Honduras Geosciences Institute/ El Instituto de Geociencias de Honduras

Open house and dedication of the Instituto de Geociencias de Honduras, 9AM Jan
15, 2010

  UPI - La Universidad Politécnica de Ingeniería, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Contact: Luis Eveline email: leveline@...

El Instituto de Geociencias de Honduras es una organización dedicada al
desarrollo académico, investigación científica, desarrollo de estudios y
proyectos, y a dar respuesta responsable a los principales problemas
relacionados a las geociencias en la República de Honduras.  El instituto nace
como una iniciativa de la UPI, como una rama especializada en el tema de las
geociencias y dentro de la Universidad;  y como principales  fundadores 
asociados son la empresa SERGEO, Dr. Valerio Gutierrez y Dr. Robert Rogers.  El
Instiituto será liderado por la UPI, con el apoyo de sus principales asociados,
lo integrarán el Rector de UPI (Luis Eveline), y los representante de SERGEO,
SERNA, Defomin, Asociación de empresas mineras, Asociación  de Municipios de
Honduras  se invitarán a agencias internacionales de financiamiento (USAID,
JICA, CIDA (Canada).

The Geoscience Institute of Honduras is an organization dedicated to academic
development, scientific investigation, development of studies and projects and
to provide answers to the main issues related to the geosciences in the Republic
of Honduras.  The Geoscience Institute was formed as an initiative of UPI –
University Polytechnic of Engineering – with a field specializing in geosciences
within the university;  and its principle funding supporters associated with the
SERGEO company, Valerio Gutierrez and  Dr. Robert Rogers.  The Institute will be
led by UPI with the assistance of its principle associates that include the
Rector of UPI (Luis Eveline), representatives of SERGEO, SERNA, DEFOMIN,
Association of Mining Companies, Municipal association of Honduras, and will
involve the international funding agencies (USAID, JICA (Japan), CIDA (Canada).

----- Original Message -----

From: robert rogers

To: carib@yahoogroups.com ; cenamgeology@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, December 31, 2009 5:00 PM

Subject: [carib] Instituto de Geociencias de Honduras [2 Attachments]

Some additional information about the dedication of the Instituto de Geociencias de Honduras (IGH). 

 

------------------------------------

Dr. Robert Rogers

Assistant Professor

Geology Program, Department of Physics and Geology

California State University, Stanislaus

One University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382

Tel. 209 664-6691

email: rrogers@...

home: http://geology.csustan.edu/rrogers/

Honduras Geology: http://geology.csustan.edu/rrogers/honduras/index.htm

 

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/degree10/285_20.php

This was a big one, we felt it quite strong in Santo Domingo. Reports from the
north (Santiago, Dajabon) are it was felt even stronger.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/10/285_20_eqs.php

Graphic You Tube video from Haiti:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVQe46ClQSA


--
->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<-

   Jeffrey S. Marshall, Ph.D.
   Associate Professor of Geological Sciences &
   University Coordinator for Undergraduate Research

   Geological Sciences Department
   Cal Poly Pomona University
   3801 West Temple Ave.
   Pomona, California  91768  USA

   Tel:      (909) 869-3461
   Fax:      (909) 869-2920

   Web:      http://www.csupomona.edu/~marshall

->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<-

Estimados colegas,
desafortunatamente el margen norte de la Placa Caribe aun se mueve, despues
del  sismo del ano pasado en Honduras, y con las mismas caracteristicas.
La unica duta cientifica es que la falla de Enriquillo que pasa por el
Massif de la Hotte de Haiti estaba bastante tranquilla desde tiempo, y los
mapas de peligrosodad sismica de la region la indican como no extremamente
peligrosa !
Necesita que el nuestro mundo cientifico se ponga el interogativo de como
tratar la sismicidad de manera mas detallada asì que se puedan prevenir
desastres anonciados del tipo de hoy en dia.
Por supuesto pero necesitaria un esfuerzo profesional y financero que por el
momento no creo que se pueda realizar.
Lo siento mucho junto a toda nuestra comunidad.
Giuseppe

