Preliminary Study on Magnetic Structure and Geothermal

Activity of Tyatya Volcano, Southwestern Kuril Islands

Noritoshi Okazaki1, Hiroaki Takahashi2, Kenji Nogami3, Hiromitsu Oshima2,
Hiromu Okada2, and Minoru Kasahara2

We carried out reconnaissance surveys of the magnetic and geothermal fields on

Tyatya volcano, Kunashiri Island, southwestern Kuril Islands. Two characteristic
features were in the magnetic anomalies: topography dependent ones and locally
scattered ones of which origin was unknown. Modeling of the topography depen-
dent anomalies indicates that the Tyatya edifice is uniformly magnetized with
magnetization of 7 A/m and any significant anomalies, that suggest the existence
of thermally demagnetized parts, are not found. The result agrees with low heat
discharge rate of 0.6 Mw from volcano surface. Judging from these ground-based
data, it can be concluded that the volcanic activity of the shallower part of Tyatya
volcano is very inactive at present.

Introduction several succeeding eruptions in 1974, 1975, 1978 and 1981,

volcanic activity has seemed to be calm.
Tyatya volcano, at the Kunashiri Island in southwestern It is important to monitor the volcano because eruptive
edge of the Kuril volcanic chain, a typical island arc vol- ash from this volcano possibly causes fatal hazard to jet
cano associated with the subducting Pacific plate, and is aircrafts flying the north Pacific air routes between Asia
the largest and highest (1822m) composite stratovolcano and North America. However, there had been little data
in the southwestern Kuril arc (Figure 1). Initial historical concerning this volcano, because the volcano is located
eruption was recorded in 1812. Nakagawa et al. [2002] in a remote place, far from human habitation. Therefore,
summarized this eruption spouted lava flow from the cen- we are obliged to make geophysical/geological studies
tral cone and partially filled summit caldera. Recent major without delay.
eruption (VEI=4) occurred in 1973 at both the northern Magnetic survey is one of the basic methods to inves-
and southern f lanks with sub-Plinian and Strombolian tigate magnetic subsurface structure and to delineate
explosions [Markhinin et al., 1974, Abdurakhmanov and thermal condition within volcanic body because the mag-
Steinberg, 1999]. This was the largest eruption in the netization of rocks is strongly sensitive to the temperature
southwestern Kuril Islands during the 20th century. After [e.g. Nishida and Miyajima, 1984]. Heat discharge measur-
ing on ground surface provides another basic parameter
to estimate state of thermal condition of volcano interior.
1  eological Survey of Hokkaido, Sapporo, 060-0819, Japan
G These data may play important roles to the geophysical
([email protected]) understanding of volcano structure and status.
2 I nstitute of Seismology and Volcanology, Graduate School of
International cooperative volcanological research explo-
Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan
3 Volcanic Fluid Research Center, Tokyo Institute of Technology, ration on Tyatya volcano between Japan and Russia was
Kusatsu, 377-1711, Japan done from 30 July to 3 August 1999. Using this occasion,
we carried out reconnaissance surveys of geomagnetic
Volcanism and Subduction: The Kamchatka Region and geothermal fields during this expedition. In this short
Geophysical Monograph Series 172
Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union paper we report preliminary results of magnetic structure
10.1029/172GM25 and geothermal aspects of Tyatya volcano.
365
366 Tyatya Volcano, Southwestern Kuril Islands

Figure 1. Map showing the Kuril volcanic chain and the topography of Tyatya volcano. Four open circles show the
craters (N1, N2, S1 and S2) formed by the 1973 explosive eruption.

