Current Research

 

 

Montserrat Home    History of Montserrat    Eruption of Soufriere Hills    Current Montserrat    

Hazards associated with Soufriere Hills    Governmental Issues

Scientists from all over the world, along with government officials, educational institutions, and the people of montserrat have all supported the research and monitoring of Soufriere Hills Volcano.  Scientists are monitoring seismic activity and gas emissions, along with deformation changes.  They have also been using helicopter support for access to locations otherwise out of reach by foot ("The Ongoing Eruption in Montserrat," 1997).

 

The Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) was established shortly after the first eruptions of Soufriere Hills in 1995.  The observatory is run by scientists from a range of organizations and is staffed by local personnel.  The MVOs role is to advise civilian authorities of volcanic activity and the hazards associated with it.  Funding for the MVO comes from the Government of Montserrat and the U.K. Overseas Development Administration.  

The scientific teams monitoring activity at Soufriere Hills are mainly from the Seismic Research Unit (SRU) of the University of the West Indies and the British Geological Survey (BGS).  SRU is responsible for monitoring volcanic and earthquake activity in the English-speaking eastern Caribbean countries.  

There are two seismic networks being used on Montserrat at present.  The short-period network has been used since July 1995 and uses stations set up by SRU before the first large eruption.  Stations are located all around the volcano and detect movements caused by local earthquakes and dome collapses.  These seismic signals are recorded 24 hours a day at the Observatory.  The data is then put into a computer system, which then enables scientists to locate the origin of the earthquakes.  

Fixed points on the flanks of the volcano are measured daily using infra-red sensor to get very accurate readings.  The instrument scientists use to make these measurements is called an Electronic Distance Meter (EDM).  Changes in measurements indicate deformation of the volcano, which may indicate magma movement.  GPS (Global Positioning System) is also used to measure deformation.  The GPS sites that are being used to measure deformation are located further from the volcano than the EDM sites, so detection of wide-area deformation is also being watched, which could be due to a deeper source.  

As the MVOs website states, "The aim of all these studies is to develop an understanding of the eruption to enable timely warnings of hazardous activity to be communicated to the local authorities. The Governor and local government officials are briefed several times a week about the level of activity, and reports for the local radio station and media are prepared daily."  This may be the most intimate relationship between scientists and government officials in the world (Government of Montserrat and MVO).

The MVO website has a detailed list of the chronology of the Soufriere Hills eruption dating back to January 1992, which is when the island started experiencing earthquake swarms and gas venting from the crater.  

http://www.geo.mtu.edu/volcanoes/west.indies/soufriere/govt/miscdocs/mvo.html 

 

OTHER RESEARCH BEING CONDUCTED

A study was conducted by 20 scientists at Soufriere Hills Volcano between 1996 and 1998.  They monitored the magmatic cycles and dome growth, and in doing so they found that there was a cyclic pattern that included earthquakes, ground deformation, degassing, and explosive eruptions.  This cyclic behavior allows short-term forecasting of timing, and allows scientists to predict an eruption related to its explosive potential.  Not only can the recognition of cyclic behavior be used to predict eruptions, but it can also help in the management of volcanic crisis.  Knowing how the Soufriere Hills Volcano works will allow government officials to create new plans for future eruptions.  And this research can be transfered to other andesitic volcanoes around the globe to see if the cyclic behavior is present in all andesitic stratovolcanoes (Aspinall, et al., 1999).

New research techniques are proving to be beneficial to scientists.  Not only is it easier on scientists (smaller instruments), but like with a miniature ultraviolet spectrometer, which during daylight, can take readings of sulfur dioxide levels  ever few minutes.  These new technological advances are nice because it is believed that the size of eruptions are often linked to the speed and volume of gas escaping from rising magma.  

Volcanologists are also using seismometers to measure the "chatter" beneath the volcano.  They can measure low-frequency waves, and the more chatter they get, the more magma is moving/rising into the subsurface, and gasses are being released through the magma.  When wave signals start bunching together in repetitive patterns, volcanologists know that danger is lurking.  Explosions have occurred shortly after swarms, but sometimes swarms are linked to magma filling the dome on the side of the mountain.

  installing a tiltmeter

Scientists installing a tiltmeter at Soufriere Hills, August, 1995.                                                                                                                                  www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ vesuvius/team.html

 

Bibliography