Influence of pre-eruptive storage conditions and volatile contents on explosive Plinian style eruptions of basic magma

Sub-Plinian to Plinian eruptions of basic magma present a challenge to modeling volcanic behavior because many models rely on magma becoming viscous enough during ascent to behave brittlely and cause fragmentation. Such models are unable, however, to strain low viscosity magma fast enough for it to behave brittlely. That assumes that such magmas actually have low viscosities, but the rare Plinian eruptions of basic magma may in fact result from them being anomalously viscous. Here, we examine two such eruptions, the 122 B.C. eruption of hawaiitic basalt from Mt. Etna and the late Pleistocene eruption of basaltic andesite from Masaya Caldera, to test whether they were anomalously viscous. We carried out hydrothermal experiments on both magmas and analyzed glass inclusions in plagioclase phenocrysts from each to determine their most likely pre-eruptive temperatures and water contents. We find that the hawaiite was last stored at 1,000–1,020°C, whereas the basaltic andesite was last stored at 1,010–1,060°C, and that both were water saturated with ∼3.0 wt.% water dissolved in them. Such water contents are not high enough to trigger Plinian explosive behavior, as much more hydrous basic magmas erupt less violently. In addition, despite being relatively cool, the viscosities of both magmas would range from ∼10^2.2–2.5 Pa s before erupting to ∼10⁴ Pa s when essentially degassed, all of which are too fluid to cause brittle disruption. Without invoking special external forces to explain all such eruptions, one of the more plausible explanations is that when the bubble content reaches some critical value the fragile foam-like magma disrupts. The rarity of Plinian eruptions of basic magma may be because such magmas must ascend fast enough to retain their bubbles.     

Fragmentation of magma during Plinian volcanic eruptions

 The ratio of the volume of vesicles (gas) to that of glass (liquid) in pumice clasts (V _G /V _L ) reflects the degassing and dynamic history experienced by a magma during an explosive eruption. V _G /V _L in pumices from a large number of Plinian eruption deposits is shown here to vary by two orders of magnitude, even between pumices at a given level in a deposit. These variations in V _G /V _L do not correlate with crystallinity or initial water content of the magmas or their eruptive intensities, despite large ranges in these variables. Gas volume ratios of pumices do, however, vary systematically with magma viscosity estimated at the point of fragmentation, and we infer that pumices do not quench at the level of fragmentation but undergo some post-fragmentary evolution. On the timescale of Plinian eruptions, pumices with viscosities <10⁹ Pa s can expand after fragmentation, as long as their bubbles retain gas, at a rate inversely proportional to their viscosity. Once the bubbles connect to form a permeable network and lose their gas, expansion halts and pumices with viscosities <10⁵ Pa s can collapse under the action of surface tension. Textural evidence from bubble sizes and shapes in pumices indicates that both expansion and collapse have taken place. The magnitudes of expansion and collapse, therefore, depend critically on the timing of bubble connectivity relative to the final moment of quenching. We propose that bubbles in different pumices become connected at different times throughout the time span between fragmentation and quenching. After accounting for these effects, we derive new information on the fragmentation process from two characteristics of pumices. The most important is a relatively constant minimum value of V _G /V _L of ∼1.78 (64 vol.% vesicularity) in all samples with viscosities >10⁵ Pa s. This value is independent of magma composition and thus reflects a property of the eruptive mechanism. The other characteristic is that highly expanded pumices (>85 vol.% vesicularities) are common, which argues against overpressure in bubbles as a mechanism for fragmenting magma. We suggest that magma fragments when it reaches a vesicularity of ∼64 vol.%, but only if sheared sufficiently strongly. The intensity of shear varies as a function of velocity in the conduit, which is related to overpressure in the chamber, so that changes in overpressure with time are important in controlling the common progression from explosive to effusive activity at volcanoes. Received: 19 April 1995 / Accepted: 3 April 1996     

Effect of degassing on sulfur contents and δ34S values in Somma-Vesuvius magmas

Sulfur contents and δ³⁴S values of Somma-Vesuvius magmas are consistent with syneruptive, open-system degassing at temperatures of 800–850°C for Plinian pumices and 1100–1200°C for lavas. The extent of degassing appears to be greater in lavas than in pumices. The key parameter controlling the ³⁴S/³²S ratio of Somma-Vesuvius volcanics is the average magma oxidation state, which generally varies from 0.85 to 1.20 Δ NNO units for lavas and from 1.20 to 1.40 Δ NNO units for pumices. Consequently, S contents and δ³⁴S values of magmas constitute a potentially valuable tool in estimating their average redox conditions. The results of this study may help in risk mitigation when the Vesuvius magmatic system evolves toward eruptive conditions. Received: 20 January 1998 / Accepted: 5 May 1998     

Stratigraphy and eruptive dynamics of a pulsating Plinian eruption of Somma-Vesuvius: the Pomici di Mercato (8900 years B.P.)

