Emplacement dynamics of phonolite magma into maar-diatreme structures — Correlation of field, thermal modeling and AMS analogue modeling data

Abstract

Emplacement mode and original shape and dimensions of a well exposed phonolite body in the České středohoří Mountains (Czech Republic) were reconstructed using combined techniques of structural analysis of magmatic fabrics and columnar jointing together with analogue and thermal mathematical modeling of cooling for different shapes of experimental bodies. Phreatomagmatic rocks in the vicinity of some phonolite stocks in the area of interest suggest that the phonolite bodies were likely emplaced into maar-diatremes. Our modeling revealed that intrusion of magma into phreatomagmatic maar-diatreme craters can result in cryptodomes, extrusive domes, lava lakes or branched intrusions. The fabric and columnar jointing pattern of the selected phonolite body reveals best fit with an asymmetric extrusive dome emplaced into the maar crater. The scaling analysis and thermal modeling also suggest that the phonolite extrusion could have formed within 6–66 days and cooled to the background temperature after 10,000 years. Combined analogue and thermal modeling also revealed that the phonolite extrusions into maar-diatreme craters are marked by upper tier (collonade) of vertical columns and lower tier of curved and outward flaring columns. Both tiers in the phonolite extrusions are divided by a subhorizontal suture.