SEISMOLOGY AND GEOLOGY ›› 2026, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (2): 540-560.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.20240134

• Research paper • Previous Articles     Next Articles

GRAVITY OBSERVATION DURING 2021—2023 AND MAGMA ACTIVITY IN CHANGBAISHAN-TIANCHI VOLCANO

HU Ya-xuan1)(), ZHANG Guo-qing1), XIONG Guo-hua1), ZHUANG Wen-quan1), FENG Bing1), KONG Qing-jun2)   

  1. 1) The Second Monitoring and Application Center, China Earthquake Administration, Xi'an 710054, China
    2) Jilin Earthquake Agency, Changchun 130022, China
  • Received:2025-03-10 Revised:2025-06-25 Online:2026-04-20 Published:2026-05-14

长白山天池火山2021—2023年流动重力观测及岩浆活动性分析

胡亚轩1)(), 张国庆1), 熊国华1), 庄文泉1), 冯兵1), 孔庆军2)   

  1. 1) 中国地震局第二监测中心, 西安 710054
    2) 吉林省地震局, 长春 130022
  • 作者简介:

    胡亚轩, 女, 1970年生, 硕士, 正高级工程师, 主要从事地形变机理研究, E-mail:

  • 基金资助:
    吉林长白山火山国家野外科学观测研究站研究课题(NORSCBE20-06); 国家自然科学基金(41972315)

Abstract:

Tianchi volcano at Changbai Mountain is the most eruption-prone Cenozoic active volcano in China. It experienced four major Holocene eruptions, among which the eruption around AD 946 is regarded as one of the largest worldwide in the past 2000 years. In recent years, Tianchi has shown clear signs of unrest, including a strong disturbance from 2002 to 2005 and a weaker episode from December 2020 to June 2021. The volcanic area remains under a compressional stress regime, and continued attention to regional stress conditions and magmatic activity is therefore warranted.
Gravity monitoring provides an effective means to track and investigate active volcanoes by constraining subsurface mass redistribution associated with magma and hydrothermal processes. Because magma originates in the mantle and differs in density from crustal rocks, its movement within the crust can produce microgravity changes of tens to hundreds of microgals. The observed gravity field reflects the combined effects of topography, lateral density variations within the crust and surrounding materials, and even contributions from upper-mantle structure. Differences in station elevation, changes in near-surface rock density, and magma migration(intrusion and withdrawal)can all drive measurable gravity variations, which can be quantified through high-precision repeat gravity surveys.
To assess current magmatic activity, the Second Monitoring and Application Center of the China Earthquake Administration conducted three phases of mobile gravity measurements in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Observations were collected using two Burris relative gravimeters with a nominal precision of 10×10-8m/s-2. Each campaign was carried out during July-August with the same instruments and a consistent observer team, thereby reducing potential influences from seasonal effects and operator-related differences. The results show that gravity changes from 2021 to 2022 ranged from -161.4 to 23.4μGal and were predominantly negative. From 2022 to 2023, changes ranged from -37.8 to 135.7μGal and were mainly positive. Over the full interval from 2021 to 2023, gravity variations ranged from -90.6 to 56.0μGal, with negative changes prevailing.
Gravity anomalies are observed within ~35km of the crater, implying the approximate extent of active magma/hydrothermal influence. Stations with changes exceeding 100μGal are concentrated within ~12km of the crater, which may reflect magma-related processes in an intermediate, roughly cylindrical conduit. The largest gravity change occurs west of the crater, suggesting the presence of a nearby deep fault. In addition, gravity changes on both sides of the crater show clustered patterns, potentially indicating activity associated with distinct slab-like magma bodies.
The combined analysis of gravity and deformation observations is widely used for long-term volcanic-hazard assessment because it provides complementary constraints on subsurface structure, mass redistribution, and/or pressure changes. The gravity-height change gradient(Δgh)directly reflects the balance between mass change and surface displacement and can be interpreted using established zoning based on the relationship between Δg and Δh. Data plotting in Zone Ⅰ (below the Bouguer-corrected free-air gradient, BCFAG) indicate subsidence with negative Δg, consistent with a decrease in density or mass(e.g., magma drainage, a falling water table, void generation, or vesiculation), implying a low likelihood of eruption. Zone Ⅱ (above the free-air gradient, FAG) also indicates subsidence but with positive Δg, reflecting increased density or mass(e.g., magma input, rising water table, dyke emplacement, bubble resorption, void filling, or hydrothermal cementation), likewise suggesting a low eruption probability. Zone Ⅲ (between FAG and BCFAG)corresponds to subsidence with positive Δg and is interpreted as increased density accompanied by decreased mass, which may result from magma drainage, a falling water table, or void closure and can be associated with summit-collapse potential. Gradients plotting along or close to the ordinate indicate shallow processes such as magma and/or gas fluctuations within feeder conduits, near-surface dyke emplacement, or hydrothermal activity.
Leveling and InSAR observations since 1992 indicate short-term deformation fluctuations but low long-term deformation rates during quiescent periods. Deformation is mainly concentrated near the crater, with localized contributions from fault activity. During 2021-2023, Tianchi remained in a quiescent state with minimal deformation. Based on the observed deformation behavior, Δgh is inferred to fall predominantly within Zone Ⅰ for 2021-2022 and Zone Ⅲ for 2022-2023. Given the large gravity changes and the small deformation amplitudes(within several tens of millimeters), Δgh is expected to plot close to the ordinate. After accounting for density constraints and excluding the influence of water bodies, the gravity variations are best explained by subsurface mass redistribution, suggesting ongoing magma and/or gas migration within transport conduits or along faults.
Integrating magnetotelluric, seismic, and gravity constraints on the crust-mantle magmatic system beneath the crater, we propose that the minor unrest in 2020-2021 increased seismicity, likely modulated by the surrounding compressional stress field. Rising magma may have partially reopened previously obstructed pathways and migrated into pre-existing reservoirs of different sizes and depths. This process could have induced micro-fracturing in the host rock, triggering earthquakes at multiple depths and producing regional gravity changes. After April 2021, seismicity returned to background levels. The presence of substantial gravity changes without pronounced deformation suggests that magma migration primarily involved intrusion into, or withdrawal from, pre-existing voids, fractures, or fault-related spaces. The negative gravity changes observed in 2021-2022 may reflect magma withdrawal and mass loss following the 2020-2021 unrest, whereas the positive changes in 2022-2023 suggest renewed ascent of melt under compressive loading, with magma filling existing voids and fault zones. Over 2021-2023, the dominant negative trend implies that the mass withdrawn in 2021-2022 exceeded the mass added in 2022-2023. Collectively, these results indicate that magmatic activity beneath Tianchi remains ongoing.

