Tephra, Lava flow, Nuee Ardente and Lahar Hazard Zoning of Damavand Volcano

Damavand is one of the most potential volcanoes of Iran for future eruption. Such indicators as having a slightly- eroded cone, presence of many thermal springs, eruption activity in Late Quaternary, as well as the progression of the generating tectonic regime, all, attest this claim. The intensity of eruption is anticipated to be about 3-5 in Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) scale. As a result, such hazards as tephra (ash), nuee ardente, lava flow and lahar may pose problems. Thus, this study deals with zoning these hazards. For zoning, Digital Elevation Models (DEM= 30 m), Landsat ESTM+ pictures as well as Arc GIS, ENVI and VORIS softwares were employed, and  for construction of nuee ardente- hazard zoning, Malin and Sheridan (1982) model were used. Atmospheric data for the spread of ashes were taken for NCER/NCAR center. Lava flow routes were determined using a simulation model which is based on the assumption that topography plays the main role on the route of flow, and lavas flow from a point to the nearby one if their differences are positive. In order to construct lahar hazard map, locations of main troughlines on the cone and around the volcano were determined and lahar invasion areas were determined using a proper buffer zone. Based on this study, volcanic ash plume will form at the east of volcano and a number of towns and villages would be threatened. Lava flows and nuee ardentes would threaten some villages around the cone. Lahars would flow via throughlines on the cone and arrive the main vallies around it (Hezar and Delichai). They would threaten many residential areas in their route. The prepared hazard maps are useful and necessary for management of these hazards.