IAVCEI 2013 Scientific Assembly - July 20 - 24, Kagoshima, Japan
Forecasting Volcanic Activity - Reading and translating the messages of nature for society

3P1_4G-O7

Room A4

Date/Time: July 23 16:30-16:45

Contribution of Volcano Monitoring to Public Health, Education, Tourism and Economic
Development in Argentina.
Elizabeth I. Rovere1 , Silvia M. Uber2 , Roberto A. Violante3 , Marcelo Vazquez Herrera4 , Paloma
Martinez Fernandez5 , GEVAS Argentina61SEGEMAR, Geological Survey of Argentina. draelizabethrovere@gmail.com, Argentina, 2 Ministeriode Educacion de la Provincia de Rio Negro. Bariloche., Argentina, 3 Servicio de Hidrografia Naval.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, 4 Consultor Independiente. Universidad Favaloro, Buenos Aires., Argentina,
5Universidad Nacional del Comahue. San Martin de los Andes y Neuquen., Argentina, 6 GEVAS
Argentina Grupo de Estudio de Volcanes, Ambiente y Salud., Argentina
E-mail: eirovere@gmail.com

Volcano monitoring does not necessarily imply a research study. Monitoring involves the attention to instrumental
maintenance-control, measurement and analysis for 24 Hrs, the 365 days a year. Each volcano has its own
characteristics and signatures that combine the features of the cyclicity of eruptive episodes, geochemistryof magma and gas, seismicity, and deformation.

To understand their behavior, not only geological andgeochronological research are necessary but a permanent seismological monitoring record for at least two years
even during inactivity. If previous long term monitoring had been developed, the harmful effects of the eruptionsof the Volcanoes Hudson (1991), Copahue (2000 and 2012-presently active), Chaiten (2008-2009), Cordon Caulle(2011-2012) could have been diminished or prevented. The duration of the activity and the likely volumes of ash
fall, based on the direction of prevailing winds, (according to the seasonal meteorological conditions, could have
prevented farmers and cattle breeders to reduce exposure of livestock and crops to ashfall. Human health impacts
affected a large population living in the regions of the extra-Andean Patagonia. Moreover, psychological assistancecould have been planned for vulnerable families in schools and hospitals. Preventive health care, integrated witha civil protection preparedness in communication with the scientific monitoring center, should be programmed.
The self-evacuations, homes and workplaces abandonment, livestock losses, tourism and flights cancellations
affected the imbalance of regional economies, mainly in the Argentine Patagonian provinces of Santa Cruz, Chubut,Neuquen and Rio Negro. In 1991 the Hudson Volcano expelled between 4 to 6 km3 of ash from August 11th to 15th,
leaving tephra deposits covering an area between 80,000 and 150,000 km2, one of the largest deposits of tephra inhistory. During 2008, Chaiten volcano ejected about 0.2 km3 (DRC) of tephra and Cordon Caulle Volcanic Complex
during the first 27 hours of the start of its activity in 2011, expelled from 0.2 to 0.4 km3 of magma (DRE). The Civil
Protection system, the provincial government authorities and the Nation can work in coordination with a National
Volcano Observatory (still inexistent in Argentina) led by professionals and technical specialists in the various areas
comprising the volcanic monitoring. During the 2011 Meeting of the VOBP and WOVO held in Sicily, it was statedthat every volcano should be monitored by seismology, deformation and gas,ash and water geochemistry. None ofthese parameters is independently sufficient diagnostic as an eruptive volcanic forecast. The volcano monitoring inpermanent interaction with Civil Protection applied to public health, education, tourism and the regional economies
is an outstanding debt on Argentina society.

©IAVCEI 2013 Scientific Assembly. All rights reserved.

1234