Prof. Giuseppe Giunta
Coordinador proyecto Cooperacion Italiana sobre Peligrosidades Naturales en
Centro America
Dipartimento di Geologia, Università
Via Archirafi, 20-22
90100  Palermo  (Italia)
tel +39 09123864637
cell. +39 3297979921
giuntape@...
http://www.dipgeopa.com/
http://www.dipgeopa.com/?structure=scheda&ID=12&lang=it

----- Original Message -----
From: "Antonio García Casco" <agcasco@...>
To: <agcasco@...>
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 10:52 AM
Subject: earthquake M 7.0 @ Haiti


>
> Dear Colleagues
>
> http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/degree10/285_20.php
>
> This was a big one, we felt it quite strong in Santo Domingo. Reports from
> the north (Santiago, Dajabon) are it was felt even stronger.
>
> Hugo Dominguez
>
>
>
>
>
>

Colleagues,

Here are two opportunities to access free imagery & research literature
related to the Haiti earthquake:


1. The Geological Society of America is offering free temporary access
to research papers on Haiti tectonics and seismic hazards:

http://www.geosociety.org/


2. Digital Globe is offering free temporary access to its
high-resolution pre- and post-earthquake satellite imagery:

DigitalGlobe's Crisis Event Service is actively collecting imagery of
Haiti in response to the recent earthquakes.  With the power of the
DigitalGlobe satellite constellation, we will have 23 collection
opportunities of the earthquake damage over the next two weeks.

In an effort to help the humanitarian efforts underway in Haiti, we are
offering free access to both pre- and post-earthquake imagery until
January 28, 2010 with our ImageConnect plug-in for GIS software.

<http://dgl.us.neolane.net/r/?id=h113119,910ef2,9113d1>

Sign up for your free access now.
<http://dgl.us.neolane.net/r/?id=h113119,910ef2,9113d2>

We also have an earthquake image gallery and damage analysis available
on our website. View our gallery.
<http://dgl.us.neolane.net/r/?id=h113119,910ef2,9113d3>

*DigitalGlobe's Crisis Event Service aids disasters around the world*

DigitalGlobe's online Crisis Event Service provides fast web-based
access to pre- and post-event imagery of world disasters. When a major
disaster is identified, DigitalGlobe’s satellite constellation acquires
timely post-event imagery of effected areas within 1 to 3 days.

Connect your organization to the service in the way that best meets your
needs. Choose from our web plug-ins for GIS software, A WMS service, or
our API’s and SDK’s for custom map server and java applications.

Learn more about our Crisis Event Service.
<http://dgl.us.neolane.net/r/?id=h113119,910ef2,9113d4>

DigitalGlobe 1601 Dry Creek Drive - Suite 260 - Longmont, Colorado 80503
Contact us <http://dgl.us.neolane.net/r/?id=h113119,910ef2,9113d6>

--
->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<-

   Jeffrey S. Marshall, Ph.D.
   Associate Professor of Geological Sciences &
   University Coordinator for Undergraduate Research

   Geological Sciences Department
   Cal Poly Pomona University
   3801 West Temple Ave.
   Pomona, California  91768  USA

   Tel:      (909) 869-3461
   Fax:      (909) 869-2920

   Web:      http://www.csupomona.edu/~marshall

->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<-

----- Original Message -----

From: Pascual Marquez

To: carib@yahoogroups.com

Cc: Antonio García Casco

Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2010 4:26 AM

Subject: Re: [carib] Re: earthquake M 7.0 @ Haiti

Ud tiene muchisima razon Dr Giunta, se requieren profesionales dedicados y bien formados, ademas de equipos cientificos de medicion y monitoreo, eso clama por recursos monetarios, todas estas cosas faltan en nuestros paises. En esta region esos estudios a los politicos no les interesan, no dan votos, por ello habra que recurrir a organismos internacionales y quizas a las universidades, el grupo que ustedes conforman esta haciendo un trabajo valioso, pero como se puede inferir se requiere mas esfuerzo y sobre todo apoyo.
Este lamentable evento en Haiti, al igual que el caso de katrina dejo en claro nuestra vulnerabilidad ante los fenomenos mnaturales.