Magnetic and geothermal surveys In addition to above, several measured values vary widely
near the caldera rim and around S2 crater as shown in bro-
We observed magnetic total force intensity using the ken ellipses in Figure 2b.
Gem System Overhauser proton magnetometer GSM-19 It was difficult to determine the reference value to extract
with 0.1 nT sensitivity and 0.01 nT resolutions. A mean the anomalies caused by the volcanic edifice from the
value of two to four times measurements was regarded as observed values because the regional magnetic anomalies
the geomagnetic field at each point. In the measurements, have not been measured. Therefore, a field intensity of
the height of the sensor was fixed at 2 m. We applied no 49,000 nT was assumed as a reference value based on the
corrections for diurnal variations amplitudes of several tens mean value observed at three points on the southern foot
of nanotesla at most because the observed anomalies were of the volcano.
up to several thousands of nanotesla as shown in Figure We carried out geothermal survey at the central cone
2. Geographical locations of each observation point were in summit caldera and the S2 crater where was formed
determined from standard point positioning technique by by 1973 explosive eruption (Figure 1). There were no
Garmin GPS receiver with accuracy less than 30 m. geothermal manifestations along a geomagnetic profile
We measured 30 points along the A-B profile of a south- except for two places. Surface temperatures were mea-
eastern slope of the volcanic edifice and in the summit sured using a thermal imaging camera, Thermo Tracer
caldera as shown in Figure 2a. However, we could not TH5104 by NEC Sanei Instruments with 2.2 micro radian
established observation points on northern side of the vol- instantaneous field of view, and a thermistor thermometer.
cano because of a limited schedule for observation. Figure Visible but weak fumarolic activities were observed in and
2b shows the total force intensity with topography along around the crater of summit cone. Observed maximum
the profile A-B. This indicates a general tendency that the temperature in this area was 93 °C, which was equal to the
total force intensity increases with topographical elevation. boiling point. Total heat discharge rate on summit cone
 okazaki et al. 367

Magnetic structure of Tyatya volcano

As mentioned above, magnetic anomalies are classified by

the following two types: (1) correlated with the topographical
altitude, (2) scattered observed at the outer slope near the
summit caldera rim and around the S2 crater (Figure 2b).
In many case, volcano edifice is approximated by a circular
cone [e.g. Nishida and Miyajima, 1984]. One can calculate
the magnetic anomalies on the surface of a magnetized circu-
lar cone by Rikitake and Hagiwara [1965]. Surface geology
showed that this volcano was composed of basaltic-andesitic
and andesitic lava flows and pyroclastic ejecta [Nakagawa
et al., 2002]. However, we have little knowledge about the
inner geological structure and do not have any information
about the rock magnetization of Tyatya volcano. In addition,
the present magnetic survey covered only a limited area.
Therefore, we made simple model calculations assuming
circular cones for the convenience of comparison between
observed and calculated anomalies as shown in Figure 3.
Model I represents a uniformly magnetized circular cone,
while model II and III show magnetized circular cones of
which central part are replaced by weakly and strongly mag-
netized cylinders, respectively. Figure 3 indicates calculated
magnetic anomaly pattern on the surface of the topography
along the profile A-B (NW-SE direction), assuming the
cones are magnetized in the same direction as the geomag-
netic field in the region concerned (inclination is 57°).
Among the three models, model II should be rejected
because the calculated anomalies indicate sharp decrease
to minus values from the summit caldera rim toward the
caldera floor, in contrast to the observed anomalies. Sharp
increase of the calculated anomalies at the southern caldera
rim for model III can not reproduce the observed ones. In
conclusion, the uniformly magnetized edifice (model I) is
most preferable between three models, although the model
is by no means unique. In more detail, the Tyatya edifice is
approximated by three piled up cones, U, M and L as shown
Figure 2. a: Map showing the survey area. Solid circles show the
in Figure 4. Magnetization intensity of the edifice is adjusted
observation points of the magnetic total force intensity. Dashed
to 7 A/m to match anomaly amplitudes by trial-and-error
lines show a crater rim of central cone and a summit caldera rim.
b: Magnetic total force intensity (solid circle) along the profile A-B procedure (Figure 4). The estimated magnetization is reason-
in Fig.2a is shown, with the topographic cross-section of Tyatya able for basaltic-andesite rock.
volcano. The solid circles surrounded by two broken ellipses show
the magnetic fields around the caldera rim and the S2 crater. Discussions and concluding remarks

was estimated as 0.6 Mw through the geothermal images Estimated reasonable model (Figure 4) implied that the
using equations proposed by Kagiyama et al. [1979]. summit caldera was not filled by weakly magnetized materi-
This value indicated low geothermal activity in this part. als. Nakagawa et al. [2002] proposed that the summit caldera
Though the sulfur sublimations were recognized in the S2 had been formed as a result of cylinder-like subsidence
crater, we could not observe any geothermal anomalies of the summit caused by migration and/or drain back of
there, indicating the geothermal activity had been termi- magma toward the reservoir just beneath the summit. Several
nated in this crater. examples of this phenomenon, i.e. Katmai [Abe, 1992] and
368 Tyatya Volcano, Southwestern Kuril Islands

