Seismic characteristics of the 2022-2023 unrest episode at Taupō volcano, Aotearoa New Zealand
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26443/seismica.v3i2.1125Abstract
Taupō is a large caldera volcano located beneath a lake in the centre of the North Island of New Zealand and most recently erupted ~1800 years ago. The volcano has experienced at least 16 periods of unrest since 1872, each of which were characterised by increased seismic activity. Here we detail seismic activity during the most recent period of unrest from May 2022 to May 2023. The unrest was notable for the highest number of earthquakes detected during instrumented unrest episodes, and for one of the largest magnitude earthquakes detected beneath the lake for at least 50 years (ML 5.7). Relocated earthquakes indicate seismic activity was focused around an area hosting overlapping caldera structures and a hydrothermal system. Moment tensor inversion for the largest earthquake includes a non-negligible inflationary isotropic component. We suggest the seismic unrest was caused by the reactivation of faults due to an intrusion of magma at depth.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Oliver Lamb, Stephen Bannister, John Ristau, Craig Miller, Steve Sherburn, Katie Jacobs, Jonathan Hanson, Elisabetta D'Anastasio, Sigrún Hreinsdóttir, Eveanjelene Snee, Mike Ross, Eleanor Mestel, Finnigan Illsley-Kemp
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Royal Society Te Apārangi
Grant numbers Marsden Fund VUW2109 -
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Grant numbers Strategic Science Investment Fund