Interpretation of very long period tremors at Ambrym volcano, Vanuatu, as quasi-static displacement field related to two distinct magmatic sources

Abstract

A 3-component broadband seismometer (STS-2) has been deployed on the SW slope of Ambrym, Vanuatu, a large-caldera volcano with two persistent lava lakes from July to November 2000. Well-polarized Very Long Period Tremors (18-22s; VLPTs) occurred quite continuously, whereas other seismic signal with periods of 9s, 6-7s, 5s, 2.3-2.7s, 1.95s and 1s were intermittent. VLPTs signals show two clearly distinct directions pointing towards the caldera. Polarization orientations suggest two sources: the first one, and the most active, fits with the zone from which silicic lava flows erupted in 1986, in the central-to-eastern part of the caldera. The second one corresponds to the active zone formed by the complex Marum volcanic center and the Benbow cone, in the western part of the depression structure. The depths are estimated between 2.7-2.9 km with respect to sea level. VLPTs are interpreted as the quasi static-displacement field of two nondestructive sources. They indicate the persistent continuing magmatic activity beneath the eastern floor of the caldera, although no volcanic activity is observed in this area, and the more obvious, but less active, corresponding to the lava lakes. These data also corroborate the complex internal structure of the Ambrym caldera, suggested by geological data and bimodal magmatism (basaltic, ∼50% SiO2, and silicic, ∼60% SiO2). Copyright 2005 by the American Geophysical Union.