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3D Seismic attenuation structure La Palma (Spain): unraveling the volcanic plumbing system of the Canary Islands

Janire Prudencio 1,2, Francisco Javier Almendros1,2, Javier Tortosa1,2, Luca D\'Auria3,4, Ivan Koulakov5, Ivan Cabrera-Pérez6 and Jesús M. Ibáñez1,2

  • Affiliations: 1Department of Theoretical Physics and Cosmos, Science Faculty, University of Granada, Avd. Fuenteneueva s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain; 2Instituto Andaluz de Geofisica, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain; 3Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables (ITER), 38600, Granadilla de Abona, Spain; 4Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN), 38600, Granadilla de Abona, Spain; 5Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), Bolshoy Blrd 30/1, Moscow 121205, Russia; 6Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

  • Presentation type: Poster

  • Presentation time: Friday 16:30 - 18:00, Room Poster Hall

  • Poster Board Number: 11

  • Programme No: 1.5.18

  • Theme 1 > Session 5

Abstract

Tomographic images based on seismic velocity and attenuation are some of the most powerful tools for investigating volcanic complex structures and behaviors. Several techniques can be used to obtain these images, each revealing different physical properties of the medium and each having different resolution limits. Although these models aim to associate physical properties with geological structures, in most cases, individual images can only partially reveal the subsurface volcanic system, which limits interpretations and introduces uncertainties. In order to illuminate the plumbing system and to explain the diversity of the eruptive processes observed in the Canarian archipelago, we analyzed the seismic data during the 2021 La Palma eruption to obtain a high-resolution seismic attenuation tomography and to joint interpret the new results with previously obtained tomographic models. We analyzed the same database that D'Auria et al., (2022) used in the velocity tomography and we obtained a new tomographic model of La Palma. The new images confirm the existence of an intermediate chamber. We have also identified a shallow high attenuation region that could be related to a hydrothermal alteration beneath the Cumbre Vieja volcanic complex (D'Auria et al., 2022; Cabrera-Pérez et al., 2024). Our results highlight the structural complexity of La Palma and they reveal that volcanic systems are not comprised of well-defined units with distinct physical properties; rather, they represent complex and dynamic structural units that evolve along with magmatic processes. Being able to delimit these heterogeneities is essential to understanding the future kinematics and dynamics of the Canarian archipelago.