Trachytic pyroclastics from Agua de Pau volcano,Sao Miguel,Azores: evolution of a magma body over 4,000 years

The Recent stratigraphy of Sao Miguel records large numbers of trachytic pyroclastic deposits produced by sub-plinian to plinian eruptions. Tephrochronological studies by Walker and Croasdale (1971) and Booth et al. (1978) have shown that in the last 5,000 years there have been five such eruptions from the caldera of Agua de Pau, one of the three active stratovolcanoes on Sao Miguel.A geochemical and electron microprobe study made on the resultant pyroclastic succession, revealed significant variations in pumice clast chemistry and mineralogy between the individual deposits; most of these variations show temporal control. For example, Sr and Eu/Eu{sr*} decrease in value up through the succession, whereas incompatible elements such as La, Zr and Nb show stepwise enrichment, attaining highest concentrations in the most recent deposit. It is proposed that the five air fall pumice deposits represent successive samples of an evolving trachytic magma body in which fractionation of alkali feldspar has largely controlled the liquid line of descent. This crystal fractionation had resulted in the development of peralkalinity in the melt by the time Fogo D, the second youngest deposit, was erupted.The presence of some mineralogical and chemical peculiarities suggest that the trachytic melt has been periodically contaminated by less evolved magmas.