Post-eruptive thermal evolution of the Tajogaite volcano and its relationship with volcano-structural settling

The 2021 eruption of the Tajogaite volcano (La Palma, Canary Islands) produced a new volcanic cone whose post-eruptive thermal evolution and structural adjustment remain active processes of considerable scientific interest.  Characterising how surface temperature patterns evolve over time and how they relate to morphological changes is essential for understanding the stabilization phase of newly formed volcanic edifices. 

This study aims to provide a preliminary assessment of the post-eruptive thermal evolution of the Tajogaite cone and to explore its potential relationship with volcano-structural settling. 

The analysis integrates multi-temporal UAV-derived thermal imagery and digital elevation models (DEMs). Four thermal UAV surveys acquired at different post-eruptive stages were processed and homogenized in terms of spatial reference, resolution, and alignment to ensure temporal comparability. Two representative periods were selected to analisechanges in surface temperature distribution, while DEMs from two different dates were used to assess morphological variations. Data pre-processing included reprojection, resampling, and quality control procedures, whose reliability was evaluated through statistical comparisons and profile-based analyses. Thermal difference maps and elevation change analyses were subsequently generated. 

The results reveal spatially coherent thermal patterns and detectable differences between the analysed periods, consistent with an overall cooling tendency and localized morphological adjustments. These patterns suggest a spatial relationship between surface temperature evolution and structural changes of the volcanic cone, although the magnitude and significance of these relationships require further investigation. 

Although preliminary, the results indicate that the combined use of UAV-based thermal data and DEMs is a suitable approach for monitoring post-eruptive volcanic cones. The proposed workflow provides a reproducible methodological framework that may support future, more detailed analyses of cooling dynamics and volcano-structural evolution in newly formed volcanic landforms.