Structure of Puy de Dôme volcano (Chaîne des Puys, France): towards a revised model
Abstract
The project TOMUVOL, aimed at developing a method for muonic tomography of volcanic edifices, has chosen the Puy de Dôme as an experimental test site. In fact, this volcano with a simple external shape has a complex internal structure that may allow testing the performances of this new method. The Puy de Dôme is a composite lava dome, about 11 ka old. It is composed of two distinct morphological units. The first one would consist of a classic bristled lava-dome whereas the second one would be a dome erected on the eastern flank of the first one, after a large flank collapse. However, between 2004 and 2011, fresh outcrops revealed by the building of touristic facilities on the summit and at the basis of the mountain, afforded the collection of new data inducing new questions. The field was then more systematically explored and the results of a LiDAR survey centred on the Puy de Dôme and recorded in March 2011 were examined.