Magma plumbing system of the 2000 eruption of Miyakejima Volcano, Japan

During the 2000 eruption at Miyakejima Volcano, two magmas with different compositions erupted successively from different craters. Magma erupted as spatter from the submarine craters on 27 June is aphyric basaltic andesite (<5 vol% phenocrysts, 51.4–52.2 wt% SiO₂), whereas magma issued as volcanic bombs from the summit caldera on 18 August is plagioclase-phyric basalt (20 vol% phenocrysts, 50.8–51.3 wt% SiO₂). The submarine spatter contains two types of crystal-clots, A-type and A-type (andesitic type). The phenocryst assemblages (plagioclase, pyroxenes and magnetite) and compositions of clinopyroxene in these clots are nearly the same, but only A-type clots contain Ca-poor plagioclase (An < 70). We consider that the A-type clots could have crystallized from a more differentiated andesitic magma than the A-type clots, because FeO*/MgO is not strongly influenced during shallow andesitic differentiation. The summit bombs contain only B-type (basaltic type) crystal-clots of Ca-rich plagioclase, olivine and clinopyroxene. The A-type and B-type clots have often coexisted in Miyakejima lavas of the period 1469–1983, suggesting that the magma storage system consists of independent batches of andesitic and basaltic magmas. According to the temporal variations of mineral compositions in crystal-clots, the andesitic magma became less evolved, and the basaltic magma more evolved, over the past 500 years. We conclude that gradually differentiating basaltic magma has been repeatedly injected into the shallower andesitic magma over this period, causing the andesitic magma to become less evolved with time. The mineral chemistries in crystal-clots of the submarine spatter and 18 August summit bombs of the 2000 eruption fall on the evolution trends of the A-type and B-type clots respectively, suggesting that the shallow andesitic and deeper basaltic magmas existing since 1469 had successively erupted from different craters. The 2000 summit collapse occurred due to drainage of the andesitic magma from the shallower chamber; as the collapse occurred, it may have caused disruption of crustal cumulates which then contaminated the ascending, deeper basalt. Thus, porphyritic basaltic magma could erupt alone without mixing with the andesitic magma from the summit caldera. The historical magma plumbing system of Miyakejima was probably destroyed during the 2000 eruption, and a new one may now form.Editorial responsibility: S Nakada, T Druitt     

Earthquake swarms preceding the 2000 eruption of Miyakejima volcano, Japan

The first sign of magma accumulating beneath Miyakejima, an island volcano in the northern Izu islands, Japan, came at around 18:00 on 26 June 2000, when a swarm of earthquakes was detected by a volcano seismic network on the island. Earthquakes occurred initially beneath the southwest flank near the summit and gradually migrated west of the island, where a submarine eruption occurred the next morning. Earthquakes then migrated further to the northwest between Miyakejima and Kozushima, another volcanic island and developed to the most intense earthquake swarm ever observed in and around Japanese archipelago. To better image how the initial magma intrusion occurred, we relocated hypocenters by using a station-correction method and a double-difference method. The relocated epicenters are generally concentrated near the upper bound of dyke intrusions inferred from geodetic studies throughout the initial stages of the 2000 eruption at Miyakejima from 26 to 27 June 2000. As for seismic activity westward off Miyakejima in the morning on 27 June, hypocenters from both a nationwide seismic network that were relocated by the double-difference method, and those from the volcano seismic network relocated by the station-correction method, formed a very shallow cluster that ascended slowly with time as it propagated northwestward from Miyakejima. This suggests that the dykes have both a radial and upward component of movement.Editorial responsibility: S. Nakada, T. Druitt     

Submarine flank eruption preceding caldera subsidence during the 2000 eruption of Miyakejima Volcano, Japan

