The volcanoseismic swarms of 1981-1983 in the Tahiti-Mehetia area, French Polynesia.

During the years 1981-1983, three intense seismic swarms occurred at the presumed location of the Society Island hot spot. The 1981 swarm featured 4000 earthquakes, maximum magnitude M_L = 4.3 near Mehetia; the 1982 swarm of >9000 events occurred along the flank of the major Teahitia in 1983 involved 3000 events. Features in the evolution of the Mehetia swarm are generally consistent with the probable ascent of a magma body toward the surface. In the case of Teahitia, the recording of abundant tremors of both high and low frequency, particularly intense during the 1983 swarm, is directly similar to cases of documented volcanic eruptions. The swarms are interpreted as episodes of active volcanism, part of the process of building the next island in the chain. -after Authors