loading page

Experimental multiblast craters and ejecta - seismo-acoustics, jet characteristics, craters, and ejecta deposits and implications for volcanic explosions
  • +7
  • Ingo Sonder,
  • Allison Graettinger,
  • Tracianne B. Neilsen,
  • Robin S. Matoza,
  • Jacopo Taddeucci,
  • Julie Oppenheimer,
  • Einat Lev,
  • Kae Tsunematsu,
  • Gregory P. Waite,
  • Greg A. Valentine
Ingo Sonder
University at Buffalo

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Allison Graettinger
University of Missouri Kansas City
Author Profile
Tracianne B. Neilsen
Brigham Young University
Author Profile
Robin S. Matoza
University of California, Santa Barbara
Author Profile
Jacopo Taddeucci
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia
Author Profile
Julie Oppenheimer
Columbia University
Author Profile
Einat Lev
Columbia University
Author Profile
Kae Tsunematsu
Unknown
Author Profile
Gregory P. Waite
Michigan Technological University
Author Profile
Greg A. Valentine
University at Buffalo
Author Profile

Abstract

Blasting experiments were performed that investigate multiple explosions that occur in quick succession in the ground and their effects on host material and atmosphere. Such processes are known to occur during volcanic eruptions at various depths, lateral locations, and energies. The experiments follow a multi-instrument approach in order to observe phenomena in the atmosphere and in the ground, and measure the respective energy partitioning. The experiments show significant coupling of atmospheric (acoustic)- and ground (seismic) signal over a large range of (scaled) distances (30–330 m, 1–10 mJ^-1/3). The distribution of ejected material strongly depends on the sequence of how the explosions occur. The overall crater sizes are in the expected range of a maximum size for many explosions and a minimum for one explosion at a given lateral location. The experiments also show that peak atmospheric over-pressure decays exponentially with scaled depth at a rate of d0 = 6.47×10-4 mJ-1/3; at a scaled explosion depth of 4×10-3 mJ-1/3 ca. 1% of the blast energy is responsible for the formation of the atmospheric pressure pulse; at a more shallow scaled depth of 2.75×10-3 mJ-1/3 this ratio lies at ca. 5.5–7.5%. A first order consideration of seismic energy estimates the sum of radiated airborne and seismic energy to be up to 20% of blast energy.