Modelling the lava dome extruded at Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, August 2005–May 2006: Part II: Rockfall activity and talus deformation

During many lava dome-forming eruptions, persistent rockfalls and the concurrent development of a substantial talus apron around the foot of the dome are important aspects of the observed activity. An improved understanding of internal dome structure, including the shape and internal boundaries of the talus apron, is critical for determining when a lava dome is poised for a major collapse and how this collapse might ensue. We consider a period of lava dome growth at the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, from August 2005 to May 2006, during which a  100 × 10⁶ m³ lava dome developed that culminated in a major dome-collapse event on 20 May 2006. We use an axi-symmetrical Finite Element Method model to simulate the growth and evolution of the lava dome, including the development of the talus apron. We first test the generic behaviour of this continuum model, which has core lava and carapace/talus components. Our model describes the generation rate of talus, including its spatial and temporal variation, as well as its post-generation deformation, which is important for an improved understanding of the internal configuration and structure of the dome. We then use our model to simulate the 2005 to 2006 Soufrière Hills dome growth using measured dome volumes and extrusion rates to drive the model and generate the evolving configuration of the dome core and carapace/talus domains. The evolution of the model is compared with the observed rockfall seismicity using event counts and seismic energy parameters, which are used here as a measure of rockfall intensity and hence a first-order proxy for volumes. The range of model-derived volume increments of talus aggraded to the talus slope per recorded rockfall event, approximately 3 × 10³–13 × 10³ m³ per rockfall, is high with respect to estimates based on observed events. From this, it is inferred that some of the volumetric growth of the talus apron (perhaps up to 60–70%) might have occurred in the form of aseismic deformation of the talus, forced by an internal, laterally spreading core. Talus apron growth by this mechanism has not previously been identified, and this suggests that the core, hosting hot gas-rich lava, could have a greater lateral extent than previously considered.     

State of the hydrothermal activity of Soufrière of Guadeloupe volcano inferred by VLF surveys

La Soufrière (1467 m) is the active island arc volcano of Guadeloupe Island in the Lesser Antilles arc. Its historical eruptions are more or less violent phreatic outbursts the last of which, in 1976–1977, led to the evacuation of nearly 70 000 persons. The subsurface structure of the volcano consists of calderas, craters, and avalanche amphitheatres nested within the composite pile of eruptive products. Since the last magmatic eruption, dated ca. 1440 AD, the four phreatic eruptions have developed radial fractures on Soufrière dome favouring the development of a huge active hydrothermal system emphasized by a tropical environment. After the eruptions, the thermal state and the stable ground water flow are completely disorganised during several years during which the slow mineralization of rocks is becoming again preponderant. Sealing of fractures and decay of rocks permeability act as a cap for upward thermal transfers. Therefore Soufrière dome operates as a valve, resealing the hydrothermal system underlying the volcano thus providing over pressurization that could lead to the next phreatic eruption. In 1992 new small seismic swarms have appeared. Several of them are recorded every year while the emission of acid gas slowly increases.In order to recognise the superficial electrical resistive and conductive zones (less than 100 m depth) as well as the cavities on Soufrière volcano, we have made Very Low Frequency (VLF) surveys in 2000. Electrical conductive zones are clearly associated with major radial faults starting from the summit in which the hydrothermal activity takes place. In the continuation of these active hydrothermal fractures hot springs are located down slope. Conversely some of the resistive zones are associated with inactive clayed and sealed or opened faults. The distribution of the conductive zones allows detailing the state of the superficial part of the hydrothermal system of La Soufrière. The distribution of vertical clayed zones associated with major faults supposes Soufrière dome constituted of more or less consolidated blocks joined side by side and lying on the hydrothermally floor of crater Amic.     