During the early part of a seismic swarm preceding eruption and caldera formation at Miyakejima Volcano, discoloured sea surfaces were observed 1.5 km off the western coast of Miyakejima on 27 June 2000. A later survey of the area using a multi-beam side scan sonar and a remotely operated small submarine revealed four craters of 20–30 m diameter aligned east-west in a 100×10–30 m area on the seafloor, with hot water at 140°C being released from one of the centres. Each crater consists of submarine spatter overlain in part by scoria lapilli. Dredged spatter from the craters was fresh, and there was no evidence of activity of marine organisms on the spatter surface, indicating that the discoloured sea surface resulted from magmatic eruption on the seafloor. This eruption occurred when a westward-propagating seismic swarm, initiated beneath Miyakejimas summit, passed through the area. Finding new magma on the seafloor demonstrates that this seismic swarm was associated with intruding magma, moving outward from beneath Miyakejima. Submarine spatter shows flattened shapes with a brittle crust formed by cooling in water, and its composition is aphyric andesite of 54 wt% SiO₂. The spatter is similar in whole rock and mineral composition to spatter erupted in 1983. However, the wide range of Cl in melt inclusions in plagioclase of the 27 June submarine spatter shows that it is not simply a remnant of the 1983 magma, which has only high Cl melt inclusions in plagioclase. The mixed character of melt inclusions suggests involvement of a magma with low Cl melt inclusions. The magma erupted explosively on 18 August from Miyakejimas summit, considered as the second juvenile magma in this eruption, contains low Cl melt inclusions in plagioclase. Based on these observations and the eruption sequence, we present the following model: (1) A shallow magma chamber was filled with a remnant of 1983 magma that had evolved to a composition of 54–55 wt% SiO₂. (2) Injection of the 18 August magma into this chamber generated a mixed magma having a wide range of Cl in melt inclusions contained plagioclase. The magma mixing might have occurred shortly before the submarine eruption and could have been a trigger for the initiation of the removal of magma from the chamber as an extensive dyke, which eventually led to caldera subsidence.Editorial responsibility: S Nakada, T Druitt     

Petrological characteristics and volatile content of magma from the 2000 eruption of Miyakejima Volcano, Japan

Among the series of eruptions at Miyakejima volcano in 2000, the largest summit explosion occurred on 18 August 2000. During this explosion, vesiculated bombs and lapilli having cauliflower-like shapes were ejected as essential products. Petrological observation and chemical analyses of the essential ejecta and melt inclusions were carried out in order to investigate magma ascent and eruption processes. SEM images indicate that the essential bombs and lapilli have similar textures, which have many tiny bubbles, crystal-rich and glass-poor groundmass and microphenocrysts of plagioclase, augite and olivine. Black ash particles, which compose 40% of the air-fall ash from the explosion, also have similar textures to the essential bombs. Whole-rock analyses show that the chemical composition of all essential ejecta is basaltic (SiO₂=51–52 wt%). Chemical analyses of melt inclusions in plagioclase and olivine phenocrysts indicate that melt in the magma had 0.9–1.9 wt% H₂O, <0.011 wt% CO₂, 0.04–0.17 wt% S and 0.06–0.1 wt% Cl. The variation in volatile content suggests degassing of the magma during ascent up to a depth of about 1 km. The ratio of H₂O and S content of melt inclusions is similar to that of volcanic gas, which has been intensely and continuously emitted from the summit since the end of August 2000, indicating that the 18 August magma is the source of the gas emission. Based on the volatile content of the melt inclusions and the volcanic gas composition, the initial bulk volatile content of the magma was estimated to be 1.6–1.9 wt% H₂O, 0.08–0.1 wt% CO₂, 0.11–0.17 wt% S and 0.06–0.07 wt% Cl. The basaltic magma ascended from a deeper chamber (10 km) due to decrease in magma density caused by volatile exsolution with pressure decrease. The highly vesiculated magma, which had at least 30 vol% bubbles, may have come into contact with ground water at sea level causing the large explosion of 18 August 2000.Editorial responsibility: S. Nakada, T. DuittAn erratum to this article can be found at     

Implication of the temporal sulphur isotopic variation during the 2000 eruption of Miyakejima Volcano, Japan

Abstract   The variation of sulphur isotopic composition during the 2000 eruption of the Miyakejima Volcano was examined in order to monitor the temporal change of the volcanic activity. The δ³⁴S values of water-soluble sulphate leached from volcanic ash effused during intermittent eruptions from July to September 2005 range from +5 to +11‰ with a fluctuation of ca 3‰ within a single eruption. The δ³⁴S value of sulphuric acid mist collected with 'Cu-metal trap' placed on the flank of the volcano from December 2000 to January 2001 is +6.2‰. These sulphur isotopic compositions of sulphate, which were isotopically equilibrated in the subvolcanic hydrothermal system, indicate that the temperature of the hydrothermal system beneath the caldera increased after the period of intermittent phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions. Then, the δ³⁴S value of sulphuric acid trapped from January to March 2001 was +9.0‰ and the δ³⁴S value of water-soluble sulphate on volcanic ash emitted with minor eruption in May 2001 was +11.0‰, suggesting a decrease in temperature of the subvolcanic hydrothermal system.     