New volcanological studies allow reconstruction of the eruption dynamics of the Pomici di Mercato eruption (ca 8,900 cal. yr B.P.) of Somma-Vesuvius. Three main Eruptive Phases are distinguished based on two distinct erosion surfaces that interrupt stratigraphic continuity of the deposits, indicating that time breaks occurred during the eruption. Absence of reworked volcaniclastic deposits on top of the erosion surfaces suggests that quiescent periods between eruptive phases were short perhaps lasting only days to weeks. Each of the Eruptive Phases was characterised by deposition of alternating fall and pyroclastic density current (PDC) deposits. The fallout deposits blanketed a wide area toward the east, while the more restricted PDC deposits inundated the volcano slopes. Eruptive dynamics were driven by brittle magmatic fragmentation of a phonolitic magma, which, because of its mechanical fragility, produced a significant amount of fine ash. External water did not significantly contribute either to fragmentation dynamics or to mechanical energy release during the eruption. Column heights were between 18 and 22 km, corresponding to mass discharge rates between 1.4 and 6 × 10⁷ kg s⁻¹. The estimated on land volume of fall deposits ranges from a minimum of 2.3 km³ to a maximum of 7.4 km³. Calculation of physical parameters of the dilute pyroclastic density currents indicates speeds of a few tens of m s⁻¹ and densities of a few kg m⁻³ (average of the lowermost 10 m of the currents), resulting in dynamic pressures lower than 3 kPa. These data suggest that the potential impact of pyroclastic density currents of the Pomici di Mercato eruption was smaller than those of other Plinian and sub-Plinian eruptions of Somma-Vesuvius, especially those of 1631 AD and 472 AD (4–14 kPa), which represent reference values for the Vesuvian emergency plan. The pulsating and long-lasting behaviour of the Pomici di Mercato eruption is unique in the history of large explosive eruptions of Somma-Vesuvius. We suggest an eruptive scheme in which discrete magma batches rose from the magma chamber through a network of fractures. The injection and rise of the different magma batches was controlled by the interplay between magma chamber overpressure and local stress. The intermittent discharge of magma during a large explosive eruption is unusual for Somma-Vesuvius, as well as for other volcanoes worldwide, and yields new insights for improving our knowledge of the dynamics of explosive eruptions.     

Thermal structure and heat loss at the summit crater of an active lava dome

Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) nighttime thermal images were used to extract the thermal and morphological properties for the surface of a blocky-to-rubbley lava mass active within the summit crater of the Caliente vent at Santiaguito lava dome (Guatemala). Thermally the crater was characterized by three concentric regions: a hot outer annulus of loose fine material at 150–400°C, an inner cold annulus of blocky lava at 40–80°C, and a warm central core at 100–200°C comprising younger, hotter lava. Intermittent explosions resulted in thermal renewal of some surfaces, mostly across the outer annulus where loose, fine, fill material was ejected to expose hotter, underlying, material. Surface heat flux densities (radiative + free convection) were dominated by losses from the outer annulus (0.3–1.5 × 10⁴  s⁻¹m⁻²), followed by the hot central core (0.1–0.4 × 10⁴ J s⁻¹m⁻²) and cold annulus (0.04–0.1 × 10⁴ J s⁻¹m⁻²). Overall surface power output was also dominated by the outer annulus region (31–176 MJ s⁻¹), but the cold annulus contributed equal power (2.41–7.07 MJ s⁻¹) as the hot central core (2.68–6.92 MJ s⁻¹) due to its greater area. Cooled surfaces (i.e. the upper thermal boundary layer separating surface temperatures from underlying material at magmatic temperatures) across the central core and cold annulus had estimated thicknesses, based on simple conductive model, of 0.3–2.2 and 1.5–4.3 m. The stability of the thermal structure through time and between explosions indicates that it is linked to a deeper structural control likely comprising a central massive plug, feeding lava flow from the SW rim of the crater, surrounded by an arcuate, marginal fracture zone through which heat and mass can preferentially flow.     

