Rapid dome growth at Montagne Pelée during the early stages of the 1902-1905 eruption: a reconstruction from Lacroix's data

Information obtained from various parts of the two books on Montagne Pelée by Lacroix enables an estimate to be made of the size of l'Etang Sec summit crater, the volume of the 1902-1905 lava dome and its growth rate at various stages of development. During the week preceding the 8 May nuée ardente, dome growth was between 28 and 38 m^sup 3^ s^sup -1^, leading to a volume of 17-23×10^sup 6^ m^sup 3^ on the morning of the catastrophe. Considering that significant parts of the dome (~1/3?) were removed by the 8 and 20 May climactic eruptions, a high magmatic flux could have continued until at least 27 May, when the total remaining volume was estimated to 53×10^sup 6^ m^sup 3^. After moderate activity in June-July (of order 10 m^sup 3^ s^sup -1^), vigorous dome growth resumed dramatically, leading to the third climactic eruption of 30 August (a true calculation for this period being not feasible because of poor quality of the data). From November 1902 to July 1903 most of the effusive activity was concentrated in the great spine (erupted volume ~15×10^sup 6^ m^sup 3^, magma flux 1.2 m^sup 3^ s^sup -1^), which was eventually destroyed by collapse and minor nuées ardentes. The end of the eruption was characterized by a very low effusion rate,