Chemistry of the crater lake during the 1971–1972 Soufrière eruption

During the 1971–1972 eruption of Soufrière volcano on St. Vincent Island, a lava mass was extruded subaqueously in the crater lake. An investigation of the chemistry of the lake indicates that over 50,000 tons of dissolved solids were taken into solution during the eruption, in addition to 9000 tons of iron precipitated as ferric oxide in syngenetic metalliferous sediments on the crater floor. Leaching of hot disintegrating lava and volcanic glass is the principal source of cations dissolved in the lake (Na, Ca, Mg, Si and K), whereas chlorine and sulfur were introduced during injection of acid volcanic gases from the submerged lava mass. Concentrations of the common cations in the lake are not affected by mineral solubility, except in the case of Fe³⁺, but rather by the rate of leaching, evaporation, and water-rock reactions. Variations in Cl/Na, total Cl and acidity have aided in identification of distinct fumarolic phases during the eruption, which may correlate with observed increase in frequency of minor volcanic tremors in the crater. Accumulation of ferric oxide in sediments on the crater floor is thought to be due to leaching of ferrous iron at high temperature from the lava mass, followed by oxidation and precipitation of hematite in the cooler lake.     

Ar–Ar geochronology of Santo Antão, Cape Verde Islands

Santo Antão, the northernmost island of the Cape Verde Archipelago, consists entirely of silica-undersaturated volcanic products and minor intrusions. ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar incremental heating experiments have been carried out on 24 samples that cover the entire exposed chronological sequence. The oldest lavas (7.57±0.56 Ma), representing an older volcanic basement, are exposed about 620 m above mean sea level. After an interval of quiescence of up to 4.3 Ma the volcanic activity resumed and continued at low eruption rates. The older basement is unconformably overlain by a ca. 810-m-thick lava sequence that spans an age range from 2.93±0.03 to 1.18±0.01 Ma. This sequence is cut by many dykes and sills. Simultaneous volcanic activity occurred in the northeastern, central and eastern part of the island. A phonolitic pumice deposit that forms a noteworthy feature over most of the island has an estimated age of 0.20 Ma. This predates volcanic activity that formed the highest point of the island (Tope de Coroa) which has an age of 0.17±0.02 Ma. The most recent eruption on the island formed nephelinitic lavas in the Porto Novo region at 0.09±0.03 Ma. The oldest volcanism exposed on Santo Antão, which took place about 7.6 Ma ago, was simultaneous with waning activity on Maio at the eastern end of the Cape Verde Archipelago.     

Geology and eruptive history of Unzen volcano, Shimabara Peninsula, Kyushu, SW Japan

During the past 500 thousand years, Unzen volcano, an active composite volcano in the Southwest Japan Arc, has erupted lavas and pyroclastic materials of andesite to dacite composition and has developed a volcanotectonic graben. The volcano can be divided into the Older and the Younger Unzen volcanoes. The exposed rocks of the Older Unzen volcano are composed of thick lava flows and pyroclastic deposits dated around 200–300 ka. Drill cores recovered from the basal part of the Older Unzen volcano are dated at 400–500 ka. The volcanic rocks of the Older Unzen exceed 120 km³ in volume. The Younger Unzen volcano is composed of lava domes and pyroclastic deposits, mostly younger than 100 ka. This younger volcanic edifice comprises Nodake, Myokendake, Fugendake, and Mayuyama volcanoes. Nodake, Myokendake and Fugendake volcanoes are 100–70 ka, 30–20 ka, and <20 ka, respectively. Mayuyama volcano formed huge lava domes on the eastern flank of the Unzen composite volcano about 4000 years ago. Total eruptive volume of the Younger Unzen volcano is about 8 km³, and the eruptive production rate is one order of magnitude smaller than that of the Older Unzen volcano.     

Magnetic measurements on La Soufriere Volcano, Guadeloupe (Lesser Antilles), 1976–1984: A re-examination of the volcanomagnetic effects observed during the volcanic crisis of 1976–1977

During the seismovolcanic crisis of 1976–1977 at La Soufrière on Guadeloupe, a magnetic network of 12 reference markers was set up. Measurements of the intensity of the earth's magnetic field, carried out up to once a day at each marker, showed volcano-magnetic variations of several nanoteslas (nT). The variations, at certain markers, were more or less concealed by transient magnetic variations due to anomalies in conductivity. As early as 1978, measurements were resumed and a telemetering network was coupled with the network of reference markers, to which 4 new markers were added. A detailed study of conductivity anomalies was carried out on the entire volcano. Contrasts in conductivity linked to the existence of a superficial conducting surface, on a SSW/NNE axis, located south of the volcano, caused a great lack of homogeneity in the field variations measured at the surface. Variations greater than about 10 nT appeared in the difference in intensity of the earth's magnetic field between two stations.No long-term magnetic variation was observed between 1978 and 1984. On the network of markers, the accuracy of measurements of volcanic effects was at best 2 nT. Measurements carried out on the telemetering network during the night refined these results, since their accuracy was 1 nT. The only significant volcanic crisis between 1978 and 1984 (5–7 January 1981) seems to be observed by telemetering stations. All the measurements carried out in periods of volcanic inactivity make it possible to re-examine the crisis of 1976–1977. Though volcanomagnetic effects over short periods cannot be accurately determined, variations with a time constant of several weeks were present over the entire volcano. These variations were as high as 7–8 nT in remote stations and they can be linked to the three major phases of eruptive activity at La Soufrière during the crisis of 1976–1977.     

