InSAR observations of ground surface deformation and lava flow emplacement at Pacaya volcano, Guatemala

Abstract:

Pacaya volcano is a persistently active basaltic cone complex located in the Central American Volcanic Arc in Guatemala. In May, 2010, violent VEI-3 eruptions caused significant topographic changes to the edifice, including the dispersion of ~20 cm of tephra and ash on the cone, the emplacement of a ~5.4 km long lava flow, and 3 m of co-eruptive movement of the southwest flank. For this study, Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) images (interferograms) processed from both spaceborne Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) and aerial Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) data were used to measure post-eruptive deformation events. Interferograms suggest four distinct deformation processes after the May 2010 eruption: (1) magma intrusion near the vents of the 2010 lava flow; (2) subsidence of the 2010 lava flow; (3) slow deflation of an elongated magma source near the summit, and; (4) settlement of the material involved in the co-eruptive slope movement. Our results provide insights into Pacaya’s complex magmatic plumbing system and the postemplacement behavior of lava flows. The detection of several different deformation events emphasizes the utility of measuring volcanic deformation using high-resolution remote sensing techniques with broad spatial coverage.