Bailey, J. E.

During May 2001 we acquired 2016 thermal images over an ~8-h-long period for a section of active lava channel on Mount Etna (Italy). We used these to extract surface temperature and heat-loss profi les and thereby calculate core cooling rates. Flow surface temperatures declined from ~1070 K at the vent to ~930 K at 70 m. Heat losses were dominated by radiation (5 × 104 W m2) and convection (~104 W/m2). These compare with a heat gain from crystallization of 6 × 103 W/m2. The imbalance between sinks and sources gives core cooling (δT/δx) of ~110 K/km. However, cooling rate per unit distance also depends on fl ow conditions, where we distinguished: (1) unimpeded, high-velocity (~0.2 m/s) fl ow with low δT/δx (0.3 K/m); (2) unimpeded, low-velocity (~0.1 m/s) fl ow with higher δT/δx (0.5 K/m); (3) waning, insulated fl ow at low velocity (~0.1 m/s) with low δT/δx (0.3 K/m); and (4) impeded fl ow at low velocity (<0.1 m/s) with higher δT/δx (0.4 K/m). Our data allow us to defi ne three thermal states of fl ow emplacement: insulated, rapid, and protected. Insulated is promoted by the formation of hanging blockages and coherent roofs. During rapid emplacement, higher velocities suppress cooling rates, and δT/δx can be tied to mean velocity (Vmean) by δT/δx = aVmean –b. In the protected case, deeper, narrow channels present a thermally effi cient channel, where δT/δx can be assessed using the ratio of channel width (w) to depth (d) in w/d = aδT/δx–b.

An open channel lava flow on Mt. Etna (Sicily) was observed during May 30–31, 2001. Data collected using a forward looking infrared (FLIR) thermal camera and a Minolta-Land Cyclops 300 thermal infrared thermometer showed that the bulk volume flux of lava flowing in the channel varied greatly over time. Cyclic changes in the channel’s volumetric flow rate occurred over several hours, with cycle durations of 113–190 min, and discharges peaking at 0.7 m3 s−1 and waning to 0.1 m3 s−1. Each cycle was characterized by a relatively short, high-volume flux phase during which a pulse of lava,with awell-defined flow front, would propagate down-channel, followed by a period of waning flow during which volume flux lowered. Pulses involved lava moving at relatively high velocities (up to 0.29 m s−1) and were related to some change in the flow conditions occurring up-channel, possibly at the vent. They implied either a change in the dense rock effusion rate at the source vent and/or cyclic-variation in the vesicle content of the lava changing its bulk volume flux. Pulses would generally overspill the channel to emplace p¯ahoehoe overflows. During periods of waning flow, velocities fell to 0.05 m s–1. Blockages forming during such phases caused lava to back up. Occasionally backup resulted in overflows of slow moving ‘a‘¯a that would advance a few tens of meters down the levee flank. Compound levees were thus a symptom of unsteady flow, where overflow levees were emplaced as relatively fast moving p¯ahoehoe sheets during pulses, and as slow-moving ‘a‘¯a units during backup. Small, localized fluctuations in channel volume flux also occurred on timescales of minutes. Volumes of lava backed up behind blockages that formed at constrictions in the channel. Blockage collapse and/or enhanced flow under/around the blockage would then feed short-lived, wave-like, downchannel surges. Real fluctuations in channel volume flux, due to pulses and surges, can lead to significant errors in effusion rate calculations.

Effusion rate and degassing data collected at Mt. Etna volcano (Italy) in 2001 show variations occurring on time scales of hours to months. We use both long- and short-term data sets spanning January to August to identify this variation. The long data sets comprise a satellite- and ground-based time series of effusion rates, and the latter include field-based effusion rate and degassing data collected May 29–31. The satellite-derived effusion rates for January through August reveal four volumetric pulses that are characterized by increasing mean effusion rate values and lead up to the 2001 flank eruption. Peak effusion rates during these 23–57 day pulses were 1.2 m3 s-1 in Pulse 1 (1 Jan–4 Mar), 1.1 m3 s-1 in Pulse 2 (5 Mar–21 Apr), 4.2 m3 s-1 in Pulse 3 (24 Apr–18 Jun), 8.8 m3 s-1 in Pulse 4 (23 Jun–16 Jul), and 22.2 m3 s-1 during the flank eruption (17 Jul–9 Aug). Rank-order analysis of the satellite data shows that effusion rate values during the 2001 flank eruption define a statistically different trend than Etna's persistent activity from Jan 1 to Jul 17. Data prior to the flank eruption obey a power-law relationship that may define an effusion rate threshold of ~3–5 m3 s-1 for Etna's typical persistent activity. Our short-term data coincide with the satellite-derived peak effusion period of Pulse 3. Degassing (at-vent puff frequency) shows a general increase from May 29 to 31, with hour-long variations in both puff frequency and lava flow velocity (effusion rate). We identify five 3–14 h degassing periods that contain 26 shorter (19–126 min-long) oscillations. This variation shows some positive correlation with effusion rate measurements during the same time period. If a relationship between puff frequency and effusion rate is valid, we propose that their short-term variation is the result of changes in the supply rate of magma to the near-vent conduit system. Therefore, these short-term data provide some evidence that the clear weeks- to months-long variation in Etna's effusive activity (January–August 2001) was overprinted by a minutes- to hour-scale oscillation in shallow supply.