Taupo

[Manukau heads obs]

I see there are lots of earthquakes in the SW Lake Taupo area currently
Swarm of them by the looks (most are small but been some bigger ones)
described as worse for decades

https://www.geonet.org.nz/volcano/info/taupo

even eye witness accounuts of lines pumic in the lake (like from under water landslides)

[Rogue]

Certainly is a significant swarm. Where did you see that report of pumic?

[Manukau heads obs]

Where did you see that report of pumic?

from inlaws (via phone) who have a great view of the lake from Omori (NW of Turangi)
they could see it (line of pumice) with binoculars, it showed up after one of the bigger quakes

[Nev]

These swarms are very common around that area according to GeoNet…

'Update: Swarm to west of Tokaanu (Turangi) continues'

[Manukau heads obs]

they must have only just put out that info, as I could not find anything else up to now
common, yes, but not normally as bad as this one has been

[Nev]

GeoNet have been blogging about them since Friday (see blogs).

I've spent many summers in the past around the Atiamuri area north of Taupo, where, while alarming at first, swarms of shallow tremors up to around M3 are so common you often end up sleeping right through them…

[Manukau heads obs]

that map of where the swarm is concentrated..that is actually right under a volcanic hill
(the hill has a nice volcanic shape //cone top, to it (its the northern most of a lone of volcanic hills, Pihunga being the biggest (which looks like it has erupted not all that long ago as there is no vegetation growing in its crater)
so not sure why they say its not centered close to any volcanoes?

locals had trouble sleeping last night where this swarm is, as the tremors have been enough to know things off shelves

[Nev]

Yeah, there have been a few fairly decent sized and widely felt quakes over the last couple of days…

M3.0 - Feb 21, 4:58pm
M3.6 - Feb 21, 9:20pm
M3.8 - Feb 21, 9:36pm
M3.4 - Feb 22, 9:29am

Quake swarm near Turangi - Feb 13-23.jpg

(source)

[Manukau heads obs]

I would be concerned that swarm is right under a line of volcanic hills (one of which , the Waihi hill, has active steam vents on the side of it...so not sure why geo net is saying not occuring close to active volcanoes?)

[Manukau heads obs]

here is a good view of that line of volcanic hills

[Nev]

Yes, but that whole area is geothermal - there are steam-vents and geysers all over the place (we even use them to generate power). Doesn't mean they're related to volcanic activity though…

[David]

Yes, but that whole area is geothermal - there are steam-vents and geysers all over the place (we even use them to generate power). Doesn't mean they're related to volcanic activity though…

Agreed, and anyway, Geonet would be able to tell from the signals if they were volcanic earthquakes as they are quite distinct from tectonic earthquakes.

[Manukau heads obs]

the frequent small shallow quakes I would have thought is a signal of magma movement?

[Manukau heads obs]

https://www.wired.com/2015/08/whats-qua ... no-erupts/

the quakes tend to fit into these descriptions.. some even look like VT and LP ones

could be hydro thermal too

also these quakes are getting shallower (now 5km)

[jamie]

When tongariro went recently us forum members were saying it had to be volcanic and could lead to eruption but geo net downplayed it heavily until the eruption actually happened.

[Manukau heads obs]

it is much quieter now...for now...
will be interesting to see what happens now...
the swarm might be all but over ...or might go through another active phase...anybody's guess!

[Manukau heads obs]

on this page
https://www.geonet.org.nz/volcano/info/taupo/drums
at the very bottom
there is the Taupo RSAM & SSAM graphs
they show something different to the normal pattern has been happening

[Nev]

Below is a very good explanation of how RSAM and SSAM when used together help to identify volcanic tremors from regular earthquakes, wind and traffic noise…

'RSAM and SSAM' - GeoNet


Also this map shows the main known active fault-lines running through the area…

Taupo Active Fault Lines ℅ GeoNet.png

[Manukau heads obs]

some different looking tremors overnight...long lasting ones...which looked similar to what was seen before the hydro thermal eruption of the Te Mari crator if I remember rightly

[jamie]

Just felt one of these. Was a 2.4 7km deep. I'm down here for a wedding.

[jamie]

So the really interesting thing about this was about 5-10 minutes later there was a small mushroom cloud positioned towards the epicentre. It looked completely different to other clouds and was rising from a small point. It wasn't dirty and looked the same colour as other clouds. This makes me think there was a release of steam from the little quake?

[Manukau heads obs]

say what?
from the hill where the quakes are behind Omori?

[jamie]

Yep.....

[Manukau heads obs]

are you serious...and its not the champagne from the wedding talking, LOL
if so, we know someone with a drone who lives there and he could fly it over that hill to have a closer look maybe

[jamie]

Yea you talking about Will?

Yea I'll take a photo and circle where it was coming from. Could be complete coincidence or not. I'll try re draw the cloud to give a idea of size.