Collaborative Research: Lahar dynamics and Monitoring: A multiparametric approach grounded in infrasound

火山泥石流产生的次声(低频声能)可以在许多公里外被探测到。因此，通过跟踪泥石流的流动位置和能量随时间推移，可以远程表征这些危险的泥石流。这项工作旨在开发次声分析工具来定位Lahars的起始点、移动的距离和速度，并估计它们的质量流量。为了实现这些目标，该项目将在富戈火山(危地马拉)部署和维护地震和次声仪器，那里的拉哈尔火山在雨季(4月至9月)很常见。在泥石流路径沿线的位置将安装雨量计和延时摄像机，以了解泥石流是如何启动的，并通过直接观测来验证水流特性。福戈火山是这项研究的理想候选者，因为它频繁的火山喷发和相对容易的访问，以及因为所获得的信息将适用于降低风险。在福戈学到的经验教训可能会应用于美国和世界各地的数十座火山，那里的火山喷发活动很常见。该项目旨在培养几名来自美国的研究生和本科生，并导致科学出版。危地马拉的重要能力建设将来自对危地马拉科学家的培训和对观测站工作人员的技术转让。该项目将提高我们对与LAHARS有关的地震声源机制的理解，并开发可用于跟踪此类震源和其他由重力驱动的快速质量运动的方法。通过多参数观测，这项研究将有助于我们从根本上理解Lahars是如何在降水过程中被触发的，以及物质在Lahar流动路径上的位置。将在(危地马拉)福戈火山部署次声阵列和宽带地震传感器，目的是在雨季远程监测携带火山口的最频繁的频道。使用来自阵列综合网络的数据的信号处理技术将被用于跟踪和量化流动能量学。Fuego提供了一个理想的场地，在那里地震声数据将与同期的降雨量和地貌(地形和河道坡度)观测相结合。计算机视觉技术将被用来量化沿航道不同位置的拉哈尔的时间、质量流量和速度。这项工作融合了地貌学和地球物理方法来研究危险的熔岩现象。更广泛的影响包括开发减灾应用技术以及培训在美国和危地马拉的学生和专业人员。该奖项由极端事件预测与复原(PREEVENTS)计划共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Lahars, or volcanic mud flows, produce infrasound (low-frequency acoustic energy) that can be detected from distances of many kilometers. As such, it is possible to remotely characterize these hazardous mud flows by tracking their flow positions and energetics through time. This work seeks to develop infrasound analytical tools to locate where lahars initiate, how far and fast they move, and estimate their mass flow. Toward these goals the project will deploy and maintain seismic and infrasonic instruments at Fuego Volcano (Guatemala), where lahars are common during the rainy season (April through September). Rain gauges and time lapse cameras will be installed at locations along the lahar paths to understand how lahars initiate and to validate flow characteristics through direct observation. Fuego volcano is an ideal candidate for this study because of its frequent lahars and relatively easy access and because information learned will be applicable for mitigating risks. Lessons learned at Fuego may then be applied to dozens of volcanoes in the US and around the world where lahar activity is common. The project aims to train several graduate and undergraduate students from the US and result in scientific publication. Important capacity building in Guatemala will result from the training of Guatemalan scientists and technology transfer to observatory staff. This project will improve our understanding of the seismo-acoustic source mechanisms associated with lahars, and to develop methods that can be used to track such sources and other rapid gravity-driven mass movements. Through multi-parametric observations this study will contribute to our fundamental understanding of how lahars are triggered during precipitation events and where material is incorporated along the lahar flow path. Infra-acoustic arrays and broadband seismic sensors will be deployed at Fuego Volcano (Guatemala) with the intent to remotely monitor the most frequent channels that carry lahars during the rainy season. Signal processing techniques using data from an integrated network of arrays will be used to track and quantify flow energetics. Fuego provides an ideal field site where seismo-acoustic data will be combined with contemporaneous rainfall and geomorphologic (terrain and channel slope) observations. Computer vision techniques will be used to quantify timing, mass flow, and velocities of lahars at various positions along channels. This work merges geomorphology and geophysical approaches to study hazardous lahar phenomena. Broader impacts include development of applied technology for hazard mitigation and training of both US-based and Guatemala-based students and professionals. This award is cofunded by the PredicMon of and Resilience against Extreme Events (PREEVENTS) program.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.