Volcano Observatory Best Practice Workshop
- Near Term Eruption Forecasting
- Near Term Eruption Forecasting
Lessons learned
from recent volcanic activity in Argentina
Elizabeth I. Rovere1, Lía
I. Botto2, María E. Canafoglia3, Mónica Rabolli4,
Gloria Pujol5, Roberto A. Violante6
1SEGEMAR, Dir.
Geología Regional. Av. Julio A. Roca 651, 10º Piso (C1067ABB) Buenos Aires,
Argentina. Email: eirovere @gmail.com
2Cequinor. Centro de Química Inorgánica
F.C.E.U.N.L.P. Av. 47 y 115
C .C.962-1900 La
Plata , Argentina.
3Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo,
U.N.L.P. Av. 60 y 122, La
Plata , Argentina.
4CONAE, Comisión Nacional de Actividades
Espaciales. Av. Paseo Colón 751 (1063) Buenos Aires, Argentina.
5Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, Ministerio
de Defensa. 25 de Mayo 658, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
6Servicio de Hidrografía Naval. Av. Montes de Oca 2124 (C1270ABV)
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Recent Andean historical
eruptions reflect the increasing tendency of eruption frequencies and northward
displacement along the Liquiñe-Ofqui
fault zone, gradually closer to the concentration of large cities. Argentina has a long
history of human and environmental impact by volcanic activity, because of its
territorial location, downwind Southern and Central Andes where 138 volcanoes are
active. Most of them are in Chile cordillera,
ash and pyroclastic products are transported eastward by predominant winds (the
Westerlies). Therefore ash fall is the main volcanic hazard in Argentina .
Ashes (and altered products such as zeolites and bentonites) constitute more
than 70% of Argentine soils, considered as one of the richest worldwide. Recent
examples of hazardous eruptions are synthesized as an approach to the problem.
In 1991 Hudson volcano ash plumes affected
most of Patagonia population and breeding
cattle with huge economical losses (e.g. Los Antiguos). During 2000, Copahue
volcano started a phreatomagmatic eruption, ash fall, lahars and PF hazarded
the population of Caviahue village (distant 8
Km from the
active crater, inside the inner rim of Del Agrio Caldera). Far from any
explanation, over 50 houses and hotels were built since then, accompanied by
intense ski tours promotions. In 2008, Chaitén volcano started an eruption (VEI
4) and extruded a volume of tephra of >1.7 x 108
m3 . In Chaiten town (Chile )
a destructive lahar forced the action of the ONEMI (Chile )
to evacuate over 4500 people in 72 hours. Fine grained ash fall (high silica -cristobalite-)
produce long term health hazard which effects are not well known yet. A special
attention is needed to attend children´s health in vulnerable mountainside
populations. Recently, in June 2011 Puyehue - Cordón del Caulle fissure
eruptions and ash plumes produced impact in large cities, Bariloche was covered by ash, and plumes reached
Buenos Aires (1500 Km eastward)
forcing closures of local and international airports, for weeks.
Our purpose is to increase the acceptance of research projects including tephrology (EDS–SEM, geochemistry, sedimentology, mathematical dispersal models, hazard mapping, etc.), also a fluent network interaction betweenChile and Argentina volcanic
organizations. Furthermore, an international communication is necessary to
coordinate not only emergencies but preventive volcano monitoring systems and
post-eruption social relegation, usually resulting in self-evacuations and/or
psychological depression. The mentioned examples allow us to conclude that the
Andean region is one of the examples to prioritize best practices organizative
centers focused on public health; 1) prevention, 2) planning and 3) scientific
support. A Volcanic Observatory in Argentina through
these 3 points: will center the database, immediate report, open information to
communities, perform decisions and create synergy and interaction among
scientific institutions, authorities and vulnerable communities.
Our purpose is to increase the acceptance of research projects including tephrology (EDS–SEM, geochemistry, sedimentology, mathematical dispersal models, hazard mapping, etc.), also a fluent network interaction between