Characterizing and Locating Seismic Tremor during the 2022 Eruption of Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawai’i, with Network Covariance

Abstract

The 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawai’i, was accompanied by continuous seismic tremor that began about 30 min before and ended several days after the eruption. We characterize the amplitude history and frequency content of the tremor, and we use a network covariance-based method to estimate its source location. The tremor exhibits multiple narrow spectral peaks between 1 and 3 Hz, and its amplitude varies through time in a spasmodic manner. Our location results track a northeast migration of shallow sources through the summit region in the first few hours of the eruption. For the remainder of the eruption, source locations cluster in the vicinity of the erupting vent in the northeast rift zone. We attribute the tremor source to gas dynamics in the upper reaches of a basaltic dike. However, limitations in instrumentation and knowledge of the subsurface velocity structure may preclude an assessment of the source mechanism. Our results illustrate the value of characterizing and locating tremor for tracking magma movement, and demonstrate a use for dense and calibrated seismic instrumentation on active volcanoes. The location method we use requires substantial parameter testing, reflecting the potential benefit of developing more flexible approaches toward real-time automated assessment of tremor at volcanoes.