Deformation and seismic precursors to dome-collapse and fountain-collapse nuées ardentes at Merapi Volcano, Java, Indonesia, 1994–1998

Following the eruption of January 1992, episodes of lava dome growth accompanied by generation of dome-collapse nuées ardentes occurred in 1994–1998. In addition, nuées ardentes were generated by fountain-collapse in January 1997, and the 1998 events also suggest an explosive component. Significant tilt and seismic precursors on varying time scales preceded these events. Deformation about the summit has been detected by electronic tiltmeters since November 1992, with inflation corresponding generally to lava dome growth, and deflation (or decreased inflation) corresponding to loss of dome mass. Strong short-term (days to weeks) accelerations in tilt rate and seismicity occurred prior to the major nuées ardentes episodes, apart from those of 22 November 1994 which were preceded by steadily increasing tilt for over 200 days but lacked short-term precursors. Because of the combination of populated hazardous areas and the lack of an issued warning, about 100 casualties occurred in 1994. In contrast, the strong precursors in 1997 and 1998 provided advance warning to observatory scientists, enabled the stepped raising of alert levels, and aided hazard management. As a result of these factors, but also the fortunate fact that the large nuées ardentes did not quite descend into populated areas, no casualties occurred. The nuée ardente episode of 1994 is interpreted as purely due to gravitational collapse, whereas those of 1997 and 1998 were influenced by gas-pressurization of the lava dome.     

New age constraints on the timing of volcanism and tectonism in the northern Main Ethiopian Rift–southern Afar transition zone (Ethiopia)

Forty new K-Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar isotopic ages from the northern Main Ethiopian Rift (MER)–southern Afar transition zone provide insights into the volcano-tectonic evolution of this portion of the East African Rift system. The earliest evidence of volcanic activity in this region is manifest as 24–23 Ma pre-rift flood basalts. Transition zone flood basalt activity renewed at approximately 10 Ma, and preceded the initiation of modern rift margin development. Bimodal basalt–rhyolite volcanism in the southern Afar rift floor began at approximately 7 Ma and continued into Recent times. In contrast, post-subsidence volcanic activity in the northern MER is dominated by Mio-Pliocene silicic products from centers now covered by Quaternary volcanic and sedimentary lithologies. Unlike other parts of the MER, Mio-Pliocene silicic volcanism in the MER–Afar transition zone is closely associated with fissural basaltic products. The presence of Pliocene age ignimbrites on the plateaus bounding the northern MER, whose sources are found in the present rift, indicates that subsidence of this region was gradual, and that it attained its present physiography with steep escarpments only in the Plio-Pleistocene. Large 7–5 Ma silicic centers along the southern Afar and northeastern MER margins apparently formed along an E–W-oriented regional structural feature parallel to the already established southern escarpment of the Afar. The Addis Ababa rift embayment and the growth of 4.5–3 Ma silicic centers in the Addis Ababa area are attributed to the formation of a major cross-rift structure and its intersection with the same regional E–W structural trend. This study illustrates the episodic nature of rift development and volcanic activity in the MER–Afar transition zone, and the link between this activity and regional structural and tectonic features.     

