Low cost volcano deformation monitoring: Optical strain measurement and application to Mount St. Helens data

Abstract

This paper describes an innovative method of volcano deformation measurements, applied to camera images taken from the 2004-2008 eruption period at Mount St. Helens. Dome growth was thought to be characterized by sustained, near-linear rates of a solid dacite plug. Through spatial digital image correlation (DIC) analysis of the camera images, new evidences arise that the deformation and strain rate of the spine was more complex. DIC yielded cumulative and incremental displacements, strain and shear planes at decimetre resolution. It was found that dome extrusion rates are highly non-linear, decelerating prior to partial collapse, followed by a pronounced dome extrusion increase and direction change. Associated processes have been identified through DIC, such as shallow landslides and reworking of talus apron material. The work highlights the strengths of camera strain monitoring, and illustrates that dome growth and collapse is a very dynamic process complexly interplaying with the surrounding. © 2011 The Author Geophysical Journal International © 2011 RAS.