Numerical simulation of tephra transport and deposition of the 1982 El Chichón eruption and implications for hazard assessment

El Chichón volcano, Chiapas, Mexico, erupted explosively on March 29th, 1982, after a repose period of about 550 years. Amongst ten eruptive episodes documented between March 29th and April 4th, only the three that occurred on March 29th and April 4th produced significant pyroclastic tephra deposits. Here we use analytical (HAZMAP) and numerical (FALL3D) tephra transport models to reconstruct the deposits and the atmospheric plume dispersal associated with the three main fallout units of the 1982 eruption. On the basis of such a reconstruction, we produce hazard maps of tephra fallout associated to a Plinian eruption and discuss the implications of such a severe eruption scenario.

► Reconstruction of the key parameters of the 1982 El Chichon eruption with HAZMAP code ► Characterization of the eruption plume dynamics by means of FALL3D, based on the BPT ► Reconstruction of the distal deposits and the large atmospheric dispersal of fine ash ► Production of tephra load probability maps for two Plinian eruption scenarios