Holocene volcanic activity in Anjouan Island (Comoros archipelago) revealed by new Cassignol-Gillot groundmass K–Ar and 14C ages

The Comoros archipelago has attracted renewed attention since 2018 due to the submarine volcano growing east of the island of Mayotte and the associated ongoing seismic crisis. However, the origin of Comorian magmatism remains controversial, as it is either interpreted as related to a hotspot trail, to a fracture zone, or to a plate boundary. Lying in the central part of the archipelago, Anjouan is a key island to better understand the relationship between volcanism and geodynamics. Together with a careful selection of published whole-rock K–Ar ages, our new set of 13 groundmass K–Ar ages on lava flows and one radiocarbon age on a charcoal from a strombolian deposit, allow us to reassess the volcano-tectonic evolution of Anjouan Island. New groundmass K–Ar ages lie within the last 1 Ma, i.e. from 899 ± 14 to 11 ± 1 ka. They suggest that most of the subaerial volcanism in Anjouan is much younger than previously inferred, and occurred as pulses at 900–750 ka, perhaps 530 ka, 230–290 ka, and since 60 ka, with erosional periods in between. Among our new data, one ¹⁴C age of 7513–7089 yrs calBCE (9.3 ± 0.2 ka) and five K–Ar ages younger than 60 ka show that recent volcanism occurred in Anjouan. Moreover, the concentration of eruptive vents along a N150° alignment, parallel to the maximum horizontal stress, suggests a strong link between regional tectonics and volcanism. Considering the presence of active volcanoes on both the western and eastern extremities of the Comoros archipelago, our discovery of Holocene activity on Anjouan provides strong arguments against a chronological progression of volcanism along the archipelago, and therefore contradicts the hotspot hypothesis for the origin of volcanism.Finally, this study provides a robust geochronological timeframe of the different volcanic stages of Anjouan. It demonstrates that Anjouan is an active island and suggests that volcanism and tectonics can both resume at any time.     

The eruptive history of the Tequila volcanic field, western Mexico: ages, volumes, and relative proportions of lava types

The eruptive history of the Tequila volcanic field (1600 km²) in the western Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt is based on ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar chronology and volume estimates for eruptive units younger than 1 Ma. Ages are reported for 49 volcanic units, including Volcán Tequila (an andesitic stratovolcano) and peripheral domes, flows, and scoria cones. Volumes of volcanic units 1 Ma were obtained with the aid of field mapping, ortho aerial photographs, digital elevation models (DEMs), and ArcGIS software. Between 1120 and 200 kyrs ago, a bimodal distribution of rhyolite (~35 km³) and high-Ti basalt (~39 km³) dominated the volcanic field. Between 685 and 225 kyrs ago, less than 3 km³ of andesite and dacite erupted from more than 15 isolated vents; these lavas are crystal-poor and show little evidence of storage in an upper crustal chamber. Approximately 200 kyr ago, ~31 km³ of andesite erupted to form the stratocone of Volcán Tequila. The phenocryst assemblage of these lavas suggests storage within a chamber at ~2–3 km depth. After a hiatus of ~110 kyrs, ~15 km³ of andesite erupted along the W and SE flanks of Volcán Tequila at ~90 ka, most likely from a second, discrete magma chamber located at ~5–6 km depth. The youngest volcanic feature (~60 ka) is the small andesitic volcano Cerro Tomasillo (~2 km³). Over the last 1 Myr, a total of 128±22 km³ of lava erupted in the Tequila volcanic field, leading to an average eruption rate of ~0.13 km³/kyr. This volume erupted over ~1600 km², leading to an average lava accumulation rate of ~8 cm/kyr. The relative proportions of lava types are ~22–43% basalt, ~0.4–1% basaltic andesite, ~29–54% andesite, ~2–3% dacite, and ~18–40% rhyolite. On the basis of eruptive sequence, proportions of lava types, phenocryst assemblages, textures, and chemical composition, the lavas do not reflect the differentiation of a single (or only a few) parental liquids in a long-lived magma chamber. The rhyolites are geochemically diverse and were likely formed by episodic partial melting of upper crustal rocks in response to emplacement of basalts. There are no examples of mingled rhyolitic and basaltic magmas. Whatever mechanism is invoked to explain the generation of andesite at the Tequila volcanic field, it must be consistent with a dominantly bimodal distribution of high-Ti basalt and rhyolite for an 800 kyr interval beginning ~1 Ma, which abruptly switched to punctuated bursts of predominantly andesitic volcanism over the last 200 kyrs.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at Editorial responsility: J. Donnelly-NolanThis revised version was published online in January 2005 with corrections to Tables 1 and 3.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Petrology and geochemistry of potassic rocks in the Gölcük area (Isparta, SW Turkey): genesis of enriched alkaline magmas

