Evolution of submarine eruptive activity during the 2011-2012 El Hierro event as documented by hydroacoustic images and remotely operated vehicle observations
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Somoza, L.; González, F.J.; Barker, S.J.; Madureira, P.; Medialdea, T.; de Ignacio, C.; Lourenço, N.; León, R.; Vázquez, J.T. (Juan Tomás); Palomino, D. (Desirée)Date
2017-08-01Type
articleKeywords
VOLCANOEL HIERRO ISLAND
CANARY ISLANDS
Abstract
Submarine volcanic eruptions are frequent and important events, yet they are rarely observed. Here we relate bathymetric and hydroacoustic images from the 2011 to 2012 El Hierro eruption with surface observations and deposits imaged and sampled by ROV. As a result of the shallow submarine eruption, a
new volcano named Tagoro grew from 375 to 89 m depth. The eruption consisted of two main phases of
edifice construction intercalated with collapse events. Hydroacoustic images show that the eruptions
ranged from explosive to effusive with variable plume types and resulting deposits, even over short time
intervals. At the base of the edifice, ROV observations show large accumulations of lava balloons changing in size and type downslope, coinciding with the area where floating lava balloon fallout was observed. Peaks in eruption intensity during explosive phases generated vigorous bubbling at the surface, extensive ash, vesicular lapilli and formed high-density currents, which together ...