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In magmas, the sintering of pyroclasts controls the geometry of permeable pathways, which can in turn influence the cyclicity of pressure build-up and release. The kinetics and timescales of sintering, along with its impact on permeability, have been well studied at both iso- and non-isothermal conditions and show that surface tension is the main process driver, leading to a reduction in both porosity and permeability. On the other hand, fewer studies have looked at the effect of differential load on the sintering process and the resultant micro-structural arrangements. Here, we investigate whether uniaxial loading can enhance pore connectivity perpendicular to the applied principal load. We put a suite of sintered glass bead samples (pre-sintered to 20-30% porosity) of 25 mm height and 25 mm diameter under different uniaxial loads (every 10N between 30-100N) and at the same sintering temperature (660oC furnace temperature). We then reconstruct the geometry of the porous network using X-ray computed tomography scans of the deformed samples before modelling the fluid flow and permeabilities in directions parallel and perpendicular to the applied stress. Thus, revealing how permeability anisotropy may develop under differential stress conditions., The 28th IUGG General Assembly (IUGG2023) (Berlin 2023)

The product of frictional melting of geomaterials is termed “pseudotachylyte”. The name, first coined by Shand (1916), represents the visual similarity to the lava “tachylyte”, being a dark aphanitic rock with a glassy appearance. Pseudotachylytes have been referred to by many names since their first identification, including trap-shotten gneiss (Holland 1900), hyalomylonite (Masch et al. 1985) and frictionite (Maddock 1986), the latter of which is still occasionally used. Controversy remains as to the precise defining characteristics of pseudotachylytes (Magloughlin and Spray 1992; Rowe et al. 2005; Spray 2010) and...

Magma ascending in the Earth’s crust can undergo oscillations in pressure, from ultra-low frequency changes associated with tectonics, to relatively higher frequency oscillations associated with seismicity. Seismic waves travelling through shallow magma bodies can lead to a range of unrest phenomena and potentially trigger volcanic eruptions. The mechanisms by which pressure oscillations can induce unrest or eruption remain debated. Here, we experimentally impose pressure oscillations on magma and study how they affect vesiculation processes. We use cylindrical samples (4.00 mm long, 4.85 mm diameter) of hydrous rhyolitic obsidian (0.11 ± 0.01 wt% H2O) placed in alumina (AL23) crucibles and vary pressure by the uniaxial loading of an alumina plunger in a thermo-mechanical analyzer. We monitor vesiculation at temperatures of 950–990°C and confining pressure of 177 kPa. We perform two types of experiment: 1) “static” experiments (at constant pressure) and 2) “oscillating” experiments in which we impose sinusoidal pressure oscillations of up to 71 kPa upon the static pressure (i.e., between 106 and 250 kPa). In both cases, we dilatometrically observe sample expansion driven by vesiculation. Post-experimental bubble textures reveal that bubbles formed preferentially at the sample margins. For the oscillating experiments, the sample expansion rate is lower than in the static experiments, and there are fewer vesicles at the sample margins. We examine the constituent processes of bubble formation (nucleation, growth, coalescence) and gas loss (diffusion, permeable flow) occurring during static experiments and with the added element of pressure oscillations. The most likely mechanism responsible for reduced sample expansion is that pressure oscillations drive the sample in and out of water saturation conditions and thus reduce the fraction of residence time over which bubble nucleation and/or growth are driven. Future work will be needed to confirm this hypothesis. These results are relevant to the study of earthquake-volcano interactions, where a magma body that sits close to volatile saturation is subject to pressure fluctuations.

Volcanic activity at the Santiaguito dome complex (Guatemala) is characterized by lava extrusion interspersed with small, regular, gas-and-ash explosions that are believed to result from shallow magma fragmentation; yet, their triggering mechanisms remain debated. Given that the understanding of source processes at volcanoes is essential to risk assessments of future eruptions, this study seeks to shed light on those processes. We use data from a permanent seismic and infrasound network at Santiaguito volcano, Guatemala, established in 2018 and additional temporary stations, including a seismic array deployed during a 13-day field investigation in January 2019 to analyze and resolve the source characteristics of fragmentation leading to gas-and-ash explosions. Seismic data gathered within a distance of 4.5 km from the vent show a weak seismic signal 2–6 s prior to the explosions and associated main seismic signal. To resolve the source location and origin of the seismic signals, we first used ambient noise analysis to assess seismic velocities in the subsurface and then used two-dimensional spectral element modeling (SPECFEM2D) to simulate seismic waveforms. The analyzed data revealed a two-layer structure beneath the array, with a shallow, low-velocity layer (vs = 650 m/s) above deeper, high-velocity rocks (vs = 2,650 m/s). Using this velocity structure, possible source mechanisms and depths were constrained using array and particle motion analyses. The comparison of simulated and observed seismic data indicated that the precursory signal is associated with particle motion in the RZ-plane, pointing toward the opening of tensile cracks at a depth of ∼600 m below the summit; in contrast, the main signal is accompanied by a vertical single force, originating at a shallow depth of about ∼200 m. This suggests that the volcanic explosions at Santiaguito are following a bottom-up process in which tensile fractures develop at depth and enable rapid gas rise which leads to the subsequent explosion. The result indicates that explosions at Santiaguito do not occur from a single source location, but from a series of processes possibly associated with magma rupture, gas channeling and accumulation, and fragmentation. Our study provides a good foundation for further investigations at Santiaguito and shows the value of comparing seismic observations with synthetic data calculated for complex media to investigate in detail the processes leading up to gas-ash-rich explosions found at various other volcanoes worldwide.