Long-term variations in the second sectorial Stokes harmonics on the basis of TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetry between 1993 and 2000

The long-term variations in the second degree sectorial Stokes parameters of the geopotential have been determined from TOPEX-POSEIDON (T/P) satellite altimeter data, covering the period of January 1, 1993 to January 3, 2001 (T/P cycles 11-305). It is the first attempt to determine the variations in the second sectorial harmonics in the Earth’s inertia tensor due to the ocean dynamics. The variations amount to about 1 × 10⁻¹⁰ (J ₂ ⁽²⁾ ≈ 1.6 × 10⁻⁶ and S ₂ ⁽²⁾ ≈ −0.9 × 10⁻⁶). The variations are about 5% of the tidal effect. This corresponds to variations in the directions of the equatorial axes of the Earth’s inertia ellipsoid of up to 10 arc-seconds. Consequently, the annual and semi-annual variations of the Earth’s equatorial flattening is about 10⁻⁹; i.e. it corresponds to a change of 8 units of its denominator of 91 030. (The equatorial flattening ≈ 1/91 030). Since the coverage of the Earth’s ocean surface is not worldwide, and the inclination of T/P is i = 66°, it is only 58.2% (min. depth of the ocean 2 000 m) of the Earth’s surface which is processed, the torque, resulting from the seasonal transfer of masses within a sea surface layer, is not zero. It amounts up to 10¹⁶ kg m²s⁻², which is comparable to the total indirect tidal torque due to the Moon and the Sun, ∼ 3.9 × 10¹⁶ kg m²s⁻². However, the above estimate strongly depends on the adopted thickness of the sea surface layer, ΔR = 50 m. For a larger thickness of ΔR = 100 m, the seasonal torque amounts to about ∼ 2.3 × 10¹⁶ kg m²s⁻².     

The Pomici di Avellino eruption of Somma-Vesuvius (3.9 ka bp). Part I: stratigraphy, compositional variability and eruptive dynamics

The stratigraphic succession of the Pomici di Avellino Plinian eruption from Somma-Vesuvius has been studied through field and laboratory data in order to reconstruct the eruption dynamics. This eruption is particularly important in the Somma-Vesuvius eruptive history because (1) its vent was offset with respect to the present day Vesuvius cone; (2) it was characterised by a distinct opening phase; (3) breccia-like very proximal fall deposits are preserved close to the vent and (4) the pyroclastic density currents generated during the final phreatomagmatic phase are among the most widespread and voluminous in the entire history of the volcano. The stratigraphic succession is, here, divided into deposits of three main eruptive phases (opening, magmatic Plinian and phreatomagmatic), which contain five eruption units. Short-lived sustained columns occurred twice during the opening phase (H_t of 13 and 21.5 km, respectively) and dispersed thin fall deposits and small pyroclastic density currents onto the volcano slopes. The magmatic Plinian phase produced the main volume of erupted deposits, emplacing white and grey fall deposits which were dispersed to the northeast. Peak column heights reached 23 and 31 km during the withdrawal of the white and the grey magmas, respectively. Only one small pyroclastic density current was emplaced during the main Plinian phase. In contrast, the final phreatomagmatic phase was characterised by extensive generation of pyroclastic density currents, with fallout deposits very subordinate and limited to the volcano slopes. Assessed bulk erupted volumes are 21 × 10⁶ m³ for the opening phase, 1.3–1.5 km³ for the main Plinian phase and about 1 km³ for the final phreatomagmatic phase, yielding a total volume of about 2.5 km³. Pumice fragments are porphyritic with sanidine and clinopyroxene as the main mineral phases but also contain peculiar mineral phases like scapolite, nepheline and garnet. Bulk composition varies from phonolite (white magma) to tephri-phonolite (grey magma).     

New physical characterization of the Fontana Lapilli basaltic Plinian eruption,Nicaragua

The Fontana Lapilli deposit was erupted in the late Pleistocene from a vent, or multiple vents, located near Masaya volcano (Nicaragua) and is the product of one of the largest basaltic Plinian eruptions studied so far. This eruption evolved from an initial sequence of fluctuating fountain-like events and moderately explosive pulses to a sustained Plinian episode depositing fall beds of highly vesicular basaltic-andesite scoria (SiO₂ > 53 wt%). Samples show unimodal grain size distribution and a moderate sorting that are uniform in time. The juvenile component predominates (> 96 wt%) and consists of vesicular clasts with both sub-angular and fluidal, elongated shapes. We obtain a maximum plume height of 32 km and an associated mass eruption rate of 1.4 × 10⁸ kg s⁻¹ for the Plinian phase. Estimates of erupted volume are strongly sensitive to the technique used for the calculation and to the distribution of field data. Our best estimate for the erupted volume of the majority of the climactic Plinian phase is between 2.9 and 3.8 km³ and was obtained by applying a power-law fitting technique with different integration limits. The estimated eruption duration varies between 4 and 6 h. Marine-core data confirm that the tephra thinning is better fitted by a power-law than by an exponential trend.     

