Explosive sequence of La Soufrière St Vincent April 2021:Insights into drivers and consequences via eruptive products

Cole, P. D., Barclay, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6122-197X, Robertson, R. E. A., Mitchell, S., Davies, B. V. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5771-2488, Constantinescu, R., Sparks, R. J. S., Aspinall, W. and Stinton, A. (2024) Explosive sequence of La Soufrière St Vincent April 2021:Insights into drivers and consequences via eruptive products. In: The 2020-21 Eruption of La Soufriere Volcano, St. Vincent. Geological Society Special Publications, 539 . Geological Society of London, pp. 81-106.

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Abstract

This paper forensically reconstructs the timings, impacts and processes that drove the sequence of explosive eruptions of La Soufrière, St Vincent in April 2021 using a combination of field-based stratigraphy and textural dissection of the deposit character together with contemporary visual observations. Explosive activity on 9 April and early on 10 April involved destruction of almost all of the 2020/2021 lava dome, c. 60% of the 1979 dome and formation of a 600 m diameter crater by 2pm UTC on 10 April. Following the initial explosion, plumes rose to altitudes of c. 15 km and pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), formed by column collapse, first occurred on 10 April, only after .24 h of explosive activity. Dense PDCs reached the sea only in the Larikai and Roseau valleys, and dilute PDCs were restricted to within 2.5 km of the Summit Crater rim. The tephra fallout deposits are stratified, composed of numerous layers of both lapilli-rich and ash-rich layers, which we have grouped into at least 7 units, based on their common characteristics (Units 1 to 7). Volume estimates, using a range of techniques to constrain uncertainties, indicate that the bulk volume of tephra (fallout and PDC) is 1.19 × 10 8 m 3 + 20% making this a VEI 4 eruption.

Item Type: Book Section
Additional Information: Acknowledgements: Fieldworkand rock analysis was funded by NERC Urgency NE/W000725/1to JB and PDC, and also by Royal Society APEX Award (grant: APX/R1/180094) to JB. We’d like to thank Martin Mangler for discussions. RC acknowledges the support from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) grant #1841928.Rodrigo Contreras Arratia for the seismic data included in Fig 11. We acknowledge the assistance of Dr Jon Stone who coordinated timed ashfall collection in Barbados. JB and PC would particularly like to thank Jenny Trumble for accommodation in April and May 2021.
Uncontrolled Keywords: water science and technology,ocean engineering,geology,sdg 11 - sustainable cities and communities,3* ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2300/2312
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Geosciences
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 13 Feb 2023 15:30
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2024 16:25
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/91119
DOI: 10.1144/SP539-2022-292

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