Model of a New Peripheral Near-Surface Magmanic Chamber of the Elbrus Volcanic Center

Abstract

Intracrustal magmatic structures have pronounced resonant properties, due to which these structures are able to generate secondary seismic waves at their own frequencies. Based on strain data obtained with a 75-meter laser interferometer ‒ strainmeter, resonance modes are identified and parameters of magmatic structures of the Elbrus volcanic center are estimated. Such resonant modes are unique for each magmatic formation and determine the size and physical-mechanical properties of this magmatic structure. This paper analyzes the local formation, which manifested itself as a some compact area of numerous weak seismic pulses registered in the Elbrus region by the seismometers of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2011. The results of studies based on seismic and strain data, as well as the results of microseismic sounding, showed the presence of a new peripheral near-surface magmatic chamber in the Elbrus volcanic center. The characteristic size of this new magmatic chamber is 2.5‒3 km.