Characterization of tephra deposits with limited exposure: the example of the two largest explosive eruptions at Nisyros volcano (Greece)

Explosive eruptions associated with tephra deposits that are only exposed in proximal areas are difficult to characterize. In fact, the determination of physical parameters such as column height, mass eruption rate, erupted volume, and eruption duration is mainly based on empirical models and is therefore very sensitive to the quality of the field data collected. We have applied and compared different modeling approaches for the characterization of the two main tephra deposits, the Lower Pumice (LP) and Upper Pumice (UP) of Nisyros volcano, Greece, which are exposed only within 5 km of the probable vent. Isopach and isopleth maps were compiled for two possible vent locations (on the north and on the south rim of the caldera), and different models were applied to calculate the column height, the erupted volume, and the mass eruption rate. We found a column height of about 15 km above sea level and a mass eruption rate of about 2 × 10⁷ kg/s for both eruptions regardless of the vent location considered. In contrast, the associated wind velocity for both UP and LP varied between 0 and 20 m/s for the north and south vent, respectively. The derived erupted volume for the south vent (considered as the best vent location) ranges between 2 and 27 × 10⁸ m³ for the LP and between 1 and 5 × 10⁸ m³ for the UP based on the application of four different methods (integration of exponential fit based on one isopach line, integration of exponential and power-law fit based on two isopach lines, and an inversion technique combined with an advection–diffusion model). The eruption that produced the UP could be classified as subplinian. Discrepancies associated with different vent locations are smaller than the discrepancies associated with the use of different models for the determination of erupted mass, plume height, and mass eruption rate. Proximal outcrops are predominantly coarse grained with ≥90 wt% of the clasts ranging between −6ϕ and 0ϕ. The associated total grainsize distribution is considered to result from a combination of turbulent fallout from both the plume margins and the umbrella region, and as a result, it is fines-depleted. Given that primary deposit thickness observed on Nisyros for both LP and UP is between 1 and 8 m, if an event of similar scale were to happen again, it would have a significant impact on the entire island with major damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism. Neighboring islands and the continent could also be significantly affected.     

CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and He degassing at El Chichón volcano,Chiapas, Mexico: gas flux,origin and relationship with local and regional tectonics

During 2007–2008, three CO₂ flux surveys were performed on El Chichón volcanic lake, Chiapas, Mexico, with an additional survey in April 2008 covering the entire crater floor (including the lake). The mean CO₂ flux calculated by sequential Gaussian simulation from the lake was 1,190 (March 2007), 730 (December 2007) and 1,134 g m⁻² day⁻¹ (April 2008) with total emission rates of 164 ± 9.5 (March 2007), 59 ± 2.5 (December 2007) and 109 ± 6.6 t day⁻¹ (April 2008). The mean CO₂ flux estimated from the entire crater floor area was 1,102 g m⁻² day⁻¹ for April 2008 with a total emission rate of 144 ± 5.9 t day⁻¹. Significant change in CO₂ flux was not detected during the period of survey, and the mapping of the CO₂ flux highlighted lineaments reflecting the main local and regional tectonic patterns. The ³He/⁴He ratio (as high as 8.1 R _A) for gases in the El Chichón crater is generally higher than those observed at the neighbouring Transmexican Volcanic Belt and the Central American Volcanic Arc. The CO₂/³He ratios for the high ³He/⁴He gases tend to have the MORB-like values (1.41 × 10⁹), and the CO₂/³He ratios for the lower ³He/⁴He gases fall within the range for the arc-type gases. The high ³He/⁴He ratios, the MORB-like CO₂/³He ratios for the high ³He/⁴He gases and high proportion of MORB-CO₂ (M = 25 ±15%) at El Chichón indicate a greater depth for the generation of magma when compared to typical arc volcanoes.     