2010/1/13 Giuseppe Giunta <giuntape@...>

 

Estimados colegas,
desafortunatamente el margen norte de la Placa Caribe aun se mueve, despues
del sismo del ano pasado en Honduras, y con las mismas caracteristicas.
La unica duta cientifica es que la falla de Enriquillo que pasa por el
Massif de la Hotte de Haiti estaba bastante tranquilla desde tiempo, y los
mapas de peligrosodad sismica de la region la indican como no extremamente
peligrosa !
Necesita que el nuestro mundo cientifico se ponga el interogativo de como
tratar la sismicidad de manera mas detallada asì que se puedan prevenir
desastres anonciados del tipo de hoy en dia.
Por supuesto pero necesitaria un esfuerzo profesional y financero que por el
momento no creo que se pueda realizar.
Lo siento mucho junto a toda nuestra comunidad.
Giuseppe

Prof. Giuseppe Giunta
Coordinador proyecto Cooperacion Italiana sobre Peligrosidades Naturales en
Centro America
Dipartimento di Geologia, Università
Via Archirafi, 20-22
90100 Palermo (Italia)
tel +39 09123864637
cell. +39 3297979921
giuntape@...
http://www.dipgeopa.com/
http://www.dipgeopa.com/?structure=scheda&ID=12&lang=it

----- Original Message -----
From: "Antonio García Casco" <agcasco@...>
To: <agcasco@...>
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 10:52 AM
Subject: earthquake M 7.0 @ Haiti

>
> Dear Colleagues
>
> http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/degree10/285_20.php
>
> This was a big one, we felt it quite strong in Santo Domingo. Reports from
> the north (Santiago, Dajabon) are it was felt even stronger.
>
> Hugo Dominguez
>
>
>
>
>
>

Giuseppe, totalmente de acuerdo con Usted. Pero esté seguro que desde la
República Dominicana nuestra Sociedad Dominicana de Geología se hará vocal y de
que este evento no caiga en el olvido. Ya estamos dando los pasos iniciales para
nuestro trabajo con las autoridades y el público para concientizar sobre este
riesgo muy real y como prepararnos para prevenir y mitigar los efectos
catastróficos de estos desastres.  Un saludo afectuoso.

