Deep long-period earthquakes discovered beneath Massif Central volcanoes

A recent study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, reveals atypical seismic signals beneath the volcanoes of the Massif Central. These signals, combined with the active presence of magma at depth, suggest that the magmatic reservoirs of the Chaîne des Puys and the Pavin “maar” (crater) may still be active, despite 6,700 years of volcanic rest.

Geological studies have shown that volcanic eruptions have affected the Massif Central over the last 65 million years, with its last eruption 6,700 years ago, at the origin of the Pavin maar. Since then, the region has been in a state of volcanic quiescence, dependent on the stability of the magmatic reservoirs presumed to be present in the crust and upper mantle.

Read more on the CNRS Terre & Univers website.

Contact GET: Sébastien Chevrot and Bastien Plazolles