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Investigating Volcanic Hazard on Flores Island, Azores

Eliza Dennis1, Adriano Pimentel2,3, Mariana Andrade4,5, Ricardo Ramalho1,4,6

  • Affiliations:  1 School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom; 2 Instituto de Investigação em Vulcanologia e Avaliação de Riscos (IVAR), Universidade dos Açores, Ponta Delgada, Azores 9500-321, Portugal; 3 Centro de Informação e Vigilância Sismovulcânica dos Açores (CIVISA), Ponta Delgada, Azores 9500-321, Portugal; 4 Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Campo Grande, Lisboa 1749-016, Portugal; 5 GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany; 6 Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Comer Geochemistry Building, PO Box 1000, Palisades, NY 10964-8000, USA. 

  • Presentation type: Poster

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

  • Poster Board Number: 159

  • Programme No: 2.2.23

  • Theme 2 > Session 2

Abstract

Volcanic hazard assessment studies are critical to ensure the awareness and safety of those living in the vicinity of these natural phenomena. Flores is a small oceanic island with active volcanism located in the Azores Archipelago, home to approximately 4,000 inhabitants living in small and sometimes isolated settlements. However, to date, no evaluation of its volcanic hazard has been carried out. This research aims to fill this gap by exploring volcanic hazard on the island for the first time, through characterizing recent volcanic events and their sources, determining eruption source parameters, simulating the dispersal of volcanic products and identifying areas likely to be affected. To achieve this, we built upon recent studies of the latest volcanic events to extract eruption source parameters and then used the VORIS (Volcanic Risk Information System) GIS-based software to simulate different eruption scenarios and perform a consequent volcanic hazard analysis. Results found that volcanic hazard varies between settlements, depending on the surrounding topography, the proximity to the two volcanic systems (Comprida and Funda), and the volcanic products they are affected by. The most vulnerable settlements are Santa Cruz das Flores and Lajes das Flores, which are also the most populated. Critically, this work addresses the lack of volcanic hazard assessment for Flores Island, by providing a simple guide to the inhabitants with regards to their level of volcanic hazard and offering the civil protection authorities basic recommendations.