Comparative analysis of the impact of geological activity on astronomical sites of the Canary Islands, Hawaii and Chile

TL;DR

This study compares geological hazards like seismic and volcanic activity at major astronomical observatories in the Canary Islands, Hawaii, and Chile, highlighting differences in hazard levels and identifying the safest sites.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of geological hazards affecting key astronomical sites, emphasizing the relative safety of Roque de los Muchachos observatory.

Findings

Volcanic hazard is low at all sites.

Seismic hazard is very high in Chile and Hawaii.

Roque de los Muchachos has the lowest geological hazard.

Abstract

An analysis of the impact of seismic and volcanic activity was carried out at selected astronomical sites, namely the observatories of El Teide (Tenerife, Canary Islands), Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma, Canary Islands), Mauna Kea (Hawaii) and Paranal (Chile) and the candidate site of Cerro Ventarrones (Chile). Hazard associated to volcanic activity is low or negligible at all sites, whereas seismic hazard is very high in Chile and Hawaii. The lowest geological hazard in both seismic and volcanic activity was found at Roque de los Muchachos observatory, in the island of La Palma.