Abstract
Precise 3D dilatometric monitoring began on the San Andrés megalandslide detachment plane on El Hierro, Canary Islands, during the winter of 2013. It has been found that this presumably aborted giant landslide creeps progressively at rates of up to 0.5 mm a−1, with accelerations following periods of seismicity and extreme rainfall. In addition, a detailed multidisciplinary investigation of the landslide detachment plane has found that silica and cataclastic layers were produced during a pair of discrete slip events at 545–430 ka and 183–52 ka. Furthermore, slope stability analysis has suggested that creep may result from the deformation of sedimentary layers in the ocean, while destabilisation of the volcanic flank would require an earthquake with an intensity of at least VII. Finally, simple tsunami modelling based on conservative scenarios has shown that even a comparatively small event could have severe ramifications along the coasts of northwest Africa and southwest Europe.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Apuani, T., Corazzato, C., Cancelli, A., & Tibaldi, A. (2005). Stability of a collapsing volcano (Stromboli, Italy): Limit equilibrium analysis and numerical modelling. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 144, 191–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2004.11.028
Benito-Saz, M., Parks, M., Sigmundsson, F., Hooper, A., & García-Cañada, L. (2017). Repeated magmatic intrusions at El Hierro Island following the 2011–2012 submarine eruption. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 344, 79–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2017.01.020
Blahůt, J., Balek, J., Eliaš, M., & Meletlidis, S. (2020a). 3D dilatometer time-series analysis for a better understanding of the dynamics of a giant slow-moving landslide. Applied Sciences, 10, 5469. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10165469
Blahůt, J., Balek, J., Klimeš, J., Rowberry, M., Kusák, M., & Kalina, J. (2019). A comprehensive global database of giant landslides on volcanic islands. Landslides, 16, 2045–2052. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-019-01275-8
Blahůt, J., Baroň, I., Sokoľ, L., Meletlidis, S., Klimeš, J., Rowberry, M., Melichar, R., García-Cañada, L., & Martí, X. (2018a). Large landslide stress states calculated during extreme climatic and tectonic events on El Hierro, Canary Islands. Landslides, 15, 1801–1814. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-0993-1
Blahůt, J., Jaboyedoff, M., & Thiebes, B. (2021). Novel approaches in landslide monitoring and data analysis. Applied Sciences, 11, 10453. https://doi.org/10.3390/app112110453
Blahůt, J., & Klimeš, J. (2022). Causes and triggers of mass-movements: Volcanic activity. Treatise in Geomorphology, 5, 254–282. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818234-5.00121-8
Blahůt, J., Klimeš, J., Rowberry, M., & Kusák, M. (2018b). Database of giant landslides on volcanic islands: First results from the Atlantic Ocean. Landslides, 15, 823–827. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-018-0967-3
Blahůt, J., Mitrovic-Woodell, I., Baroň, I., René, M., Rowberry, M., Blard, P.-H., Hartvich, F., Balek, J., & Meletlidis, S. (2020b). Volcanic edifice slip events recorded on the fault plane of the San Andrés Landslide, El Hierro, Canary Islands. Tectonophysics, 776, 228317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2019.228317
Blahůt, J., Olejár, F., Rott, J., & Petružálek, M. (2020b). Current stability modelling of an incipient San Andrés giant landslide on El Hierro, Canaries, Spain: First attempt using limited input data. Acta Geodynamica et Geomaterialia, 17, 89–99. https://doi.org/10.13168/AGG.2020.0006
Blahůt, J., & Quan Luna, B. (2021). Tsunami from the San Andrés Landslide on El Hierro, Canary Islands: First attempt using simple scenario. In K. Sassa, M. Mikoš, S. Sassa, P. Bobrowsky, K. Takara, & K. Dang (Eds.), Understanding and reducing landslide disaster risk. Volume 1: Sendai partnerships and Kyoto landslide commitment (pp. 369–376). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-60196-6_27
Cannon, E., & Bürgmann, R. (2001). Prehistoric fault offsets of the Hilina fault system, south flank of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii. Journal of Geophysical Research, 106(B3), 4207–4218. https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JB900412
Carracedo, J.-C., Rodríguez Badiola, E., Guillou, H., de la Nuez, H., & Pérez Torrado, F. (2001). Geology and volcanology of the western Canaries: La Palma and El Hierro. Estudios Geológicos, 57, 171–295. https://doi.org/10.3989/egeol.01575-6134
Carracedo, J.-C., & Troll, V. (2016). The geology of the Canary Islands (622 pp.). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2015-0-04268-X
Day, S., Carracedo, J.-C., & Guillou, H. (1997). Age and geometry of an aborted rift flank collapse: The San Andres fault system, El Hierro, Canary Islands. Geological Magazine, 134, 523–537. https://doi.org/10.1017/S001675689700724
del Potro, R., Hürlimann, M., & Pinkerton, H. (2013). Modelling flank instabilities on stratovolcanoes: Parameter sensitivity and stability analyses of Teide, Tenerife. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 256, 50–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2013.02.003
Ferrer, M., González de Vallejo, L., González, S., & Jimenéz, E. (2014). Stability and failure mechanisms of large land-slides in the volcanic islands flanks of the Canary Islands. In G. Lollino, D. Giordan, G. Crosta, J. Corominas, R. Azzam, J. Wasowski, & N. Sciarra (Eds.), Engineering geology for society and territory. Volume 2: Landslide processes (pp. 915–919). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09057-3_158
Guillou, H., Carracedo, J.-C., Pérez Torrado, F., & Rodríguez Badiola, E. (1996). K-Ar ages and magnetic stratigraphy of a hotspot-induced, fast grown oceanic island: El Hierro, Canary Islands. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 73, 141–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-0273(96)00021-2
Hildebrand, A., Marques, F., Catalão, J., Catita, C., & Costa, A. (2012). Large-scale active slump of the southeastern flank of Pico Island, Azores. Geology, 40, 939–942. https://doi.org/10.1130/G33303.1
Huber, A., & Hager, W. (1997). Forecasting impulse waves in reservoirs (pp. 993–1005). Commission Internationale des Grands Barrages, 19 Congres des Grands Barrages.