The Lower Pliocene volcanic rocks occurring in the Gölcük area of SW Turkey exhibit alkaline major element trends with a general potassic character. The development of volcanism can be divided into 2 major stages such as trachytic ancient lavas/domes and tephriphonolitic, trachyandesitic to trachytic Gölcük eruptions (ignimbrites, lava/dome extrusions, phreatomagmatic deposits, and finally, young domes). Volcanic rocks consist primarily of plagioclase, clinopyroxene (which ranges in composition from diopside to augite and are commonly zoned), biotite, and phlogopite. Amphibole phenocrysts are restricted to the pyroclastic deposits. Pseudoleucites are also seen only in the lava/dome extrusions. Oxides and apatites are common accessory phenocryst phases. As would be expected from their potassic–alkaline nature, the volcanic rocks of the Gölcük area contain high amounts of LILE (Ba, Sr, Rb and K), LREE, and Zr. Concentrations of compatible elements such as Cr, Ni and V are very low, possibly indicating fractionation of olivine and clinopyroxene. Correlation of SiO₂, Rb/Sr and MgO with ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.703506–0.704142) exhibit an increasing trend in the direction of crustal contamination. However, the isotopic compositions of Sr are not as high to indicate a high level of crustal contamination. Geochemical data are consistent with the derivation of Gölcük volcanic rocks from a metasomatized and/or enriched lithospheric mantle source during crustal extension in the area. This metasomatism was probably occurred by fluids released from the northward subduction between African and Eurasian plates during Tertiary, as the Gölcük volcanic rocks display features of island-arc magmas with having high Ba/Nb (>28) ratios, and Nb and Ti depletions. Lower Pliocene volcanism in the Gölcük was response to extensional tectonics.     

Petrology of volcanic products younger than 42 ka on the Lipari–Vulcano complex (Aeolian Islands, Italy): an example of volcanism controlled by tectonics

Over the last 42 ka, volcanic activity at Lipari Island (Aeolian Arc, Italy) produced lava domes, flows and pyroclastic deposits with rhyolitic composition, showing in many cases evidence of magma mixing such as latitic enclaves and banding. In this same period, on nearby Vulcano Island, similar rhyolitic lava domes, pyroclastic products and lava flows, ranging in composition from shoshonite to rhyolite, were erupted. As a whole, the post-42 ka products of Lipari and Vulcano show geochemical variations with time, which are well correlated between the two islands and may correspond to a modification of the primary magmas. The rhyolitic products are similar to each other in their major elements composition, but differ in their trace element abundances (e.g. La ranging from 40 to 78 ppm for SiO₂ close to 75 wt%). Their isotopic composition is variable, too. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.704723–0.705992) and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.512575–0.512526) ranges partially overlap those of the more mafic products (latites), having ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from 0.7044 to 0.7047 and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd from 0.512672 to 0.512615. ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb is 19.390–19.450 in latites and 19.350–19.380 in rhyolites. Crystal fractionation and crustal assimilation processes of andesitic to latitic melts, showing an increasing content in incompatible elements in time, may explain the genesis of the different rhyolitic magmas. The rocks of the local crustal basement assimilated may correspond to lithotypes present in the Calabrian Arc. Mixing and mingling processes between latitic and rhyolitic magmas that are not genetically related occur during most of the eruptions. The alignment of vents related to the volcanic activity of the last 40 ka corresponds to the NNW–SSE Tindari–Letojanni strike-slip fault and to the correlated N–S extensional fault system. The mafic magmas erupted along these different directions display evidence of an evolution at different P_H2O conditions. This suggests that the Tindari–Letojanni fault played a relevant role in the ascent, storage and diversification of magmas during the recent volcanic activity.     

<Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar dating of the eruptive history of Mount Erebus,Antarctica: summit flows,tephra, and caldera collapse

Eruptive activity has occurred in the summit region of Mount Erebus over the last 95 ky, and has included numerous lava flows and small explosive eruptions, at least one plinian eruption, and at least one and probably two caldera-forming events. Furnace and laser step-heating ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages have been determined for 16 summit lava flows and three englacial tephra layers erupted from Mount Erebus. The summit region is composed of at least one or possibly two superimposed calderas that have been filled by post-caldera lava flows ranging in age from 17 ± 8 to 1 ± 5 ka. Dated pre-caldera summit flows display two age populations at 95 ± 9 to 76 ± 4 ka and 27 ± 3 to 21 ± 4 ka of samples with tephriphonolite and phonolite compositions, respectively. A caldera-collapse event occurred between 25 and 11 ka. An older caldera-collapse event is likely to have occurred between 80 and 24 ka. Two englacial tephra layers from the flanks of Mount Erebus have been dated at 71 ± 5 and 15 ± 4 ka. These layers stratigraphically bracket 14 undated tephra layers, and predate 19 undated tephra layers, indicating that small-scale explosive activity has occurred throughout the late Pleistocene and Holocene eruptive history of Mount Erebus. A distal, englacial plinian-fall tephra sample has an age of 39 ± 6 ka and may have been associated with the older of the two caldera-collapse events. A shift in magma composition from tephriphonolite to phonolite occurred at around 36 ka.Editorial responsibility: Julie Donnelly-Nolan     

Surface exposure dating of young basalts (1–200 ka) in the San Francisco volcanic field (Arizona,USA) using cosmogenic 3He and 21Ne

K–Ar ages of young basalts (<500 ka) are often higher than the actual eruption age, due to low potassium contents and the frequent presence of excess Ar in olivine and pyroxene phenocrysts. Geological studies in the San Francisco and Uinkaret volcanic fields in Arizona have documented the presence of excess ⁴⁰Ar and have concluded that K–Ar ages of young basalts in these fields tend to be inaccurate. This new study in the San Francisco volcanic field presents ³He_c and ²¹Ne_c ages yielded by olivine and pyroxene collected from three Pleistocene basalt flows – the South Sheba (∼190 ka), SP (∼70 ka), and Doney Mountain (∼67 ka) lava flows, – and from one Holocene basalt, the Bonito Lava Flow (∼1.4 ka) at Sunset Crater. These data indicate that, in two of three cases, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and K–Ar ages of the young basalts agree well with cosmic-ray surface exposure ages of the same lava flow, thus suggesting that excess ⁴⁰Ar is not always a problem in young basalt flows in the San Francisco volcanic field. The exposure age of the Bonito lava flow agrees within uncertainty with dendrochronological and archeological age determinations. K–Ar and cosmogenic ³He and ²¹Ne ages from the SP flow are in agreement and much older than the OSL age (5.5–6 ka) reported for this lava flow. Furthermore, if the non-cosmogenic ages are assumed to be accurate, the subsequent calculated production rates at South Sheba and SP flow sample sites agree well with values in the literature.     

The interaction between regional and local tectonics during resurgent doming: the case of the island of Ischia, Italy

The volcanic island of Ischia is located on the Tyrrhenian margin of Central Italy, characterized by Plio-Quaternary NW–SE- and NE–SW-trending extensional fractures. Ischia displays a resurgent dome uplifted by at least 800 m in the last 33 ka. Remote sensing and field data have been collected to study the structural setting of the island, the deformation pattern associated with resurgence and the superimposition of the regional and the resurgence-induced stress fields. NW–SE and NE–SW extensional fracture systems predominate throughout the island and around the resurgent block, suggesting a relationship with the regional extensional structures. These systems were formed before resurgence and were partly reactivated during resurgence. The reactivation of pre-existing regional systems during resurgence confined the extent of the uplifted area. N–S- and E–W-trending systems have been found exclusively at the borders of the dome and are interpreted as being induced by resurgence. The topmost resurgent block shows an octagonal shape in map view and is tilted at an angle of 15° around a NE–SW-trending horizontal axis; the block is partly bordered by high-angle, inward-dipping regional faults. More than 90% in volume of the volcanic products coeval with resurgence on Ischia have been erupted outside the resurgent block area, suggesting that the resurgence process locally replaced volcanic activity in the last 33 ka.     