The impact of pre-existing gas on the ascent of explosively erupted magma

Most, if not all, magmas contain gas bubbles at depth before they erupt. Those bubbles play a crucial role in eruption dynamics, by allowing magma to degas, which causes the magma to accelerate as it ascends towards the surface. There must be a limit to that acceleration, however, because gas bubbles cannot grow infinitely fast. To explore that limit, a series of experiments was undertaken to determine the maximum rate at which bubbly high-silica rhyolite can decompress. Rhyolite melt that was hydrated at 150 MPa with ~5.3 wt.% dissolved water and contained 7 to 18 vol.% bubbles can degas in equilibrium at 875°C when decompressed at rates up to 1.2 MPa s⁻¹ from 150 to 78 MPa, and up to 1.8 MPa s⁻¹ when decompressed further to 42 MPa. In contrast, that same rhyolite cannot degas in equilibrium at 750°C if decompressed faster than 0.015–0.025 MPa s⁻¹. When combined with other published experiments, the maximum rate of decompression for equilibrium degassing is found to increase by a factor of ten for every 50–75°C increase in temperature. When compared to predictions from conduit flow models that assume equilibrium degassing, it is found that such models greatly over-estimate the rate at which relatively cold rhyolite can decompress, whereas that assumption is largely correct for hot rhyolite, and thus for most other magmas, all of which are less viscous than rhyolite. In addition, most bubbles that were 20–30 μm in size at high pressure were lost from the population at low pressure. That absence suggests that only relatively large vesicles seen in volcanic pumice may be relics of pre-eruptive bubbles, even if small bubbles were originally present at depth.     

Eruptive style of the young high-Mg basaltic-andesite Pelagatos scoria cone,southeast of México City

The eruption of the Pelagatos scoria cone in the Sierra Chichinautzin monogenetic field near the southern suburbs of Mexico City occurred less than 14,000 years ago. The eruption initiated at a fissure with an effusive phase that formed a 7-km-long lava flow, and continued with a phase of alternating and/or simultaneous explosive and effusive activity that built a 50-m-high scoria cone on the western end of the fissure and formed a compound lava flow-field near the vent. The eruption ended with the emplacement of a short lava flow that breached the cone and was accompanied by weak explosions at the crater. Products consist of a microlite-rich high-Mg basaltic andesite. Samples were analyzed to determine the magma’s initial properties as well as the effects of degassing-induced crystallization on eruptive style. Although distal ash fallout deposits from this eruption are not preserved, a recent quarry exposes a large section of the scoria cone. Detailed study of exposed layers allows us to elucidate the mode of cone-building activity. Petrological and textural data, combined with models calibrated by experimental work and melt-inclusion analyses of similar magmas elsewhere, indicate that the magma was initially hot (>1,200°C), gas-rich (up to 5 wt.% H₂O), crystal-poor (~10 vol.% Fo₉₀ olivine phenocrysts) and thus poorly viscous (40–80 Pa s). During the early phase, low magma ascent velocity at the fissure vent allowed low-viscosity magma to degas and crystallize during ascent, producing lava flows with elevated crystal contents at T < 1,100°C, and blocky surfaces. Later, the closure of the fissure by cooling dikes focused the magma flow at a narrow section of the fissure. This led to an increased magma ascent velocity. Rapid and shallow degassing (<3 km deep) triggered ~40 vol.% microlite crystallization. Limited times for gas-escape and higher magma viscosity (6 × 10⁵–4 × 10⁶ Pa s) drove strong explosions of highly (60–80 vol.%) and finely vesicular magma. Coarse clasts broke on landing, which implies brittle behavior due to complete solidification. This requires sufficient time to cool and in turn implies ejection heights of over 1 km, which is much higher than “normal” Strombolian activity. Hence, magma viscosity significantly impacts eruption style at monogenetic volcanoes because it affects the kinetics of shallow degassing. The long-lasting eruptions of Jorullo and Paricutin, which produced similar magmas in western México, were more explosive. This can be related to higher magma fluxes and total erupted volumes. Implications of this study are important because basaltic andesites are commonly erupted to form monogenetic scoria cones of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.     