Volcanoes represent one of the most critical geological settings for hazard modelling due to their propensity to both unpredictably erupt and collapse, even in times of quiescence. Volcanoes are heterogeneous at multiple scales, from porosity which is variably distributed and frequently anisotropic to strata that are laterally discontinuous and commonly pierced by fractures and faults. Due to variable and, at times, intense stress and strain conditions during and post-emplacement, volcanic rocks span an exceptionally wide range of physical and mechanical properties. Understanding the constituent materials' attributes is key to improving the interpretation of hazards posed by the diverse array of volcanic complexes. Here, we examine the spectrum of physical and mechanical properties presented by a single dome-forming eruption at a dacitic volcano, Mount Unzen (Japan) by testing a number of isotropic and anisotropic lavas in tension and compression and using monitored acoustic emission (AE) analysis. The lava dome was erupted as a series of 13 lobes between 1991–1995, and its ongoing instability means much of the volcano and its surroundings remain within an exclusion zone today. During a field campaign in 2015, we selected 4 representative blocks as the focus of this study. The core samples from each block span range in porosity from 9.14 to 42.81 %, and permeability ranges from 1.54 × 10−14 to 2.67 × 10−10 m2 (from 1065 measurements). For a given porosity, sample permeability varies by > 2 orders of magnitude is lower for macroscopically anisotropic samples than isotropic samples of similar porosity. An additional 379 permeability measurements on planar block surfaces ranged from 1.90 × 10−15 to 2.58 × 10−12 m2, with a single block having higher standard deviation and coefficient of variation than a single core. Permeability under confined conditions showed that the lowest permeability samples, whose porosity largely comprises microfractures, are most sensitive to effective pressure. The permeability measurements highlight the importance of both scale and confinement conditions in the description of permeability. The uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) ranges from 13.48 to 47.80 MPa, and tensile strength (UTS) using the Brazilian disc method ranges from 1.30 to 3.70 MPa, with crack-dominated lavas being weaker than vesicle-dominated materials of equivalent porosity. UCS is lower in saturated conditions, whilst the impact of saturation on UTS is variable. UCS is between 6.8 and 17.3 times higher than UTS, with anisotropic samples forming each end member. The Young's modulus of dry samples ranges from 4.49 to 21.59 GPa and is systematically reduced in water-saturated tests. The interrelation of porosity, UCS, UTS and Young's modulus was modelled with good replication of the data. Acceleration of monitored acoustic emission (AE) rates during deformation was assessed by fitting Poisson point process models in a Bayesian framework. An exponential acceleration model closely replicated the tensile strength tests, whilst compressive tests tended to have relatively high early rates of AEs, suggesting failure forecast may be more accurate in tensile regimes, though with shorter warning times. The Gutenberg-Richter b-value has a negative correlation with connected porosity for both UCS and UTS tests which we attribute to different stress intensities caused by differing pore networks. b-value is higher for UTS than UCS, and typically decreases (positive Δb) during tests, with the exception of cataclastic samples in compression. Δb correlates positively with connected porosity in compression, and negatively in tension. Δb using a fixed sampling length may be a more useful metric for monitoring changes in activity at volcanoes than b-value with an arbitrary starting point. Using coda wave interferometry (CWI) we identify velocity reductions during mechanical testing in compression and tension, the magnitude of which is greater in more porous samples in UTS but independent of porosity in UCS, and which scales to both b-value and Δb. Yet, saturation obscures velocity changes caused by evolving material properties, which could mask damage accrual or source migration in water-rich environments such as volcanoes. The results of this study highlight that heterogeneity and anisotropy within a single system not only add uncertainty but also have a defining role in the channelling of fluid flow and localisation of strain that dictate a volcano's hazards and the geophysical indicators we use to interpret them.