Figure 3. Schematic illustration of magnetic anomaly models along the profile A-B (NW-SE direction) in Fig.2a. Mag-
netic inclination is assumed to be 57°. I: A uniformly magnetized circular cone, II: a magnetized circular cone with
weakly magnetized cylinder, and III: a magnetized circular cone with strongly magnetized cylinder.

Miyakejima volcanoes [Furuya et al, 2003], indicate that area. As Tyatya volcano has no such a cylinder-like depres-
this case forms deeper cylinder-like calderas on the summit sion on the summit, the following volcanic activities must
have refilled this depression and the crater fill must have
the same magnetization as the edifice: the crater fill may
not be originated from the fall back ashes on dacitic magma
because model II was rejected. Therefore, it is suggested that
the magma component before and after the crater formation
has been not too invariant.
The 1973 eruption was started at 12:10 (local time) from
N1 and N2 maars at the northern f lank of this volcano
(Figure 1). This eruptive stage had continued only less than
3–5 hours. After several hours, new eruptions restarted from
the S1 and S2 craters at the southern flank (Figure 1).
Considering the low heat discharge rate (0.6 Mw) and
the magnetic anomalies which do not support the thermal
demagnetization, the thermal activity is low in the shallower
part of Tyatya volcano. Negligible seismicity observed by
Hokkaido University also supports the low thermal activity
after the 1973 event [Kasahara et al, 1986]. However, we
should take special precautions against eruption because
Tyatya volcano has sometimes erupted with few precursors
like the 1973 event, which may be caused by rapid magma
intrusion from deeper part.
Figure 4. Observed (solid circles) and model (solid curve) mag-
netic field along the profile A-B in Fig.2a are shown, with the
corresponding model cross-section of Tyatya volcano which is Acknowledgements. This survey was carried out by complete
composed of three circular cones U, M and L. The solid circles support of Asahi Shinbun Company as a part of the Japan-Rus-
surrounded by two broken ellipses show the magnetic anomalies sia Joint Scientific Study of Tyatya Volcano in Kunashiri Island
around the summit caldera and the S2 crater. in 1999, which is specialist exchange of the visa-free exchanges
 okazaki et al. 369

of Japan and Russia. We would like to thank K. Takahashi, H. Kagiyama, T., K. Uhira, T. Watanabe, F. Masutani, and M. Yama-
Hayashi and other members of the secretariat of the company. We guchi, Geothermal survey of the Volcanoes Kirishima, Bull.
are also much indebted to staff of the Kuril Conservation State Earthq. Res. Inst., Univ. Tokyo, 54, 187–210, 1979 (in Japanese
of Nature and members of the Sapporo Alpinist Society for their with English abstract).
logistic support during the fieldwork. We express our gratitude Kasahara, M., T. Ogawa, and S. Suzuki, Seismic swarm imme-
deeply for being able to carry out this survey by the understand- diately before and in the early stage of the 1973 great eruption
ing of Japanese Government Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hok- of volcano TiaTia, Kunashiri Island, Geophys. Bull. Hokkaido
kaido government, and Russian government. We are thankful to Univ., 49, 33–40, 1996 (in Japanese with English abstract).
anonymous reviewer and Dr. Evgenii Gordeev for their construc- Markhinin, E. K., Y. A. Anikiev, V. M. Grannik, et al., Eruption
tive comments. Figures were partially drawn using GMT software of Tyatya volcano, in Kuril Isles in July of 1973, Geologiya
[Wessel and Smith, 1995]. Geofizika, 10S, 20–31. 1974 (in Russian).
Nakagawa, M., Y. Ishizuka, T. Kudo, M. Yoshimoto, W. Hirose, Y.
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