Laboratory Experiments on Tsunamigenic Discrete Subaqueous Volcanic Eruptions. Part 1: Free Surface Disturbances

Abstract

A submarine volcanic eruption has the potential to generate a dangerous local tsunami. To better understand the free surface disturbance generated by an underwater volcanic eruption, which will form the initial condition for any subsequent wave generation, we conducted a series of laboratory experiments. In these experiments, compressed air was injected into a tank filled with water to simulate an underwater eruption. The experiments were repeated over a range of different pressures and water depths. Each eruption can be divided into three phases: A momentum-driven jet, a buoyancy-driven plume, and a fountain-generation regime. Our experiments exhibit two fountain regimes (a dome regime and a finger regime), with a transition between them. These fountain regimes have been observed in several real submarine volcanic eruptions. This paper proposes a Froude number criterion to combine the water depths and source conditions together with the aspect ratios of fountains to quantify different fountain regimes. This quantitative relationship holds for two real subaqueous volcanic eruption cases (Myojin-Sho eruption in 1952 and 1996 eruption in Karymskoye Lake). The fountain of the Myojin-Sho shallow submarine eruption on September 23,1952 appears to have been in the dome regime, which means it was a relatively weak eruption. Unlike other eruptions from this volcano, which did generate tsunamis, no tsunami waves were detected on September 23. This study contributes to an enhanced understanding of the usually unseen mechanism of free surface disturbances by volcanic gas injection during submarine eruptions.