Origin of color variations of thin, nano-sized layers of volcanic cinder from the Sierra Negra Volcano of the Galapagos Islands

Volcanic cinder, also known as scoria, is an extrusive igneous rock that forms when gas-rich magmas of basaltic or andesitic composition cool quickly. It is typically dark in color, ranging from black to red depending on its chemical composition. Sometimes fresh cinder samples show a variety of shiny metallic colors on its surface ranging from blue to gold to silver. The origin of these colors has remained unknown up to now. Cinder samples from an eruptive event occurred in October 2005 have been collected in the surroundings of the Sierra Negra volcano in the Galápagos Islands. The samples’ crystallographic structure, chemical composition, and surface morphology have been analyzed using X-Ray diffractometry (XRD), energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) and a field gun emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Based on an extensive physical and chemical analysis, we were able to demonstrate that these colors are due to a light interference phenomenon. These results have a great potential to be used for a wide variety of purposes such as determining the temperature and composition of magma and evaluating volcanic samples for planetary studies.

New insights into the genesis of pyroducts of The Galápagos islands, Ecuador

There has been little research on the genesis and development of pyroducts (or lava tubes) originating from Gala´pagos volcanoes. Pyroducts are responsible for the lateral, post-eruptive transport of lava because they are highly effective as thermal insulators. After eruptions terminate, these conduits often become accessible as caves. In March 2014 the 16th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology brought a large group of vulcanospeleological specialists to the Islands. During the meeting a number of pyroducts were visited and studied in context on the island of Santa Cruz and around Isabella’s Sierra Negra volcano in the western, most active, part of the Gala´pagos. The longest of the caves, Cueva del Cascajo, about 3 km in length, was partly surveyed and nine other caves were visited. Structural features such as thickness of roof, evidence of downcutting, presence of oxbows, secondary ceilings, lavafalls, collapses and pukas were particularly studied for evidence they reveal about developmental stages of pyroducts. The resulting data show that the pyroducts were formed by "inflation" with the primary roof consisting of uninterrupted paŻhoehoe sheets. No pyroducts were identified that developed by the crusting-over of channels. The studies strongly confirm inferences drawn from other hot-spot related islands, such as Hawai’i.

Caldera resurgence during the 2018 eruption of Sierra Negra volcano, Galápagos Islands

Recent large basaltic eruptions began after only minor surface uplift and seismicity, and resulted in caldera subsidence. In contrast, some eruptions at Galápagos Island volcanoes are preceded by prolonged, large amplitude uplift and elevated seismicity. These systems also display long-term intra-caldera uplift, or resurgence. However, a scarcity of observations has obscured the mechanisms underpinning such behaviour. Here we combine a unique multiparametric dataset to show how the 2018 eruption of Sierra Negra contributed to caldera resurgence. Magma supply to a shallow reservoir drove 6.5 m of pre-eruptive uplift and seismicity over thirteen years, including an Mw5.4 earthquake that triggered the eruption. Although co-eruptive magma withdrawal resulted in 8.5 m of subsidence, net uplift of the inner-caldera on a trapdoor fault resulted in 1.5 m of permanent resurgence. These observations reveal the importance of intra-caldera faulting in affecting resurgence, and the mechanisms of eruption in the absence of well-developed rift systems.

Linking thermomechanical models with geodetic observations to evaluate the 2018 eruption of Sierra Negra Volcano, Galápagos

<p>Ensemble based data assimilation approaches, such as the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF), have been widely and successfully implemented to combine observations with dynamic models to investigate the evolution of a system’s state. Such inversions are powerful tools for providing forecasts as well as “hindcasting” events such as volcanic eruptions to investigate source parameters and triggering mechanisms. In this study, a high performance computing (HPC) adaptation of the EnKF is used to assimilate ground deformation observations from interferometric synthetic-aperture radar (InSAR) into high-fidelity, multiphysics finite element models to evaluate the prolonged unrest and June 26, 2018 eruption of Sierra Negra volcano, Galápagos. The stability of the Sierra Negra magma system is evaluated at each time step by estimating variations in reservoir overpressure, Mohr-Coulomb failure in the host rock, and tensile stress and failure along the reservoir boundary. The deformation of Sierra Negra is tracked over a decade, during which almost 5 meters of surface uplift has been recorded. The EnKF reveals that the evolution of the stress state in the host rock surrounding the Sierra Negra magma reservoir likely controlled the timing of the eruption. While increases in magma reservoir overpressure remained modest (< 10 MPa) throughout the data assimilation time period, significant Mohr-Coulomb failure is indicated in the lead up to the eruption coincident with increased seismicity along both trapdoor faults within Sierra Negra’s caldera and along the caldera’s ring faults. During the final stages of pre-eruptive unrest, the EnKF models indicate limited tensile failure, with no tensile failure along the northern portion of the magma system where the eruption commenced. Most strikingly, model calculations of significant through-going Mohr-Coulomb failure correspond in space and time with a Mw 5.4 earthquake recorded in the hours preceding the 2018 eruption. Subsequent stress modeling implicates the Mw 5.4 earthquake along the southern intra-caldera trapdoor fault as the potential catalyst for tensile failure and dike initiation along the reservoir to the north. In conclusion, the volcano EnKF approach successfully tracked the evolving stability of Sierra Negra, indicating great potential for future forecasting efforts.</p>

