Periodicities in the dynamics of eruptions of Klyuchevskoi Volcano, Kamchatka

Abstract

Detailed studies of volcanic tremor envelopes with frequencies ranging from 5.5⋅10-6 to 2.5⋅10-2 Hz (50 hrs - 40 sec), recorded during the Klyuchevskoi volcano eruptions of 1983 and 1984, revealed five major frequencies: 1.1⋅10-2 Hz (T1 = 1 min 34 sec), 2.5⋅10-3 Hz (T2 = 6 min 10 sec), 4.2⋅10-4 Hz (T3 = 40 min), 5.1⋅10-5 Hz (T4 = 5 hrs 30 min), 7.7⋅10-6 Hz (T5 = 36 hrs), as well as superpositions of their harmonics. In the 1993 eruption, fluctuations in the volcanic tremor envelopes have frequencies of TI = 2 hrs 48 min and TII = 6 hrs 12 min, which correspond to periodicities in the dynamics of eruptions identified by visual observations since 1932. The distribution of peak amplitudes has been found to vary in relation to eruption intensity—increasing eruption strength correlates with an increase in the amplitude of low frequency peaks, and vice versa. It is concluded that volcanic tremor allows monitoring of eruption dynamics. Possible reasons for the occurrence of periodicities are discussed, but a comprehensive model for this phenomenon has not yet been developed.