Analysing stress field conditions of the Colima Volcanic Complex (Mexico) by integrating finite-element modelling (FEM) simulations and geological data

Abstract

In the last decades numerical methods have become very popular tools in volcanological studies, since capable of considering many relevant parameters in their calculations, such as the presence of multiple reservoirs, topography, and heterogeneous distribution of the host rock mechanical properties. Although the widespread availability of geodetic data is keep growing, the influence of geological data on the numerical simulations is still poorly considered. In this work a 2D Finite Element Modelling is provided by using the commercial Linear Static Analysis (LISA) software, in order to investigate the stress field conditions occurring around the Colima Volcanic Complex (CVC, Mexico) at increasing the details of geological and geophysical input data. By integrating the published geophysical, volcanological and petrological data, we provide a first-order domain of the CVC feeding system, considering either one or two magma chambers connected to the surface via dykes or isolated (not connected) in the elastic host rocks. We test the methodology by using a gravitational modelling with different geometrical configurations and constraints (i.e. magma chamber dimensions, depth, overpressure). Our results suggest that an appropriate set of geological data is of pivotal importance for improving the mesh generation procedures and the degree of accuracy of numerical outputs, aimed to more reliable physics-based representations of the natural systems.