SGER Collaborative Research: Seismic and Geodetic Deployment in Anticipation of a Predicted Slow Earthquake at Kilauea Volcano

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This SGER funds a seismic and geodetic experiment to capture thecharacteristics of an anticipated slow earthquake (SE) predicted to occur on the flanks ofKilauea volcano on March 17, 2007. The experiment would temporarily densify the seismic and geodetic networks at Kilauea in order to clarify the relationship between SE deformation and triggered seismicity during the next Kilauea SE. In the past decade, Kilaueavolcano's south flank has been the site of at least 7 slow (or 'silent') earthquakes (SEs)identified with continuous GPS (CGPS) data. The SEs can be divided into 'Western' and 'Eastern' families defined by similarpatterns of horizontal motions and, of these, theWestern family are periodic and separated by 774 +/-7 day periods (Brooks et al., 2006). Adistinct swarm of micoearthquakes is triggered in the same place by the periodic SEs. There is currently some disagreement about whethermicroearthquakes occur on the regional decollement orpotentially at shallower structural levels. Resolving the discrepancy isimportant because the location of the microseismicity could be used to help constrain thelocation and further our mechanistic understanding of the SEs themselves.The physical processes giving rise to the slow slip and associated tremor are the subject ofintensive ongoing research by the community of earthquake scientists. The observations andsearch for theoretical explanations have stimulated some provocative and potentiallyimportant hypotheses. This work would add vital data that may help to distinguish between mechanisms.