Phreatomagmatic eruptions associated with the caldera collapse during the Miyakejima 2000 eruption,Japan

The 2000 AD eruption of Miyakejima was characterized by a series of phreatomagmatic eruptions from the subsiding caldera. Six major eruptive events occurred, and they can be divided into the first and second periods separated by a 25-day hiatus. The phreatomagmatic eruptions produced a total of ~ 2 × 10¹⁰ kg of tephra, which mainly comprised fine-grained volcanic ash. The tephra layers could be divided into six fall units corresponding to the six major eruptive events.     

Chronology and products of the 2000 eruption of Miyakejima Volcano, Japan

Lateral migration of magma away from Miyakejima volcanic island, Japan, generated summit subsidence, associated with summit explosions in the summer of 2000. An earthquake swarm beneath Miyakejima began on the evening of 26 June 2000, followed by a submarine eruption the next morning. Strong seismic activity continued under the sea from beneath the coast of Miyakejima to a few tens of kilometers northwest of the island. Summit eruptive event began with subsidence of the summit on 8 July and both explosions and subsidence continued intermittently through July and August. The most intense eruptive event occurred on 18 August and was vulcanian to subplinian in type. Ash lofted into the stratosphere fell over the entire island, and abundant volcanic bombs were erupted at this time. Another large explosion took place on 29 August. This generated a low-temperature pyroclastic surge, which covered a residential area on the northern coast of the island. The total volume of tephra erupted was 9.3×10⁶ m³ (DRE), much smaller than the volume of the resulting caldera (6×10⁸ m³). Migration of magma away from Miyakejima was associated with crustal extension northwest of Miyakejima and coincident shrinkage of Miyakejima Island itself during July–August 2000. This magma migration probably caused stoping of roof rock into the magma reservoir, generating subsurface cavities filled with hydrothermal fluid and/or magmatic foam and formation of a caldera (Oyama Caldera) at the summit. Interaction of hydrothermal fluid with ascending magma drove a series of phreatic to phreatomagmatic eruptions. It is likely that new magma was supplied to the reservoir from the bottom during waning stage of magmas migration, resulting in explosive discharge on 18 August. The 18 August event and phreatic explosions on 29 August produced a conduit system that allowed abundant SO₂ emission (as high as 460 kg s^–1) after the major eruptive events were over. At the time of writing, inhabitants of the island (about 3,000) have been evacuated from Miyakejima for more than 3 years.     

Geochemical Changes in Spring Water Associated with the 2000 Eruption of the Miyakejima Volcano, Japan

Water was sampled from eight springs and a lake in volcanic Miyakejima Island of Japan after the 2000 eruption. Major chemical and isotopic compositions of the water were analyzed. Significant increases of sulfate ion are observed in several springs where the thickness of ejecta exceeds 32 mm. A good relationship of Cl/S mole ratios between spring water and leachate of the ejecta is observed. Sulfur isotopic compositions of the spring water become close to that of leachate of the ejecta as time elapses after the eruption. Consequently the sources of the added sulfate ion in the spring water after the eruption are interpreted to be anhydrite and adhered sulfur of the ejecta.     

山西临汾中心地震台数字化定点形变观测异常与地震对应关系分析

针对近几年临汾中心地震台的数字化定点形变资料,参照台站仪器工作日志,排除人为干扰、气象因素等台站已知干扰因素,综合分析总结临汾台数字化定点形变日均值、整点值、分钟值曲线在震前出现的各种异常图像,找出一定的判断规律,从而为地震预测及震后趋势判断提供科学依据。     

Storage and interaction of compositionally heterogeneous magmas from the 1986 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska

Compositional heterogeneity (56–64 wt% SiO₂ whole-rock) in samples of tephra and lava from the 1986 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska, raises questions about the physical nature of magma storage and interaction beneath this young and frequently active volcano. To determine conditions of magma storage and evolutionary histories of compositionally distinct magmas, we investigate physical and chemical characteristics of andesitic and dacitic magmas feeding the 1986 eruption. We calculate equilibrium temperatures and oxygen fugacities from Fe-Ti oxide compositions and find a continuous range in temperature from 877 to 947°C and high oxygen fugacities (ΔNNO=1–2) for all magmas. Melt inclusions in pyroxene phenocrysts analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and electron probe microanalysis are dacitic to rhyolitic and have water contents ranging from <1 to ∼7 wt%. Matrix glass compositions are rhyolitic and remarkably similar (∼75.9–76.6 wt% SiO₂) in all samples. All samples have ∼25% phenocrysts, but lower-silica samples have much higher microlite contents than higher-silica samples. Continuous ranges in temperature and whole-rock composition, as well as linear trends in Harker diagrams and disequilibrium mineral textures, indicate that the 1986 magmas are the product of mixing between dacitic magma and a hotter, more mafic magma. The dacitic endmember is probably residual magma from the previous (1976) eruption of Augustine, and we interpret the mafic endmember to have been intruded from depth. Mixing appears to have continued as magmas ascended towards the vent. We suggest that the physical structure of the magma storage system beneath Augustine contributed to the sustained compositional heterogeneity of this eruption, which is best explained by magma storage and interaction in a vertically extensive system of interconnected dikes rather than a single coherent magma chamber and/or conduit. The typically short repose period (∼10 years) between Augustine's recent eruptive pulses may also inhibit homogenization, as short repose periods and chemically heterogeneous magmas are observed at several volcanoes in the Cook Inlet region of Alaska.     

Anomalous crustal strain prior to the 1923 Kanto,Japan, earthquake as deduced from analysis of old triangulation data

Horizontal earth's strains preceding the Kanto, Japan, earthquake of 1, September 1923, are deduced from the analysis of the old triangulation data. The anomalous strains that are several times larger than usual tectonic strain are found in the western part of Tokyo Bay, Sagamihara district, Japan for the observational period 1882/91–1898/1910, while any significant strain is not revealed in the other region of the Kanto district. The Kanto district was surveyed twice during the period 1883/85–1890/92 in the west and during the period 1890/92–1897/99 in the east respectively. The polarity of the detected anomalous strains, the directions and the signs of the principal strains, are quite the same as those of the postseismic crustal strains during the period 1924–74, and are reversed as compared to the coseismic one.The Philippine Sea plate thrusts under the South Kanto district with N25°W direction and pulls down the land during the interseismic period. The aseismic reverse faulting would begin several decades before the 1923 Kanto earthquake along the deep interface between the Asian plate and the convergent Philippine Sea plate. The down-going along the locked part of the interface would be accelerated, thus the compressional stress on the earth's surface might be concentrated over the deep fault plane together with the acceleration of the subsidence at the tip of the peninsula close to the Sagami trough.     

Serpentinite textural evolution related to tectonically controlled solid-state intrusion along the Kurosegawa Belt, northwestern Kanto Mountains, central Japan

Abstract   Serpentinite bodies in the Kurosegawa Belt are mapped along fault boundaries between the Cretaceous Sanchu Group (forearc basin-fill sediments) and the rocks of the Southern Chichibu Belt (Jurassic to Early Cretaceous accretionary prism) in the northwestern Kanto Mountains, central Japan. The serpentinites were divided into three types based on microtextures and combinations of serpentine minerals: massive, antigorite and chrysotile serpentinites. Massive serpentinite retains initial pseudomorphic textures without any deformation after serpentinization. Antigorite serpentinite exhibits shape-preferred orientation of antigorite replacing the original lizardite and/or chrysotile to form pseudomorphs. It has porphyroclasts of chromian spinel, and is characterized by ductile deformation under relatively high-pressure–temperature conditions. Chrysotile serpentinite shows evidence for overprinting of pre-existing serpentinite features under shallow, low-temperature conditions. It exhibits unidirectional development of chrysotile fibers. Foliations in antigorite and chrysotile serpentinites strike parallel to the elongate direction of the serpentinite bodies, suggesting a continuous deformation during solid-state intrusion along the fault zones after undergoing complete serpentinization at deeper levels (lower crust and upper mantle).     