Different mechanisms of the pre- and co-eruptive tremor during the 2018 eruption at Sierra Negra volcano, Galapagos

<p>Volcanic tremor are persistent seismic signals observed near active volcanoes. They are often associated with eruptions, although the exact relationships are not well constrained. To gain a better insight into the generation mechanisms of volcanic tremor, we study tremor that occurred during the 2018 eruption at Sierra Negra volcano, Galapagos. Located 1000 km west of continental Ecuador, Sierra Negra is a shield volcano with a large summit caldera and is one of the most active volcanoes in the Galapagos archipelago. The 2018 eruption started at about 19:55 UTC on 26th June and lasted about two months. Two tremor phases with very different frequency characteristics are identified before and after the eruption onset. The pre-eruptive phase is characterized by a narrow frequency band (2.5 – 4 Hz) and the co-eruptive phase has a broad frequency band (1 – 15 Hz). Location of the two phases by a seismic amplitude ratio method suggests that they are likely to be generated by different physical processes. The pre-eruptive phase is likely generated by dike opening while the co-eruptive phase is associated with lava flow. This interpretation is consistent with a time-lapse P-wave velocity structure of the volcano imaged by local-earthquake travel-time tomography.</p>

Multiplet Based Time Lapse Velocity Changes Prior to the 2018 Eruption of Sierra Negra Volcano, Galapagos Island Observed with Coda Wave Interferometry

<p align="justify"><span>Changes in external stress state and fluid content alter the mechanical properties of an geological media. </span><span>Variations in seismic wave velocity can be used as proxies for changes in stress the onset of mechanical demage and/or possible fluid ingression. Temporal variations in seismic wave velocity have previously been monitored and observed prior to volcanic eruptions. In the absence of additional constraints related to stress or fluid changes on the volcano, these pre-eruptive changes are difficult to interpret and hence the causes of them are often not well understood. </span><span>In this study, Coda Wave Interferometry (CWI) is used to measure time-lapse changes in seismic velocity on seismic multiplets (repeating similar earthquakes). In particular, we focus our analysis on using this technique to calculate the velocity changes on the data recorded prior to the 2018 eruption of Sierra Negra volcano, Galapagos Island.</span> <span>On 26th June 2018 at 09:15 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake occurred near the south-west caldera rim and an intense seismic swarm started around 17:15 UTC. Seismic tremor dominated at about 19:45 UTC, which marked the onset of the eruption. </span><span>A very large seismicity sequence preceded the eruption. The pricise relationship between the magnitude 5.3 event and the eruption is not fully constraind. Here we search for multiplets in order to achieve high time resolution velocity change information in the hours between the large earthquake and the eruption. </span><span>Our aim is to understand whether changes in seismic velocity measured with CWI on multiplets method provide new insight into the physical processes related to the eruption.</span></p><p align="justify"><br><br></p>

The conservation status of the Galapagos Martin Progne modesta: Assessment of historical records and results of recent surveys

Summary The endemic Galapagos Martin Progne modesta is a rare species. Population sizes in the past are unknown, but the few reports available suggest that it has become rarer in some sites. To obtain a better understanding of its population status, a simultaneous survey was conducted in 2017 around the coastline of 14 islands and 23 islets resulting in sightings of only 26 individuals. A simultaneous survey on Sierra Negra volcano on Isabela Island added five more individuals. However, observations from early expeditions and expeditions since 2015 have shown that the volcanoes of Isabela Island are important feeding areas and probable breeding areas for the Galapagos Martin, but these were largely excluded from the survey in 2017 due to logistical reasons. Historical and recent nesting sites include Tagus Cove on Isabela Island and Daphne Major Island. During our 2017 count, three possible new nesting sites were discovered: Daphne Minor, Santiago and a small crater on Punta Cristóbal on southwestern Isabela Island. From 2015 to 2018, 15 nests were also observed on the cliff in Tagus Cove. Two accessible nests were collected and revealed the first records of Philornis downsi in Galapagos Martin nests. The impact of parasitism by P. downsi is unknown but potentially severe. Given the lack of general knowledge about the biology of this species and its apparent low population sizes, further studies are urgently needed.

Neutron and gamma-ray fluxes measured by SciCRT prototype at the top of Sierra Negra volcano, Mexico

The mini-SciCR is a cosmic ray detector, it is made of scintillator bars with a total volume of 20 x 20 x 20.8 $cm^{3}$. The array of scintillator bars act both as a target and as a tracker of the incident radiation. In this paper we describe the method developed with the help of a Monte Carlo simulation to distiguish the neutron signals from gamma ray signals, it is based on the different maximum energy deposited at a scintillator bar by neutrons and gamma rays. To distiguish the neutral emission signals (neutrons and gamma rays) from charged particles signals, we implemented via software a system of anti-coincidence between edge bars and internal bars of the detector. We also report the flux of neutrons and gamma rays measured by the mini-SciCR at the top of the Sierra Negra volcano at 4,600 m.a.s.l., in Eastern Mexico. The mini-SciCR was operating from October 2010 to July 2012. We also present the Forbush decrease registered by the mini-SciCR on march, 2012. The mini-SciCR is a prototype of a new cosmic ray detector called SciBar Cosmic Ray Telescope installed in the same place, which is in the process of operation parameter tuning and calibration. The SciCRT will work mainly as a Solar Neutron and Muon Telescope.