The dynamics of a double-cell hydrothermal system in triggering seismicity at Somma-Vesuvius: results from a high-resolution radon survey (revisited)

Data collected at Somma-Vesuvius during the 1998–1999 radon surveys have been revisited and reinterpreted in light of recent geophysical and geochemical information. The duration of selected radon anomalies, together with the decay properties of radon, have been used to estimate the permeability and porosity of rocks of the deep hydrothermal system. The current local cyclic seismicity is explained by means of a double convective-cell model. Convective cells are separated by a low-permeability horizon located at about 2–2.5 km below sea level. Fluids convecting within the upper cells show temperatures ranging 300–350°C. Rock permeabilities in this sector are estimated on the order of 10⁻¹² m², for porosities (ϕ) of about 10⁻⁵ typical of a brittle environment where fluid velocities may reach ∼800 m/day. Fluid temperatures within the lower cells may be as high as 400–450°C, consistent with supercritical regimes. The hydrodynamic parameters for these cells are lower, with permeability k ∼ 10⁻¹⁵ m², and porosity ranging from 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁷. Here, fluid motion toward the surface is controlled by the fracture network within a porous medium approaching brittle–ductile behaviour, and fluid velocities may reach ∼1,800 m/day. The low-permeability horizon is a layer where upper and lower convecting cells converge. In this region, fluids (convecting both at upper and lower levels) percolate through the wallrock and release their brines. Due to self-sealing processes, permeability within this horizon reaches critical values to keep the fluid pressure near lithostatic pressure (for k ∼ 10⁻¹⁸ m²). Deep fluid pressure buildups precede the onset of hydrothermally induced earthquakes. Permeability distribution and rock strength do not exclude that the next eruption at Somma-Vesuvius could be preceded by a seismic crisis, eventually leading to a precursory phreatic explosion. The coupling of these mechanisms has the potential of inducing pervasive failure within rocks of the hydrothermal shell, and may be a prelude to a magmatic eruption. It is finally emphasised that the integrated analysis of seismic and geochemical data, including radon emissions, could be successfully used in testing temperature distributions and variations of porosity and permeability in active geothermal reservoirs.     

Role of precursory less-viscous mixed magma in the eruption of phenocryst-rich magma: evidence from the Hokkaido-Komagatake 1929 eruption

During the 1929 activity of Hokkaido-Komagatake volcano, the Plinian eruption of a phenocryst-rich andesite was preceded by a small eruption of more mafic magma formed by magma mixing. A similar eruption sequence has been reported for some other eruptions (Pallister et al. 1996; Venezky and Rutherford 1997), suggesting that eruption of a mixed magma is a precursor of phenocryst-rich magmas. For the purpose of understanding the tapping processes of the phenocryst-rich magma chamber, we investigated the temporal variation in the erupted magma and estimated the viscosity and density of the end-member and mixed magmas with constraints drawn from petrography. For the precursory mixed magma we estimate 33dž vol.% phenocrysts, andesitic-dacitic melt composition, 3 wt.% H₂O content, and temperature of 1040°C. In comparison, for the climactic, silicic end-member magma we estimate 48Dž vol.% phenocryst, high-silica rhyolitic melt, 3 wt.% H₂O, and temperature of 950°C, respectively. The mafic end-member magma, which was not erupted, is thought to be an almost aphyric basaltic-andesitic magma, based on mass balance calculation of the phenocryst content. The proportion of the mafic end-member magma component in the mixed magma was calculated to be 20-40 wt.%. On the basis of these data, we estimate magma viscosities of 10^3.9, 10^6.9, and 10^2.0 Pa s for the mixed, silicic end-member, and mafic end-member magmas, respectively. The calculated density differences among these magmas are inconsequential when possible errors are considered. We calculate the minimum excess pressure required for dike propagation to be 31 MPa for the silicic end-member magma and 8 MPa for the mixed magma, using the estimated viscosity and dike propagation model of Rubin (1995). If we assume that excess pressure is limited by the wall rock strength of the magma chamber, excess pressure retainable in the magma chamber is less than ca. 20 MPa. This suggests that the mixed magma was able to ascend to the surface without freezing, whereas the viscous silicic end-member magma could not. The formation and precursory eruption of the mixed magma are, therefore, effective and necessary initiation processes for the phenocryst-rich, viscous magma eruption.     

The enormous Chillos Valley Lahar: an ash-flow-generated debris flow from Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador

