Inland-directed base surge generated by the explosive interaction of pyroclastic flows and seawater at Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat

Edmonds, Marie and Herd, Richard A. (2005) Inland-directed base surge generated by the explosive interaction of pyroclastic flows and seawater at Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat. Geology, 33 (4). 245–248. ISSN 0091-7613

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Abstract

The largest and most intense lava-dome collapse during the eruption of Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat, 1995-2004, occurred 12-13 July 2003. The dome collapse involved around 200 × 106 m3 of material and was associated with a phenomenon previously unknown at this volcano. Large pyroclastic flows at the peak of the dome collapse interacted explosively with seawater at the mouth of the Tar River Valley and generated a hot, dry base surge that flowed 4 km inland and 300 m uphill. The surge was destructive to at least 25 m above the ground and it carbonized vegetation. The resulting two-layer deposits were as much as 0.9 m thick. Although the entire collapse lasted 18 h, the base surge greatly increased the land area affected by the dome collapse in a few minutes at the peak of the event, illustrating the complex nature of the interaction between pyroclastic flows and seawater.

Item Type: Article
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Geosciences
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Volcanoes@UEA (former - to 2018)
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Geosciences and Natural Hazards (former - to 2017)
Depositing User: Rosie Cullington
Date Deposited: 26 May 2011 09:10
Last Modified: 11 Jan 2023 18:30
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/31404
DOI: 10.1130/G21166.1

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