term resolution. However, pressure gauge drift adds additional and significant uncertainty in estimates of long-period deformation; drift rates equivalent to 20–30 cm/yr have been observed. One way to circumvent gauge drift is to make differential pressure measurements relative to a distant and presumably stable seafloor reference site. Such measurements require a remotely operated vehicle and can only be made infrequently. Another approach is to incorporate a piston gauge calibrator in the seafloor pressure recorder to generate an in situ reference pressure that, when periodically applied to the drift-susceptible gauge, can be used to determine and remove gauge drift from the time series. We constructed a self-calibrating pressure recorder and deployed it at Axial Seamount in September 2013. The drift-corrected record from that deployment revealed an uplift of the volcano summit of 60 cm over 17 months.