Petrogenetic Evolution of a Transitional Tholeiitic--Calc-alkaline Series: Towada Volcano, Japan

Detailed petrological and geochemical data of stratigraphicallywell-defined tholeiitic and calc-alkaline rocks from Towada,Japan, are used to evaluate the system's evolution over 0•2myr. Available data suggest that Towada progressed from severalsmall independent magma chambers to one large chamber, illustratedby systematic changes in mineral composition, isotopic and traceelement ratios. This is attributed to variations in intracrustalprocesses in the shallow chambers, with the following evolutionarysequence divisible into four main units:

1. the Precaldera Stage:consisting of several basaltic to daciticlava cones, independentlyfed by tholeiitic and calc-alkalinemagma chambers. These arecharacterized by periodic replenishment,fractionation and magmamixing, with some undergoing crustalassimilation during latestages, increasing the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratioat constant SiO₂.
2. TheCaldera Stage: characterized by large volume tholeiiticandcalc-alkaline andesitic to dacitic pyroclastic eruptions,associatedwith caldera collapse. Geochemical data indicatethat this stageresulted from some of the precaldera chambersamalgamating.Magma in this enlarged chamber underwent mixing,continued fractionalcrystallization and assimilation.
3. The Ninokura Stage: characterizedby primitive tholeiitic basalticlavas and scoria deposits,which underwent fractional crystallizationplus minor crustalassimilation.
4. The Goshikiiwa Pyroclastic Deposits: consistingof evolved calc-alkaline±tholeiiticmagmas, which underwentassimilation and fractional crystallization.

KEY WORDS: AFC; calc-alkaline; Japan; magma evolution; tholeiitic