Hugo Dominguez

--- In carib@yahoogroups.com, "Giunta Giuseppe" <giuntape@...> wrote:
>
> Hola Pascual,
> no hay duta que lo que dices es corecto..........al punto que nadie se va a
recordar de lo que pasò despues algunas semanas, a parte lo que sufren y van a
sufrir mas de los desastres. Parece que esta seria la caracteristica de la
humanidad, es decir una forma de defenza, pero para nosotros es una pena enorme
que estamos traendo adentro de cada uno.
> Por supuesto no tenemos armas tecnico-cientificas para luchar encontra este
tipo de fenomenos: solo estudiar hasta al fondo de nuestras posibilidades los
fenomenos mismos, desde el punto de vista cientifico y aplicativo (geofisicos y
geologos estructurales juntos) a escalas via via mas detalladas en varias
regiones de interes.
> La Cooperacion Italiana del Ministerio Asuntos Esteriores de Italia ha
encargado la Universidad de Palermo y a mi como coordinador, del desarrollo de
un proyecto de formacion y aplicacion investigativas sobre evaluacion de las
peligrosidades naturales en Centro America (juntos a las Universidades de
UNAN-Managua de Nicaragua, UES de El Salvador y USAC de Guatemala, y muchas
instituciones de sector de riesgos etc.en centro america). A lo largo de este
proyecto espero involucrar en colaboraciones colegas de varias partes que
estudian estos temas en Centro America (y por supuesto antes otros los del
nuestro Carib-group), esperando asì de contribuir a construir algunas de estas
armas encontra de los desastres naturales en la region. Todo esto de manera
colaborativa con los colegas centroamericanos, y en particular modesta, con la
conciencia de nuestra faltas en diferentes sentidos, aun si demasiadas veces nos
equivocamos dramaticamente imaginando de ser los mejores "profesores" en un tema
o una region.
> Las nombrosas victimas de los desastres naturales nos lo requieren! La
politica y el comercio cientifico dejamolo a los demas!
> La proxima semana voy a viajar otra vez a Centro America donde hablarè tambien
de estos problemas.
> Quedando a disposicion, hasta pronto.
> Giuseppe
>
> Prof. Giuseppe Giunta
> Coordinador Proyecto Cooperacion Italiana-UNIPA sobre Peligrosidades Naturales
en C.A.
> Dipartimento Geologia
> Università di Palermo
> Via Archirafi 20-22
> 90100 Palermo (Italia)
> tel. +39 09123864637
> fax-segret.tel. +39 09123864658
> cell. +39 3297979921
> giuntape@...
> http://www.dipgeopa.com/
> http://www.dipgeopa.com/?structure=scheda&ID=12&lang=it
>
>   ----- Original Message -----
>   From: Pascual Marquez
>   To: carib@yahoogroups.com
>   Cc: Antonio García Casco
>   Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2010 4:26 AM
>   Subject: Re: [carib] Re: earthquake M 7.0 @ Haiti
>
>
>
>
>   Ud tiene muchisima razon Dr Giunta, se requieren profesionales dedicados y
bien formados, ademas de equipos cientificos de medicion y monitoreo, eso clama
por recursos monetarios, todas estas cosas faltan en nuestros paises. En esta
region esos estudios a los politicos no les interesan, no dan votos, por ello
habra que recurrir a organismos internacionales y quizas a las universidades, el
grupo que ustedes conforman esta haciendo un trabajo valioso, pero como se puede
inferir se requiere mas esfuerzo y sobre todo apoyo.
>   Este lamentable evento en Haiti, al igual que el caso de katrina dejo en
claro nuestra vulnerabilidad ante los fenomenos mnaturales.
>
>
>   2010/1/13 Giuseppe Giunta <giuntape@...>
>
>
>     Estimados colegas,
>     desafortunatamente el margen norte de la Placa Caribe aun se mueve,
despues
>     del sismo del ano pasado en Honduras, y con las mismas caracteristicas.
>     La unica duta cientifica es que la falla de Enriquillo que pasa por el
>     Massif de la Hotte de Haiti estaba bastante tranquilla desde tiempo, y los
>     mapas de peligrosodad sismica de la region la indican como no extremamente
>     peligrosa !
>     Necesita que el nuestro mundo cientifico se ponga el interogativo de como
>     tratar la sismicidad de manera mas detallada asì que se puedan prevenir
>     desastres anonciados del tipo de hoy en dia.
>     Por supuesto pero necesitaria un esfuerzo profesional y financero que por
el
>     momento no creo que se pueda realizar.
>     Lo siento mucho junto a toda nuestra comunidad.
>     Giuseppe
>
>     Prof. Giuseppe Giunta
>     Coordinador proyecto Cooperacion Italiana sobre Peligrosidades Naturales
en
>     Centro America
>     Dipartimento di Geologia, Università
>     Via Archirafi, 20-22
>     90100 Palermo (Italia)
>     tel +39 09123864637
>     cell. +39 3297979921
>     giuntape@...
>     http://www.dipgeopa.com/
>     http://www.dipgeopa.com/?structure=scheda&ID=12&lang=it
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     From: "Antonio García Casco" <agcasco@...>
>     To: <agcasco@...>
>     Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 10:52 AM
>     Subject: earthquake M 7.0 @ Haiti
>
>     >
>     > Dear Colleagues
>     >
>     >
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/degree10/285_20.php
>     >
>     > This was a big one, we felt it quite strong in Santo Domingo. Reports
from
>     > the north (Santiago, Dajabon) are it was felt even stronger.
>     >
>     > Hugo Dominguez
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>     >
>

