Connected magma plumbing system between Cerro Negro and El Hoyo Complex, Nicaragua revealed by gravity survey
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| Authors: | MacQueen, P; Zurek, J; Williams-Jones, G |
| Year: | 2016 |
| Journal: | Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 327: 375-384 PDF Article Link (DOI) |
| Title: | Connected magma plumbing system between Cerro Negro and El Hoyo Complex, Nicaragua revealed by gravity survey |
| Abstract: | Cerro Negro, near Leon, Nicaragua is a young, relatively small basaltic cinder cone volcano that has been unusually active during its short lifespan. Multiple explosive eruptions have deposited significant amounts of ash on Leon and the surrounding rural communities. While a number of studies investigate the geo-chemistry and stress regime of the volcano, subsurface structures have only been studied by diffuse soil gas surveys. These studies have raised several questions as to the proper classification of Cerro Negro and its relation to neighboring volcanic features. To address these questions, we collected 119 gravity measurements around Cerro Negro volcano in an attempt to delineate deep structures at the volcano. The resulting complete Bouguer anomaly map revealed local positive gravity anomalies (wavelength 0.5 to 2 km, magnitude +4 mGal) and regional positive (10 km wavelength, magnitudes +10 and +8 mGal) and negative (12 and 6 km wavelength, magnitudes 18 and 13 mGal) Bouguer anomalies. Further analysis of these gravity data through inversion has revealed both local and regional density anomalies that we interpret as intrusive complexes at Cerro Negro and in the Nicaraguan Volcanic Arc. The local density anomalies at Cerro Negro have a density of 2700 kg m(-3) (basalt) and are located between -250 and -2000 m above sea level. The distribution of recovered density anomalies suggests that eruptions at Cerro Negro may be tapping an interconnected magma plumbing system beneath El Hoyo, Cerro La Mula, and Cerro Negro, and more than seven other proximal volcanic features, implying that Cerro Negro should be considered the newest cone of a Cerro Negro-El Hoyo volcanic complex. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. |
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