This paper considers the theoretical and experimental principles of a monitoring system for mud volcanoes using powerful vibroseismic
sources. A mathematical method has been developed to simulate magma chambers of arbitrary geometry with allowance for deep-seated
faults near the volcano, overlapping layers, etc. Results are reported from calculations of the seismic field for the source
zone of the Shugo mud volcano. Mathematical modeling served as a basis to develop a technique of vibroseismic sounding using
powerful controlled sources yielding a force of 40–100 tons on the ground. For the first time in the history of observations
on mud volcanoes, two mud volcanoes on land have been subjected to active vibroseismic sounding. These are the Akhtanizovskii
and Shugo volcanoes in the Taman’ mud-volcanic province. The results of experimental investigations are reported. Numerical
simulation has helped refine the earth model in the Shugo area, which was previously derived from vibroseismic sounding data.
Original Russian Text © B.M. Glinskii, A.L. Sobisevich, A.G. Fat’yanov, M.S. Khairetdinov, 2008, published in Vulkanologiya
i Seismologiya, 2008, No. 5, pp. 69–77.