estimados amigos:

creo que tanto Haití, como hemos visto con dolor y pesar en estos ultimos días,
como la República Dominicana en el año 2003, estamos y estaremos siempre
expuestos a los embates de un sismo de alta magnitud, debido a la ubicación de
nuestra isla en relación al borde del contacto entre la placa de norteamérica y
la placa del caribe. También, aunque muchos geocientíficos han realizado
excelentes trabajos sobre las megaestructuras geológicas asociadas con este
contacto, todavía existen mucha investigación por realizar por un lado, mucha
información estadística que producir por el otro, y mucha labor de
concientización y educación en ambos países, República Dominicana y Haití. Creo
que urge una institución multilateral que pueda coordinar una respuesta rápida
para ambos países en caso de terremoto, y que produzca toda esa información, los
trabajos de investigación, y tenga un programa permanente de concientización y
educación, haga simulacros de terremoto al menos cada seis meses en todo el
territorio de La Española (o Hispaniola) y tenga a su cargo todo lo relacionado
con la geología en sentido general y el riesgo geológico asociado en sentido más
particular para ambos países. Puedieramos llamarle en principio y para iniciar
la conversación sobre el tema, Instituto de Geociencias de la Hispaniola, pero
el nombre es lo de menos. Me gustaría oir sus comentarios sobre la idea y el
concepto.  Gracias.

The epicenter of the shallow quake appears just south of the
Enriquillo-Plaintain Garden Fault that bear the stress of the convergence of the
Caribbean and North America tectonic plates. Though faults are weak spots or
fractures in the Earth's crust below the surface,The Enriquillo-Plaintain Garden
Fault 7mm/year has a microtectonic activity under the strike-slip of the North
America tectonic plates type fault, with the Caribbean plate moving eastward
with respect to the North America plate 23 cm/year.
GPS series of the Aptian Caribbean Oceanic plateau along the pacific ring of
fire along the Kerguelen island

Therese Schneck Civil Engineer
CEO International Ordovicin and Petroleum Services
Brussels Belgium

ONGOING ERUPTION OF TUNGURAHUA, ECUADOR
Steam began rising from Ecuadors's Tungurahua volcano on December 30, 2009,
followed days later by ash plumes and lava fountains.
  * http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=42453&src=nha
   *** MODIS(Terra) image from Jan 23, 2010 (Posted on Jan 27, 2010 11:39 AM)

Therese Schneck Civil Engineer Ph.D
CEO International Ordovician and Petroleum Services

• The 2006 eruptions of the Tungurahua volcano (Ecuador) and the importance of
volcano hazard maps and their diffusion (p. 67-70)
D. BARBA, P. SAMANIEGO, J.-L. LE PENNEC, M. HALL, C. ROBIN, P. MOTHES, H. YEPES,
P. RAMÓN, S. ARELLANO, & G. RUIZ

PDF]The 2006 eruptions of the Tungurahua volcano ...
7th International Symposium on Andean Geodynamics Extended Abstracts: 67-70. 68.
Fig. 1 A photo of Tungurahua's vulcanian eruption, ...

irdal.ird.fr/PDF/ISAG_2008/ISAG2008_barba_al.pdf - Similar



¤ Tungurahua
6 January-12 January 2010
Global Volcanism Program | Tungurahua | Summary
Tungurahua, a steep-sided andesitic-dacitic stratovolcano that towers more than
3 km above its northern base, is one of Ecuador's most active volcanoes. ...

www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1502-0... -

The IG reported that during 5-6 January a gas-and-ash plume from Tungurahua rose
to an altitude of 6.5 km (21,300 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW. The sulfur dioxide
emission rate was 3,200 tons per day, ten times the value measured during the
previous months. On 7 January seismic tremor duration and amplitude increased,
and signals indicative of explosions were detected. On 6 and 7 January,
incandescent blocks were ejected and fell back into the crater. During 8-10
January, cloud cover often prevented observations; on 10 January a steam-and-ash
plume rose to an altitude of 6.5 km (21,300 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W.
Incandescence from the crater was sometimes seen at night. Ashfall up to 5 mm
thick was reported in areas W and SW on 9 and 10 January. Roaring noises and
vibrating glass were occasionally noted during the reporting period.