Geophysical investigations of the plumbing system of Stromboli volcano (Aeolian Islands,Italy)

In this work, we report the results of an integrated approach using both seismological and geodetic data provided by the INGV-CT (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Catania) Stromboli volcano monitoring systems, in order to improve the knowledge of its plumbing system. In particular, we investigated the relationships between the June 1999 seismic swarm, occurring in the area of Stromboli, and the possible activation of the NE–SW oriented volcano-tectonic structure. We analyzed this seismic swarm proposing new locations and a morphological analysis of the waveforms. This approach allowed us to demonstrate that there are relationships between the tectonic activity near Stromboli and the rising of magma. This evidence supports the hypothesis that during the 1999 swarm an intrusive process started from a crustal level where earthquakes were located (about 10–15 km b.s.l.).     

Vesiculation path of ascending magma in the 1983 and the 2000 eruptions of Miyakejima volcano, Japan

The vesiculation of magma during the 1983 eruption of Miyakejima Volcano, Japan, is discussed based on systematic investigations of water content, vesicularity, and bubble size distribution for the products. The eruption is characterized by simultaneous lava effusion and explosive sub-plinian (‘dry’) eruptions with phreatomagmatic (‘wet’) explosions. The magmas are homogeneous in composition (basaltic andesite) and in initial water content (H₂O = 3.9±0.9 wt%), and residual groundmass water contents for all eruption styles are low (H₂O <0.4 wt%) suggestive of extensive dehydration of magma. For the scoria erupted during simultaneous ‘dry’ and ‘wet’ explosive eruptions, inverse correlation was observed between vesicularity and residual water content. This relation can be explained by equilibrium exsolution and expansion of ca. 0.3 wt% H₂O at shallow level with different times of quenching, and suggests that each scoria with different vesicularity, which was quenched at a different time, provides a snapshot of the vesiculation process near the point of fragmentation. The bubble size distribution (BSD) varies systematically with vesicularity, and total bubble number density reaches a maximum value at vesicularity Φ ∼ 0.5. At Φ  ∼ 0.5, a large number of bubbles are connected with each other, and the average thickness of bubble walls reaches the minimum value below which they would rupture. These facts suggest that vesiculation advanced by nucleation and growth of bubbles when Φ < 0.5, and then by expansion of large bubbles with coalescence of small ones for Φ > 0.5, when bubble connection becomes effective. Low vesicularity and low residual water content of lava and spatter (Φ  < 0.1, H₂O  < 0.1 wt%), and systematic decrease in bubble number density from scoria through spatter to lava with decrease in vesicularity suggest that effusive eruption is a consequence of complete degassing by bubble coalescence and separation from magma at shallow levels when magma ascent rate is slow.

Three distinct regimes of volcanic tremor associated with the eruption of Shishaldin Volcano, Alaska 1999

Tremor signals associated with the eruption of Shishaldin Volcano on 19 and 23 April 1999 were the strongest recorded anywhere in the Aleutian Arc by the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) in its 10-year history. Reduced displacements (D_R) reached 23 cm² on 19 April and 43 cm² on 23 April. During the activity, D_R and spectral data with a frequency resolution of 0.1 Hz were computed and put on the World Wide Web every 10 min. These data are analyzed here. The general temporal patterns of seismicity of these eruption events were similar, but the eruptions and their effects quite different. The 19 April event is known to have culminated in a sub-Plinian phase, which ejected ash to an altitude of 16 km. Despite higher amplitudes and the largest hotspot from satellite data, the 23 April event produced little ash reaching only 6 km altitude. For several hours prior to the sub-Plinian phase on 19 April, tremor with a peak frequency of 1.3 Hz intensified. During the sub-Plinian phase the peak frequency increased to 4-8 Hz. However, in 15 h after the eruption, three episodes of stronger tremor occurred with a lower 1.0-Hz peak, alternating with weaker tremor with a 1.3-Hz peak. These transitions correspond to D_R=~8 cm². Although these strong tremor episodes produced higher D_R levels than the sub-Plinian phase, data from a pressure sensor show that only strong Strombolian explosions occurred. The suite of observations suggests three distinct tremor regimes that may correspond to slug flow, bubbly flow, and sustained strong eruptions, or a cyclic change in source parameters (e.g., geometry, sound speed, or ascent rate). This behavior occurred at Shishaldin only during the April 1999 sequence, and we are not aware of similar behavior at other volcanoes.     

