4D seismic tomography unveiling velocity increase prior to seismic swarms at the Tatun volcano group of Taiwan

Abstract The Tatun Volcano Group (TVG) is in close proximity to the Taipei metropolitan area, which is home to over 7 million residents. Although there has been no recorded volcanic eruption in the TVG throughout human history, recent seismic observations suggest that it may still be active. To inve...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hsin-Chieh Pu, Cheng-Horng Lin, Ya-Chuan Lai, Min-Hung Shih, Yi-Heng Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02345-9
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850268637627154432
author Hsin-Chieh Pu
Cheng-Horng Lin
Ya-Chuan Lai
Min-Hung Shih
Yi-Heng Li
author_facet Hsin-Chieh Pu
Cheng-Horng Lin
Ya-Chuan Lai
Min-Hung Shih
Yi-Heng Li
author_sort Hsin-Chieh Pu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The Tatun Volcano Group (TVG) is in close proximity to the Taipei metropolitan area, which is home to over 7 million residents. Although there has been no recorded volcanic eruption in the TVG throughout human history, recent seismic observations suggest that it may still be active. To investigate possible volcanic seismicity and activity in the TVG, we conducted a 4-dimensional seismic tomography study using abundant seismic data collected from 2014 to 2021. We obtained 3D seismic velocity structures to examine both the temporal and spatial variations in seismicity each year. Our results show that the dramatic increase in seismicity in 2019 followed an increase in P-wave seismic velocity in the Dayoukeng fumarole area and Mt. Chihsin in 2018. This increase in seismic velocity may have been caused by rocks or sediments subjected to higher pressure beneath the TVG, resembling a pressure cooker on a flame. Thus, the sequential rise in both seismic velocity and seismicity strongly suggests that careful monitoring of temporal velocity variations in the volcanic area might provide an early warning of potential seismic swarms or volcanic activity in the future.
format Article
id doaj-art-ad96738fa94f4b43a80903751930df27
institution OA Journals
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-ad96738fa94f4b43a80903751930df272025-08-20T01:53:23ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111810.1038/s41598-025-02345-94D seismic tomography unveiling velocity increase prior to seismic swarms at the Tatun volcano group of TaiwanHsin-Chieh Pu0Cheng-Horng Lin1Ya-Chuan Lai2Min-Hung Shih3Yi-Heng Li4Seismological Center, Central Weather AdministrationInstitute of Earth Sciences, Academia SinicaTaiwan Volcano Observatory at Tatun, National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering, National Applied Research LaboratoriesTaiwan Volcano Observatory at Tatun, National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering, National Applied Research LaboratoriesGreen Energy & Environment Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research InstituteAbstract The Tatun Volcano Group (TVG) is in close proximity to the Taipei metropolitan area, which is home to over 7 million residents. Although there has been no recorded volcanic eruption in the TVG throughout human history, recent seismic observations suggest that it may still be active. To investigate possible volcanic seismicity and activity in the TVG, we conducted a 4-dimensional seismic tomography study using abundant seismic data collected from 2014 to 2021. We obtained 3D seismic velocity structures to examine both the temporal and spatial variations in seismicity each year. Our results show that the dramatic increase in seismicity in 2019 followed an increase in P-wave seismic velocity in the Dayoukeng fumarole area and Mt. Chihsin in 2018. This increase in seismic velocity may have been caused by rocks or sediments subjected to higher pressure beneath the TVG, resembling a pressure cooker on a flame. Thus, the sequential rise in both seismic velocity and seismicity strongly suggests that careful monitoring of temporal velocity variations in the volcanic area might provide an early warning of potential seismic swarms or volcanic activity in the future.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02345-9
spellingShingle Hsin-Chieh Pu
Cheng-Horng Lin
Ya-Chuan Lai
Min-Hung Shih
Yi-Heng Li
4D seismic tomography unveiling velocity increase prior to seismic swarms at the Tatun volcano group of Taiwan
Scientific Reports
title 4D seismic tomography unveiling velocity increase prior to seismic swarms at the Tatun volcano group of Taiwan
title_full 4D seismic tomography unveiling velocity increase prior to seismic swarms at the Tatun volcano group of Taiwan
title_fullStr 4D seismic tomography unveiling velocity increase prior to seismic swarms at the Tatun volcano group of Taiwan
title_full_unstemmed 4D seismic tomography unveiling velocity increase prior to seismic swarms at the Tatun volcano group of Taiwan
title_short 4D seismic tomography unveiling velocity increase prior to seismic swarms at the Tatun volcano group of Taiwan
title_sort 4d seismic tomography unveiling velocity increase prior to seismic swarms at the tatun volcano group of taiwan
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02345-9
work_keys_str_mv AT hsinchiehpu 4dseismictomographyunveilingvelocityincreasepriortoseismicswarmsatthetatunvolcanogroupoftaiwan
AT chenghornglin 4dseismictomographyunveilingvelocityincreasepriortoseismicswarmsatthetatunvolcanogroupoftaiwan
AT yachuanlai 4dseismictomographyunveilingvelocityincreasepriortoseismicswarmsatthetatunvolcanogroupoftaiwan
AT minhungshih 4dseismictomographyunveilingvelocityincreasepriortoseismicswarmsatthetatunvolcanogroupoftaiwan
AT yihengli 4dseismictomographyunveilingvelocityincreasepriortoseismicswarmsatthetatunvolcanogroupoftaiwan