¤
[PDF]SyNThETIC APERTURE RADAR iNTERFEROMETRy STUDIES ...
ground deformation (Figure 8), coinciding with the Geodynamic Laboratory ....
such as Tungurahua volcano and Galapagos Islands, where InSAR could be ...

revistas.ucm.es/fis/02144557/articulos/FITE0202110055... -

• The 2006 eruptions of the Tungurahua volcano (Ecuador) and the importance of
volcano hazard maps and their diffusion (p. 67-70)
D. BARBA, P. SAMANIEGO, J.-L. LE PENNEC, M. HALL, C. ROBIN, P. MOTHES, H. YEPES,
P. RAMÓN, S. ARELLANO, & G. RUIZ

PDF]The 2006 eruptions of the Tungurahua volcano ...
7th International Symposium on Andean Geodynamics Extended Abstracts: 67-70. 68.
Fig. 1 A photo of Tungurahua's vulcanian eruption, ...

irdal.ird.fr/PDF/ISAG_2008/ISAG2008_barba_al.pdf - Similar



¤ Tungurahua
6 January-12 January 2010
Global Volcanism Program | Tungurahua | Summary
Tungurahua, a steep-sided andesitic-dacitic stratovolcano that towers more than
3 km above its northern base, is one of Ecuador's most active volcanoes. ...

www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1502-0... -

The IG reported that during 5-6 January a gas-and-ash plume from Tungurahua rose
to an altitude of 6.5 km (21,300 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW. The sulfur dioxide
emission rate was 3,200 tons per day, ten times the value measured during the
previous months. On 7 January seismic tremor duration and amplitude increased,
and signals indicative of explosions were detected. On 6 and 7 January,
incandescent blocks were ejected and fell back into the crater. During 8-10
January, cloud cover often prevented observations; on 10 January a steam-and-ash
plume rose to an altitude of 6.5 km (21,300 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W.
Incandescence from the crater was sometimes seen at night. Ashfall up to 5 mm
thick was reported in areas W and SW on 9 and 10 January. Roaring noises and
vibrating glass were occasionally noted during the reporting period.

¤
[PDF]SyNThETIC APERTURE RADAR iNTERFEROMETRy STUDIES ...
ground deformation (Figure 8), coinciding with the Geodynamic Laboratory ....
such as Tungurahua volcano and Galapagos Islands, where InSAR could be ...

revistas.ucm.es/fis/02144557/articulos/FITE0202110055... -

The Contribution of ERS-1 SAR Data in Neotectonics
The Tungurahua is located on the right side of the Pastaza river near the .....
Techtonophysics, 205, pp. 187-204. Baldock J.W., 1982, Geologia del Ecuador. ...

http://www.adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1996ESASP.383..265C

Pacific Ring of Fire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cocos Plate is being subducted beneath the Caribbean Plate, .... The complex
comprises the Mount Edziza Plateau, a large volcanic plateau (65 ... It lies
between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Okhotsk Sea to the west. .....
Mount Taranaki • Tungurahua • Mount Usu • Hoodoo Mountain • Mount Edziza • Tseax
...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ring_of_Fire

Three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure of Tungurahua ...
Tungurahua Volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes is a large andesitic ... plates (
Nazca and South American Plates) and the Carnegie Ridge (Fig. 1). ... Arrows
show the directions of the Nazca Plate. (b) The tectonic plates around Ecuador.
...

linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0377027305001289

Three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure of Tungurahua Volcano, Ecuador

Instituto Geofísico, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, P.O. Box 17-01-2759, Quito,
Ecuador

