Geologic Publications for Mount Rainier
Fumarole-ice dynamics in cryo-speleology on volcanic edifices—Mount Rainier, Washington, USA
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Author(s):
Lee J. Florea,
Andreas Pflitsch,
Eduardo Cartaya,
Christian Stenner
Category: PUBLICATION
Document Type: Volume IV - Glacier, firn and ice caves
Publisher: 18th International Congress of Speleology, Symposium 12, Savoie Mont Blanc 2022
Published Year: 2022
Volume:
Number:
Pages: 345 to 348
DOI Identifier:
ISBN Identifier:
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Abstract:
The persistent fumarole ice caves nearly circumnavigating the East Crater of Mount Rainier in the Cascade Volcanic Arc in Washington, USA, are a natural laboratory to study the dynamic equilibrium between thermal flux and glacial ice. The large circum‐crater passage connects to entrances on the crater rim by steep transverse passages, and fumarole gas convection and advection maintains the cave passage distribution and morphology. Between August 2016 and August 2017, we collected hourly data using remote sondes that include temperatures at three fumarole, cave air temperature and pressure, water temperature and depth in an in‐cave meltwater lake, and the outside temperature and snow depth at Paradise Visitors Center. Correlation and wavelet analyses of these data reveal complex associations between patterns of weather, fumarole activity, and lake level. At longer scales, fumarole temperatures behave largely independently and connected to spatial and temporal changes in volcanic heat flux and glacial melt circulation. At the scale of individual storm‐events, major snowfalls seal the cave entrances, increasing cave air temperature and pressure from fumarole output and causing rising lake levels from increased melt until entrances reopen. Repeating freeze‐thaw cycles observed in the cave monitoring data are a primary cause of crater mass‐wasting.
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In Text Citation:
Florea and others (2022) or (Florea et al., 2022)
References Citation:
Florea, L.J., A. Pflitsch, E. Cartaya, and C. Stenner, 2022, Fumarole-ice dynamics in cryo-speleology on volcanic edifices—Mount Rainier, Washington, USA: Volume IV - Glacier, firn and ice caves, 18th International Congress of Speleology, Symposium 12, Savoie Mont Blanc 2022, pp. 345-348.