Collaborative Research: Post-eruption reinflation at Axial Seamount

轴向海山是位于东太平洋胡安德富卡海脊上的一座海底活火山，曾于1998年和2011年喷发。最近的活动为研究海底火山活动、热液喷口和生物反应之间的动态相互作用提供了途径。轴向是世界上第一个也是唯一一个在海底记录火山变形周期的地点，作为海洋观测倡议（OOI）的一部分，它将很快拥有可操作的传感器和实时数据传输。根据最近的海底变形和岩浆注入的相关推断，能够预测未来可能的岩浆活动，可能有助于指导OOI科学规划。对海底深度变化的持续监测将记录轴向海山与岩浆膨胀/收缩相关的垂直变形。结合提供连续数据的底部压力记录仪和对现有基准的运动式重新占领，可以在长（年）和短（分钟-小时）的时间尺度上量化行为。自1998年以来，两次喷发被部分记录下来，但喷发前的膨胀期的测量并不完整。由于在2011年的一次喷发之后，Axial现在正处于被解释为再膨胀的阶段，因此有机会完成对这一周期的描述。这项大地测量实地考察将于2015年和2017年进行，学生将参与其中，并提供海底图像，用于“地球科学”展览。

Axial Seamount is an active submarine volcano on the Juan de Fuca Ridge in the NE Pacific that erupted in 1998 and 2011. This recent activity provides access to study the dynamic interactions between seafloor volcanism, hydrothermal venting, and biological responses. Axial is the first and only site in the world where a volcanic deformation cycle has been documented on the seafloor and it will soon have operating sensors and real-time data transmission as part of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). Being able to forecast possible future magmatic activity based on recent seafloor deformation, and associated inferences on magma injection, may help guide OOI science planning.Continued monitoring of seafloor depth changes will document vertical deformation associated with magmatic inflation/deflation at Axial Seamount. A combination of Bottom Pressure Recorders, which provide continuous data, and campaign-style reoccupation of existing benchmarks will quantify behavior on timescales both long (years) and short (minutes-hrs). Two eruptions have been partially documented since 1998 but measurements of the pre-eruption inflation period are not complete. Since Axial is in what is interpreted to be the re-inflation stage now, following a 2011 eruption, the opportunity to complete characterization of the cycle exists. This geodetic fieldwork will take place in 2015 and 2017, with student participation and provision of seafloor imagery for use in Science on a Sphere exhibits.