Unveiling the magmatic plumbing system of Tatun volcano in northern
Taiwan using joint inversion of local and teleseismic P-wave data
Abstract
The Tatun volcano group (TVG) proximate to the 7-million-population
metropolis Taipei has long been a central concern in volcanic hazard in
the Taiwan. While the TVG has been previously considered an extinct
volcano, recent evidences suggested a much younger age of the last
eruption event (~6000 years) and the possible existence
of magma reservoir beneath the TVG. To examine and unveil the TVG
magmatic plumbing system in detail, the local P-wave travel time data
and the teleseismic waveform data from a new island-wide Formosa Array
Project are combined for a 3D joint inversion. The new model reveals a
pronounced magma reservoir with high fraction of melt
(~16.5%) beneath the TVG at 5-25 km and better
illuminate the deep magmatic structures that may suggest delamination
processes in the northern Taiwan. Plain Language Summary The Tatun
volcano group (TVG) is close to the metropolis Taipei and poses a direct
threat to the 7 million population nearby. While the TVG was thought to
be extinct in the past, recent studies found much younger eruption
records (~6000 years) and some indications of alive
magma chamber underneath. To better understand whether the magma chamber
exists and what its geometry is, the Formosa Array project deployed 120
broadband stations in the northern Taiwan well covering the TVG area.
Integrating the Formosa Array dataset, a new 3-D P-wave velocity model
is constructed and shows a clear image of the magma chamber beneath the
TVG at the depth of 5-25 km. Deep magmatic structures are also imaged
and suggest the crust in the northern Taiwan was thickened and has
possibly peeled off during the mountain building processes.