 The Chillos Valley Lahar (CVL), the largest Holocene debris flow in area and volume as yet recognized in the northern Andes, formed on Cotopaxi volcano's north and northeast slopes and descended river systems that took it 326 km north–northwest to the Pacific Ocean and 130+ km east into the Amazon basin. In the Chillos Valley, 40 km downstream from the volcano, depths of 80–160 m and valley cross sections up to 337 000 m² are observed, implying peak flow discharges of 2.6–6.0 million m³/s. The overall volume of the CVL is estimated to be ≈3.8 km³. The CVL was generated approximately 4500 years BP by a rhyolitic ash flow that followed a small sector collapse on the north and northeast sides of Cotopaxi, which melted part of the volcano's icecap and transformed rapidly into the debris flow. The ash flow and resulting CVL have identical components, except for foreign fragments picked up along the flow path. Juvenile materials, including vitric ash, crystals, and pumice, comprise 80–90% of the lahar's deposit, whereas rhyolitic, dacitic, and andesitic lithics make up the remainder. The sand-size fraction and the 2- to 10-mm fraction together dominate the deposit, constituting ≈63 and ≈15 wt.% of the matrix, respectively, whereas the silt-size fraction averages less than ≈10 wt.% and the clay-size fraction less than 0.5 wt.%. Along the 326-km runout, these particle-size fractions vary little, as does the sorting coefficient (average=2.6). There is no tendency toward grading or improved sorting. Limited bulking is recognized. The CVL was an enormous non-cohesive debris flow, notable for its ash-flow origin and immense volume and peak discharge which gave it characteristics and a behavior akin to large cohesive mudflows. Significantly, then, ash-flow-generated debris flows can also achieve large volumes and cover great areas; thus, they can conceivably affect large populated regions far from their source. Especially dangerous, therefore, are snow-clad volcanoes with recent silicic ash-flow histories such as those found in the Andes and Alaska. Received: 28 April 1997 / Accepted: 19 August 1997     

Permeability measurements of natural and experimental volcanic materials with a simple permeameter: Toward an understanding of magmatic degassing processes

Permeability measurement of quenched volcanic porous materials is an important approach to understand permeability development and degassing of vesicular silicic magmas. In this study, we developed a gas permeameter to measure permeability of natural samples and experimental products. The permeameter has broad measurement ranges of pressure difference (10¹–10⁵ Pa) and gas-flow rate (10^− 9–10^− 5 m³/s). These ranges enable us to measure viscous permeability in the range of 10^− 17–10^− 9 m² for 1 centimeter-scale samples, using the Forchheimer equation, which includes the inertial effect of gas flow permeating through the samples. In addition, we improved the procedure for performing permeability measurements of mm-sized products of decompression experiments. Although a previous study reported the first permeability data for vesicular silicic glass products of decompression experiments, we found an overestimation in their permeability data due to problems in sample preparation, especially for very low permeability samples. Our improved measurements give lower permeability values than those of Takeuchi et al. (2005)(Takeuchi, S., Nakashima, S., Tomiya, A., Shinohara, H., 2005. Experimental constraints on the low gas permeability of vesicular magma during decompression. Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L10312 doi:10.1029/2005GL022491).     

Halogen oxide measurements at Masaya Volcano,Nicaragua using active long path differential optical absorption spectroscopy

Active Long Path Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (LP-DOAS) measurements of halogen oxides were conducted at Masaya Volcano, in Nicaragua from April 14 to 26, 2007. The active LP-DOAS system allowed night-time halogen measurements and reduced the ClO detection limit by an order of magnitude when compared to previous passive DOAS measurements, as wavelengths below 300 nm could be used for the DOAS retrievals. BrO was detected with an average BrO/SO₂ molecular ratio of approximately 3 × 10⁻⁵ during the day. However, BrO values were below the detection limit of the instrument for all night-time measurements, a strong indication that BrO is not directly emitted, but rather the result of photochemical formation in the plume itself according to the autocatalytic “bromine explosion” mechanism. Despite the increased sensitivity, both ClO and OClO could not be detected. The achieved upper limits for the X/SO₂ ratios were 5 × 10⁻³ and 7 × 10⁻⁶, respectively. A rough calculation suggests that ClO and OClO should be present at similar abundances in volcanic plumes. Since the DOAS technique is orders of magnitude more sensitive for OClO than for ClO, this indicates that OClO should always be detectable in plumes in which ClO is found. However, further LP-DOAS studies are needed to conclusively clarify the role of chlorine oxides in volcanic plumes.     

