Automated identification, location, and volume estimation of rockfalls at Piton de la Fournaise volcano

Researchers developed automated methods to identify, locate, and estimate the volume of rockfalls at Piton de la Fournaise Volcano using seismic signals. These methods achieved a 92% success rate in discriminating rockfall events from other seismic activity and accurately located observed rockfalls within 100 meters. By analyzing seismic energy, the study estimated volumes for 12,422 rockfalls occurring between April 2007 and May 2011, identifying the most hazardous areas of the volcano's summit. The approach combined fuzzy set theory for event discrimination, kurtosis-based signal picking, and surface-wave propagation modeling to enhance hazard assessment.

Hibert, C., Mangeney, A., Grandjean, G., Baillard, C., Rivet, D., Shapiro, N. M., Satriano, C., Maggi, A., Boissier, P., Ferrazzini, V., & Crawford, W. (2014). Automated identification, location, and volume estimation of rockfalls at Piton de la Fournaise volcano. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 119(5), 1082–1105. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013jf002970