Abstract
Tungurahua Volcano in the Ecuadorian Andes is a large andesitic stratovolcano
(5023 m) that has been erupting mildly since 1999. We studied the
three-dimensional (3-D) P-wave velocity (Vp) structure beneath the volcano down
to 5 km below the summit. We inverted 1708 P-wave first-arrival times from 263
volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquakes recorded by 5 to 10 short-period vertical
seismic stations on the volcano from August 1999 to May 2003. A tomographic
inversion method was used to image the velocity structure, in which
first-arrival times were calculated with a finite-difference method. The Root
Mean Square of the arrival time residuals (RMS) was reduced by 43% after running
10 iterations from the initial RMS of 0.15 s. The relocated hypocenters in our
model are tightly clustered along a vertical structure at depths between sea
level and the summit crater. A high-velocity zone exists above the central base
of the volcano under the vertically aligned hypocenters, and may be interpreted
as the source zone for recharge of the shallow magmatic system. High-velocity
zones are also identified under the lower northeastern and southern flanks of
the edifice. The southern high-velocity anomaly lies close to the surface and is
connected to the high-velocity zone in the central base of the volcano, a
feature suggesting an old lateral dike system. Except for these high-velocity
zones in the central, northern, and southern flanks, the volcanic edifice is
composed of low-velocity materials down to a depth of 2 km above sea level.
These low-velocity zones correlate with young unconsolidated deposits, and older
highly fractured and/or altered volcanic materials.

Keywords: tomography; finite-difference method; conduit; dike; magma

Article Outline
1. Introduction
2. Data and method
3. Results
3.1. Initial model parameters
3.2. Checkerboard tests
3.3. P-wave velocity model and source locations
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References




Fig. 1. (a) Location of Tungurahua Volcano. Solid triangle show active volcanoes
in Ecuador, which have had eruptive activity during the last 450 years. Light
and dark gray areas represent the Western Mountain Range and Inter Andean
Valley, respectively. Thick and thin lines are coastline and national boundary,
respectively. A solid line with solid triangles represents the trench. Arrows
show the directions of the Nazca Plate. (b) The tectonic plates around Ecuador.
Thick and thin lines are coastlines and plate boundaries, respectively. Arrows
show the directions of plate motions. Solid lines with open triangles represent
the trenches. A solid square is the location of Tungurahua.

Fig. 2. Contoured topography of Tungurahua Volcano (contour interval is 200 m)
showing the locations of the seismic stations employed in this study (solid
triangles).


Fig. 3. The initial 1-D P-wave velocity model (thick solid line) as a function
of depth used in the 3-D P-wave velocity inversion. This model closely
approximates the flat layered 1-D P-wave velocity model obtained by Molina
(2001) with a modification and resulted in the minimum RMS residual of 0.15 s in
our trial models among the P-wave velocity range shown by thin solid lines.


Fig. 4. A checkerboard P-wave velocity test model (left), its reconstruction
(center), and recovered amplitude ratios (ratios of reconstructed velocity
anomalies to initial values) (right) for three different layers: (a–c)
−3.0 to −2.5 km, (d–f) −2.0 to −1.5 km, (g–i) 0 to 0.5
km from sea level.

Robert,

There are already some infiltration. Please all members be careful with these
spamers.  Best regards

Hugo

--- In carib@yahoogroups.com, "robert rogers" <rrogers@...> wrote:
>
> All,
>
>
>
> I have temporarily changed the settings of the Carib group listserve.  I
> will no longer screen new members.  While this may result in some "spam" I
> think it is needed for increased communication following the earthquake in
> Haiti.  I will be out of country for next few weeks but monitor the
> listserve as conditions allow.
>
>
>
> Rob
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Dr. Robert Rogers
>
> Assistant Professor
>
> Geology Program, Department of Physics and Geology
>
> California State University, Stanislaus
>
> One University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382
>
> Tel. 209 664-6691
>
> email:  <mailto:rrogers@...> rrogers@...
>
> home:  <http://geology.csustan.edu/rrogers/>
> http://geology.csustan.edu/rrogers/
>
> Honduras Geology:  <http://geology.csustan.edu/rrogers/honduras/index.htm>
> http://geology.csustan.edu/rrogers/honduras/index.htm
>