Gas Flux Rate and Migration of the Magma Column

Abstract

The 2002–2003 effusive eruption of Stromboli volcano represents an excellent opportunity to investigate the transition from effusive to explosive activity at an open-conduit basaltic system, when activity migrated from effusive vents, at the base of the craters, to summit explosions. The transition is investigated here through the analysis of very long period seismicity, delay times between infrasonic and thermal onsets of explosions, and SO2 flux recorded during a 1-year period. The synergy of the multiple geophysical observations points to a magma-driven migration of the magma column. Here the increased magma supply at the eruption onset lead to opening of effusive fissures, which draining the magma in the shallow conduit caused the decrease of the magma level. The decrease of the magma supply at the end of the effusion lead to sealing of effusive fissures, upraise of the magma level within the conduit, and reestablishment of explosive activity from the summit vents.