Remote and in situ plume measurements of acid gas release from La Soufrière volcano, Guadeloupe

This paper presents the first remote measurements of La Soufrière gas emissions since the fumarolic and seismic reactivation in 1992. The chemical composition of the plumes has been measured from May 2003 to September 2004 using an Open Path Fourier Transform InfraRed (OP-FTIR) spectrometer, up to 15 m downwind the South Crater. HCl is clearly detected (concentration between 2.4 and 12 ppmv) whereas SO₂ and H₂S generally remain below the detection limit of the OP-FTIR. Direct measurements of SO₂ and H₂S near the South Crater with a Lancom III analyzer show a fast decrease of their concentrations with the distance. Calculated Cl / S mass ratios are high: from 9.4 ± 1.7 at 15 m from the vent to 2.8 ± 0.6 at 140 m. The enrichment in HCl of the gas emitted at La Soufrière, observed since 1998, corresponds to the degassing of a magma enriched in Cl and depleted in S. This result agrees with isotopic measurements which suggest a magmatic origin of the gases. Readjustments inside the volcanic system may have taken place during the seismic activity beginning in 1992 and enhance the transfer of magmatic gases to the summit.     

Seismic activity related to the 1991 eruption of Colima Volcano,Mexico

Ten years after the last effusive eruption and at least 15 years of seismic quiescence, volcanic seismic activity started at Colima volcano on 14 February 1991, with a seismic crisis which reached counts of more than 100 per day and showed a diversity of earthquake types. Four other distinct seismic crises followed, before a mild effusive eruption in April 1991. The second crisis preceded the extrusion of an andesitic scoriaceous lava lobe, first reported on 1 March; during this crisis an interesting temporary concentration of seismic foci below the crater was observed shortly before the extrusion was detected. The third crisis was constituted by shallow seismicity, featuring possible mild degassing explosion-induced activity in the form of hiccups (episodes of simple wavelets that repeat with diminishing amplitude), and accompanied by increased fumarolic activity. The growth of the new lava dome was accompanied by changing seismicity. On 16 April during the fifth crisis which consisted of some relatively large, shallow, volcanic earthquakes and numerous avalanches of older dome material, part of the newly extruded dome, which had grown towards the edge of the old dome, collapsed, producing the largest avalanches and ash flows. Afterwards, block lava began to flow slowly along the SW flank of the volcano, generating frequent small incandescent avalanches. The seismicity associated with the stages of this eruptive activity shows some interesting features: most earthquake foci were located north of the summit, some of them relatively deep (7–11 km below the summit level), underneath the saddle between the Colima and the older Nevado volcanoes. An apparently seismic quiet region appears between 4 and 7 km below the summit level. In June, harmonic tremors were detected for the first time, but no changes in the eruptive activity could be correlated with them. After June, the seismicity decreasing trend was established, and the effusive activity stopped on September 1991.     

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF VOLCANIC ROCKS STRUCTURE AND LITHOFACIES OF DALIUCHONG VOLCANO IN THE TENGCHONG VOLCANIC FIELD,YUNNAN PROVINCE

A set of grey-purple layered volcanic rocks are found widely distributed from the mountain flank to the main peak of Daliuchong volcano, but it's difficult to identify whether they are volcaniclastic rock or lava rock just by field investigation and the crystal structure observation under microscope. The study of matrix microstructure of the volcanic rocks can help to identify the volcanic facies. We recognize the eruptive facies rocks through observation of the matrix microstructure and pore shape with comparison to those of the volcanic vent facies, extrusive facies and effusive facies rocks under microscope, thus the mentioned layered volcanic rocks could be named as dacitic crystal fragment tuff. Combining the joint work of field investigation, systematic sampling, chemical analyzing and microscopic observation, we summary the Daliuchong volcanic facies as follows:1. The effusive facies lava constitutes the base of Daliuchong volcano and was produced by early eruption.2. The explosive facies is composed of dacite crystal fragment welded tuff and volcanic breccia and mainly distributes on the W, S and NE flank of the volcanic cone.3. The volcanic conduit with its diameter more than one hundred meters is located about 100 meters south of the main peak of the Daliuchong volcano.4. The extrusive facies rock is only exposed near the peak of Daliuchong volcano.Therefore, the volcanism of Daliuchong volcano can be speculated as:Large-scale lava overflowing occurred in the early eruption period; then explosive eruptions happened; at last, the volcanisms ceased marked with magma extrusion as lava dome and plug.