Huusgard, P., Caycedo, A., & Cai, M. (2015). Diamond impregnated drillbit performance in the lower basalt series offshore the Faroe Islands. A case study based on basalt outcrop testing (22 pp.). Conference Paper SPE-175880-MS, Society of Petroleum Engineers. https://doi.org/10.2118/175880-MS
Klimeš, J., Rowberry, M., Blahůt, J., Briestenský, M., Hartvich, F., Košťák, B., Rybář, J., Stemberk, J., & Štěpančíková, P. (2012). The monitoring of slow-moving landslides and assessment of stabilisation measures using an optical-mechanical crack gauge. Landslides, 9, 407–415. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-011-0306-4
Klimeš, J., Yepes, J., Becerril, L., Kusák, M., Galindo, I., & Blahůt, J. (2016). Development and recent activity of the San Andrés Landslide on El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain. Geomorphology, 261, 119–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2016.02.018
León, R., Somoza, L., Urgeles, R., Medialdea, T., Ferrer, M., Biain, A., García-Crespo, J., Mediato, J., Galindo, I., Yepes, J., González, F., & Gimenez-Moreno, J. (2017). Multi-event oceanic island landslides: New onshore-offshore insights from El Hierro Island, Canary Archipelago. Marine Geology, 393, 156–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2016.07.001
López, C., Blanco, M., Abella, R., Brenes, B., Cabrera Rodríguez, V., Casas, B., Domínguez Cerdeña, I., Felpeto, A., Fernández de Villalta, M., del Fresno, C., et al. (2012). Monitoring the volcanic unrest of El Hierro (Canary Islands) before the onset of the 2011–2012 submarine eruption. Geophysical Research Letters, 39, L13303. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051846
Martí, X., Rowberry, M., & Blahůt, J. (2013). A MATLAB code for counting the moiré interference fringes recorded by the optical-mechanical crack gauge TM-71. Computers & Geosciences, 52, 164–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2012.09.029
Masson, D., Watts, A., Gee, M., Urgeles, R., Mitchell, N., Le Bas, T., & Canals, M. (2002). Slope failures on the flanks of the western Canary Islands. Earth-Science Reviews, 57, 1–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0012-8252(01)00069-1
Meletlidis, S., Di Roberto, A., Domínguez Cerdeña, I., Pompilio, M., García-Cañada, L., Bertagnini, A., Benito-Saz, M., Del Carlo, P., & Sainz-Maza Aparicio, S. (2015). New insight into the 2011–2012 unrest and eruption of El Hierro Island (Canary Islands) based on integrated geophysical, geodetical, and petrological data. Annales Geophysicae, 58, S0546. https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-6754
Noda, E. (1970). Water waves generated by landslide. Journal of the Waterways, Harbors and Coastal Engineering Division, Proceedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 96, 835–855.
Owen, S., Segall, P., Lisowski, M., Miklius, A., Denlinger, R., & Sako, M. (2000). Rapid deformation of Kilauea Volcano: Global Positioning System measurements between 1990 and 1996. Journal of Geophysical Research, 105(B8), 18983–18998. https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JB900109
Stow, D. (2009). Deep-water turbidite systems. International Association of Sedimentologists Series (483 pp.). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444304473
Troll, V., & Carracedo, J.-C. (2016). The geology of El Hierro. In J.-C. Carracedo & V. Troll (Eds.), The geology of the Canary Islands (pp. 43–99). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809663-5.00002-5
Urlaub, M., Petersen, F., Gross, F., Bonforte, A., Puglisi, G., Guglielmino, F., Krastel, S., Lange, D., & Kopp, H. (2018). Gravitational collapse of Mount Etna’s southeastern flank. Science Advances, 4, eaat9700. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aat9700
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful for support from Mobility Plus Project no. FNRS-20-01, “Investigation, monitoring and modelling of the eastern incipient flank collapse of El Hierro volcano, Canary Islands”, 2020–2022.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Blahůt, J., Klimeš, J., Meletlidis, S., Balek, J., Rowberry, M., Baroň, I. (2023). A Decade of Monitoring and Research on the San Andrés Megalandslide on El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain. In: Malheiro, A., Fernandes, F., Chaminé, H.I. (eds) Advances in Natural Hazards and Volcanic Risks: Shaping a Sustainable Future. NATHAZ 2022. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25042-2_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25042-2_12
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-25041-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-25042-2
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)