Key words: gravity, deformation, magma activity, magma system, Changbaishan-Tianchi volcano

摘要:

重力观测是了解火山岩浆活动状态的有效手段。2021、 2022和2023年长白山天池火山区开展了3期流动重力观测, 结果显示, 距火山口35km范围的点位出现重力变化, 说明火山区目前活动岩浆或热液可能的分布范围。2021—2022年的重力变化为-161.4~23.4μGal, 以负值变化为主, 推测经历2020—2021年火山小型扰动后, 上移岩浆的后撤和流失; 2022—2023年的重力变化为-37.8~135.7μGal, 以正值变化为主, 可能是受压应力环境再次影响, 熔融的岩浆沿着已有通道上移, 填充至既有孔隙或空间和断层。2个时间段多数点位变化超过50μGal, 远大于观测误差的影响; 重力变化量超过100μGal的点位主要位于以火山口为中心12km的范围内, 推测由中间圆柱状岩浆通道中的岩浆活动引起。火山口两侧点位的重力变化出现分群性, 可能由不同的平板状岩浆体活动引起。重力变化最大的点位于火山口西侧, 推测附近有深大断裂通过。天池火山区重力变化大, 形变量在几十毫米以下, 结合地球物理方法获取天池火山壳幔岩浆系统, 推测该时间段岩浆活动主要发生在相互联通的壳内岩浆囊与断层之间, 岩浆侵入或后撤至已存的孔隙或断层。2021—2023年2年尺度的重力变化范围为-90.6~56.0μGal, 主要以负值变化为主, 表明2021—2022年后撤和流失的岩浆多于2022—2023年上移填充的岩浆, 火山区现今岩浆仍处于活动状态。

关键词: 重力, 形变, 岩浆活动性, 岩浆系统, 长白山天池火山