A time series of measurements of magma flux at the lava dome of Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat

自2005年8月以来，在蒙特塞拉特岛soufri<e:1>山火山火山口中形成的熔岩圆顶现在可以在火山口边缘看到。由于圆顶的大小，它的坍塌和爆炸的危险越来越大，蒙特塞拉特火山观测站（MVO）必须通过观察圆顶的位置和增长速度来评估这些危险。然而，在圆顶被云层遮蔽的频繁时期，目视观测和传统测量方法无法使用。我们建议与MVO合作，用nerc资助的AVTIS（全天候火山地形成像传感器）仪器在两周内测量熔岩圆顶的形状和生长速度，这是我们专门为满足这一需求而建造的。2005年11月，我们用AVTIS从火山口内两次测量了穹顶。现在，没有了这些后勤限制，我们可以用这个仪器用高分辨率雷达测量熔岩穹丘的三维表面，每天从火山口外的地点进行数十次测量。这些将揭示熔岩在圆顶表面的挤压方式，以及进入圆顶的岩浆流量在数小时到数天内的变化，以及这些与可观测到的气体通量和地震信号的关系。它们也可能显示导致圆顶倒塌的条件。如此详细的一系列测量以前从未实现过，我们期待一些令人兴奋的发现。此外，我们将在火山口内进行至少一次测量，以计算自2005年11月以来的净增长率。这是任何人第一次有机会用这样的仪器对一个不断增长的熔岩穹丘进行如此详细的测量，另一个机会可能在几年内不会出现。

The lava dome that has been growing in the crater of Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat since August 2005 is now visible above the crater rim. The dome poses increasing hazards of collapse and explosion due its size and the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) must assess these by observing the location and rates of dome growth. However, visual observations and conventional surveying methods cannot be used during the frequent periods when the dome is obscured by clouds. We propose, in collaboration with MVO, to measure, over a two week period, the shape and growth rate of the lava dome with the NERC-funded AVTIS (All-weather Volcano Topography Imaging Sensor) instrument which we built specifically to meet this need. In November 2005 we measured the dome with AVTIS from within the crater on two occasions. Now, without those logistical restrictions, we can measure the three dimensional surface of the lava dome using high resolution radar with this instrument at a rate of tens per day from sites outside the crater. These will reveal the way in which lava extrudes at the surface of the dome and the flux of magma into the dome changes over periods of hours to days and how these relate to the observable signals of gas flux and earthquakes. They may also show the conditions leading to a collapse of the dome. Such a detailed series of measurements have not been achieved before and we expect some exciting findings. In addition, we will make at least one measurement from within the crater to calculate the net growth rate since November 2005. This is the first opportunity anyone has had to make such detailed measurements of a growing lava dome with such an instrument and another opportunity may not present itself again for several years.