Edifice strength and magma transfer modulation at Piton de la Fournaise volcano

Piton de la Fournaise volcano exhibits nonlinear magma transfer dynamics, where strain weakening during distal eruptions triggers horizontal magma movement and resets eruptive cycles. The study used Drücker-Prager elastoplastic rheology to model the volcanic edifice, revealing that friction angles shift from 15° during distal eruptions to >30° in interdistal periods, indicating plastic deformation in the eastern flank relaxes elastic stress. This challenges the linear elasticity paradigm, suggesting magma transfer discretization arises from the volcano's nonlinear response rather than supply changes alone.

Got, J.-L., Peltier, A., Staudacher, T., Kowalski, P., & Boissier, P. (2013). Edifice strength and magma transfer modulation at Piton de la Fournaise volcano. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 118(9), 5040–5057. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrb.50350