Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: During the 2018 Kīlauea eruption, over half the erupted lava was deposited on the seafloor. Lava flows crossing the shoreline generated sounds that were recorded by a network of hydrophones. We show that short‐duration, broadband signals associated with lava‐water interactions occurred throughout the eruption but increased in number when the Ahalanui ocean entry initiated on July 11. These terminated in early August coincident with the eruption's end. We compare hydroacoustic data with transmission loss models and eruption photographs to show that coastal explosive activity was poorly recorded by the hydrophone network. Similarly, strong hydroacoustic signals did not correlate with observed activity. These results suggest that acoustic signals were generated by lava flowing up to 100 s of meters offshore. Offshore lava flows can be hazardous to boaters, but hydrophones provide a means by which these hazards can be detected.
Source: Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2024gl110885
Authors: C. Atkins, O. Costa, J. Caplan‐Auerbach
Institutions: Western Washington University, Virginia Tech
Language: English
Topic: Seismic Waves and Analysis
Subfield: Geophysics
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,900
Funder: National Science Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W4403318412