Multi-sensor geophysical observations resolve lahar dynamics remotely at Volcán de Fuego, Guatemala
Abstract
Abstract Lahars are rapid flows of water and volcanic debris that threaten communities near active volcanoes, yet their onset and downstream evolution are rarely resolved in real-time. Here we integrate seismic, infrasonic and video observations to track a rainfall-triggered lahar in the Río Ceniza channel at Volcán de Fuego, Guatemala. Infrasound array detections locate an early acoustic source in the upper catchment and precede detection at the first permanent downstream seismic station by approximately 21 minutes. Independent seismic, infrasonic and video measurements constrain upper-reach propagation at 5±1 m s-1, while seismic data alone indicate 4.0 m s-1 for a coherent downstream flow pulse. Inversion of high-frequency seismic energy is consistent with a downstream reduction in effective coarse-particle transport and flow dilution across the transition from a narrow, steep and confined upper section of the channel to a wider, lower-gradient reach. Flow reorganisation appears additionally controlled by a 25 m bedrock step between the two reaches, which may act as a temporary buffer for transported sediment. Our observations show how channel morphology modulates lahar dynamics and how integrated seismic, acoustic and video observations can provide process-based constraints on flow detection, propagation and downstream sediment-transport evolution in active volcanic channels.
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