Some aspects of the seismicity associated with the 1982 eruption of El Chichon Volcano,Chiapas, Mexico

We review the different phases of the seismicity related to the 1982 eruption of El Chichon Volcano, Chiapas, Mexico. The pre-eruption seismicity was already anomalous by late 1980, became significant by late 1981 and increased towards 28 March, 1982, when the first eruptive event occurred. A noticeable feature within the 7-day period of unrest is the occurrence of three earthquake swarms before the devastating explosions of 3 and 4 April 1982 (local time). The periodicity and appearance of the swarms, close to the time of maximum tidal strain, suggests a large overpressure in the magmatic system, and the triggering of the events by the earth tides. The post-eruption seismicity occurred mostly in a radius 5 km from the crater and a depth range 11 to 15 km suggesting that this region was a deeper reservoir of the erupted magma.     

Swelling of a lava plug associated with a Vulcanian eruption at Sakurajima Volcano,Japan, as revealed by infrasound record: case study of the eruption on January 2, 2007

In order to clarify the time relation of the expansion of a gas pocket and failure of its overlying plug of lava during Vulcanian eruptions, infrasound records and video images of the Vulcanian eruption that occurred at Sakurajima volcano on January 2, 2007 were analyzed with respect to their origin times. Weak (≤3 Pa) and slowly increasing air pressure preceded the impulsive compression phase by 0.25–0.32 s, and a longer-period rarefaction phase of infrasound waves was recognized at all microphone stations. The velocity of the compression phase was assumed to be supersonic (ca. 400 m/s) up to 850 m above the crater bottom from other recent explosions. On the other hand, the propagation velocity of the preceding weak signal was regarded to be similar to the air sound velocity because the lack of impulsiveness is unlikely to be related to the main compression phase. Therefore, the estimated origin time of the main compression phase was delayed by 0.5–0.7 s from the preceding phase. The origin time of the preceding phase coincided with the onset of the isotropic expansion process of the pressurized gas pocket, which was obtained by the waveform inversion of the explosion earthquake. In contrast, the origin time of the main impulsive phase coincided with the time when the expansion rate reached its peak. This observation suggests that the volumetric increase of the gas pocket caused swelling of the surface of the crater bottom and its subsequent failure. When the expansion velocity exceeded a threshold level, the main impulsive compression phase radiated with a high velocity by the sudden releases of the pressurized gases. The volumetric change at the source was estimated to be 280–560 m³ from the preceding phase of the infrasound. This volume change indicates that the vertical displacement of the swelling ground was on the order of 1.0 m, assuming the radius of the lava plug was ca. 10 m.     

Hydroacoustic noise precursors of the 1990 eruption of Kelut Volcano, Indonesia

The results of a hydroacoustic monitoring experiment in the Kelut Crater lake, Indonesia, prior to its 1990 eruption, are presented, with the benefit of hindsight. Indeed, the underwater noise levels in three widely separated frequency bands, together with the lake water temperature, was radio-transmitted and almost continuously recorded from a period of quiescence of the volcano till the onset of its 10 February 1990, eruption, which destroyed the monitoring buoy. The comparative analysis of the noise variations in the three bands, together with seismic and temperature data, have shed light on the mechanisms underlying the pre-eruptive activity. The three acoustic levels had shown conspicuous, yet distinctive, changes prior to the eruption. Acoustic level in the low-frequency (1–50 Hz) band, which increased one year before the resumption of seismic activity and the lake warming up, is interpreted as the result of boiling at depth. The source of high-acoustic level in the audiometric (500–5000 Hz) range is clearly the bubbling of volcanic gases, occurring as a strong convective column in the middle of the lake. From the variations of this audiometric level, we have estimated that the degassing rate in the lake increased by a hundred-fold during the pre-eruptive period. Variations of ultrasonic (20–100 kHz) frequency acoustic level seem to be related with pressure and thermal changes within the hydrothermal system and its rock matrix beneath the lake. In conclusion, this experiment demonstrates the potential of hydroacoustic monitoring as an early warning system at crater lake volcanoes.