Receiver function study in northern Sumatra and the Malaysian peninsula

In this receiver function study, we investigate the structure of the crust beneath six seismic broadband stations close to the Sunda Arc formed by subduction of the Indo-Australian under the Sunda plate. We apply three different methods to analyse receiver functions at single stations. A recently developed algorithm determines absolute shear-wave velocities from observed frequency-dependent apparent incidence angles of P waves. Using waveform inversion of receiver functions and a modified Zhu and Kanamori algorithm, properties of discontinuities such as depth, velocity contrast, and sharpness are determined. The combination of the methods leads to robust results. The approach is validated by synthetic tests. Stations located on Malaysia show high-shear-wave velocities (V _S) near the surface in the range of 3.4–3.6 km s^− 1 attributed to crystalline rocks and 3.6–4.0 km s^− 1 in the lower crust. Upper and lower crust are clearly separated, the Moho is found at normal depths of 30–34 km where it forms a sharp discontinuity at station KUM or a gradient at stations IPM and KOM. For stations close to the subduction zone (BSI, GSI and PSI) complexity within the crust is high. Near the surface low V _S of 2.6–2.9 km s^− 1 indicate sediment layers. High V _S of 4.2 km s^− 1 are found at depth greater than 6 and 2 km at BSI and PSI, respectively. There, the Moho is located at 37 and 40 km depth. At station GSI, situated closest to the trench, the subducting slab is imaged as a north-east dipping structure separated from the sediment layer by a 10 km wide gradient in V _S between 10 and 20 km depth. Within the subducting slab V _S ≈ 4.7 km s^− 1. At station BSI, the subducting slab is found at depth between 90 and 110 km dipping 20° ± 8° in approximately N 60° E. A velocity increase in similar depth is indicated at station PSI, however no evidence for a dipping layer is found.     

The 512 AD eruption of Vesuvius: complex dynamics of a small scale subplinian event

We describe the products of the hitherto poorly known 512 AD eruption at Vesuvius, Italy. The deposit records a complex sequence of eruptive events, and it has been subdivided into eight main units, composed of stratified scoria lapilli or thin subordinate ash-rich layers. All the units formed by deposition from tephra fallout, pyroclastic density currents of limited extent being restricted to the initial stages of the eruption (U2). The main part of the deposit (U3 and U5) is characterized by a striking grain size alternation of fine to coarse lapilli, similar to that often described for mid-intensity, explosive eruptions. The erupted products have a phonotephritic composition, with progressively less evolved composition from the base to the top of the stratigraphic sequence. Based on different dispersal, sedimentological and textural features of the products, we identify five phases related to different eruptive styles: opening phase (U1, U2), subplinian phase (U3 to U5), pulsatory phreatomagmatic phase (U6), violent strombolian phase (U7) and final ash-dominated phase (U8). A DRE volume of 0.025 km³ has been calculated for the total fallout deposit. Most of the magma was erupted during the subplinian phase; lithic dispersal data indicate peak column heights of between 10 and 15 km, which correspond to a mass discharge rate (MDR) of 5 × 10⁶ kg s⁻¹. The lower intensity, violent strombolian phase coincided with the eruption of the least evolved magma; a peak column height of 6–9 km, corresponding to an MDR of 1 ×10 ⁶ kg s ⁻¹, is estimated from field data. Phreatomagmatic activity played a minor role in the eruption, only contributing to the ash-rich deposits of U1, U4, U6 and U8.     

A comparison of field- and satellite-derived thermal flux at Piton de la Fournaise: implications for the calculation of lava discharge rate

We present thermal measurements made by high spatial resolution ground-based (a hand-held thermal camera) and low spatial resolution space-based (MODIS) instruments for a lava flow field active during the last phase of the May–July 2003 eruption at Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion). Multiple oblique ground-based thermal images were merged to provide full coverage of the flow-field. These were then corrected for path length attenuation and orthorectified, allowing the at-surface radiance emitted by the flow-field to be estimated. Comparison with the radiance recorded by the MODIS sensors during the eruption reveals that, for clear-sky conditions and moderate-to-low viewing angles (satellite zenith <40°), the satellite measurements represent ∼90% of the at-surface radiance, and thus represent valuable data for quantifying volcanic thermal anomalies. Nevertheless, extreme viewing geometries and the presence of clouds strongly affect the radiance reaching the sensor and affected data from 94% of the overpasses. Ground-based thermal data were used to investigate an empirical relationship between the radiant heat flux and lava discharge rate during the emplacement of pahoehoe flows. While the average radiation temperature for flow surface that were 6–24 h old ranged between 500 K and 625 K, the ratio between radiative heat flux and Time-Averaged lava Discharge Rate (TADR) ranged between 1.5 × 10⁸ J m⁻³ and 3.5 × 10⁸ J m⁻³. This relationship was used to estimate TADR values from optimal MODIS data and produced results in line with those obtained from GPS surveys (Coppola et al. 2005). Our results underscore the importance of ground-based thermal analysis for the interpretation of satellite measurements, particularly in terms of calculating discharge rate trends.