for a crustal magma reservoir beneath the upper east rift

An anomalous body with low Vp (compressional wave velocity), low Vs (shear wave velocity), and high Vp/Vs anomalies is observed at 8–11 km depth beneath the upper east rift zone of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii by simultaneous inversion of seismic velocity structure and earthquake locations. We interpret this body to be a crustal magma reservoir beneath the volcanic pile, similar to those widely recognized beneath mid-ocean ridge volcanoes. Combined seismic velocity and petrophysical models suggest the presence of 10% melt in a cumulate magma mush. This reservoir could have supplied the magma that intruded into the deep section of the east rift zone and caused its rapid expansion following the 1975 M7.2 Kalapana earthquake. GEOLOGY, March 2014; v. 42; no. 3; p. 1–4; Data Repository item 2014066 | doi:10.1130/G35001.1 | Published online XX Month 2013 © 2013 eological Society of America. For permission to copy, contact Copyright Permissions, GSA, or [email protected]. as doi:10.1130/G35001.1 Geology, published online on 10 January 2014