Exploring the utility of GPR to document the explosive history of old (> 100 ka) scoria cones

Abstract Scoria cones are the most common volcanic landform on Earth. While eruptive styles range from effusive to explosive, the low-energy spectrum of activity is best documented. Hazards from these styles of eruption, including effusive and Strombolian styles as well as fountaining, are typically...

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Main Authors: Leah Courtland, Vanessa Bump
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Applied Volcanology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13617-025-00154-3
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author Leah Courtland
Vanessa Bump
author_facet Leah Courtland
Vanessa Bump
author_sort Leah Courtland
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Scoria cones are the most common volcanic landform on Earth. While eruptive styles range from effusive to explosive, the low-energy spectrum of activity is best documented. Hazards from these styles of eruption, including effusive and Strombolian styles as well as fountaining, are typically restricted to a relatively small area about the cone. However, it is the more explosive, violent Strombolian to sub-Plinian styles of eruption that result in sustained ash columns capable of disrupting aviation and distributing ash on the ground over larger regions. To increase our understanding of these higher-explosivity events, we must come to a better understanding of how commonly they occur, both temporally and geographically. Given that the scoria cone edifice itself is the longest-lasting remnant of any scoria cone eruption, it is important to use existing technologies to examine cone formation processes for evidence of sustained ash columns (indicative of regional hazards) within the geologic record. To this end, ground penetrating radar (GPR) techniques were employed at Crater Flat volcanic field, NV. While radar has previously been shown to be a valuable tool on fresh ( < 150 year old) scoria deposits, this work uses the technique on older ( > 100 ka) cones. Results indicate complex eruptive and erosive histories, and clearly indicate the utility of the GPR method in elucidating the stories of older cones and contributing to the growing body of knowledge concerned with high energy scoria cone volcanism.
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spelling doaj-art-a2717c3ba549447ca99cfb52b3cfca3e2025-08-20T03:31:45ZengBMCJournal of Applied Volcanology2191-50402025-06-0114111410.1186/s13617-025-00154-3Exploring the utility of GPR to document the explosive history of old (> 100 ka) scoria conesLeah Courtland0Vanessa Bump1Physics and Earth-Space Science, University of IndianapolisPhysics and Earth-Space Science, University of IndianapolisAbstract Scoria cones are the most common volcanic landform on Earth. While eruptive styles range from effusive to explosive, the low-energy spectrum of activity is best documented. Hazards from these styles of eruption, including effusive and Strombolian styles as well as fountaining, are typically restricted to a relatively small area about the cone. However, it is the more explosive, violent Strombolian to sub-Plinian styles of eruption that result in sustained ash columns capable of disrupting aviation and distributing ash on the ground over larger regions. To increase our understanding of these higher-explosivity events, we must come to a better understanding of how commonly they occur, both temporally and geographically. Given that the scoria cone edifice itself is the longest-lasting remnant of any scoria cone eruption, it is important to use existing technologies to examine cone formation processes for evidence of sustained ash columns (indicative of regional hazards) within the geologic record. To this end, ground penetrating radar (GPR) techniques were employed at Crater Flat volcanic field, NV. While radar has previously been shown to be a valuable tool on fresh ( < 150 year old) scoria deposits, this work uses the technique on older ( > 100 ka) cones. Results indicate complex eruptive and erosive histories, and clearly indicate the utility of the GPR method in elucidating the stories of older cones and contributing to the growing body of knowledge concerned with high energy scoria cone volcanism.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13617-025-00154-3Ground penetrating radarScoria coneViolent strombolian eruptionCrater flat volcanic field
spellingShingle Leah Courtland
Vanessa Bump
Exploring the utility of GPR to document the explosive history of old (> 100 ka) scoria cones
Journal of Applied Volcanology
Ground penetrating radar
Scoria cone
Violent strombolian eruption
Crater flat volcanic field
title Exploring the utility of GPR to document the explosive history of old (> 100 ka) scoria cones
title_full Exploring the utility of GPR to document the explosive history of old (> 100 ka) scoria cones
title_fullStr Exploring the utility of GPR to document the explosive history of old (> 100 ka) scoria cones
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the utility of GPR to document the explosive history of old (> 100 ka) scoria cones
title_short Exploring the utility of GPR to document the explosive history of old (> 100 ka) scoria cones
title_sort exploring the utility of gpr to document the explosive history of old 100 ka scoria cones
topic Ground penetrating radar
Scoria cone
Violent strombolian eruption
Crater flat volcanic field
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13617-025-00154-3
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