Experimental constraints on the storage conditions of phonolites from the Kerguelen Archipelago

Abstract

Phase relations of a phonolite (K1) and a tephri-phonolite (K2) from the Upper Miocene lavas in the Southeast Province of the Kerguelen Archipelago have been investigated in the P/T range 100–500 MPa and 700–900 °C at two fO2 conditions (~ NNO and ~ NNO+2.3) to clarify the differentiation and pre-eruptive conditions of these magmas. Crystallization experiments were performed in cold seal pressure vessels (CSPV) and internally heated pressure vessels (IHPV) at various XH2O, under reducing (log fO2 ~ NNO) and oxidizing conditions (log fO2 ~ NNO+2.3). Under reducing conditions, the resulting phase assemblage for K1 was: titanomagnetite, nepheline, alkali feldspar, clinopyroxene and biotite; under oxidizing conditions, the assemblage was: magnetite, plagioclase, alkali feldspar, nepheline, titanite (minerals given in the order of appearance with decreasing T at 200 MPa for 4 wt% water in the melt). It is emphasized that an effect of fO2 on the phase stability of feldspars and feldspathoides was observed. Comparison of the natural and experimental phase assemblages shows that the pre-eruptive conditions for K1 must have been in the log fO2 range ΔNNO+1−ΔNNO+2, at pressures above 200–250 MPa. Assuming a temperature of 800 °C, the water content of the melt is constrained to be between 4 and 6 wt% H2O. The pre-eruptive fO2 conditions for the less evolved sample K2 are more oxidizing with log fO2 close to ΔNNO+2.3. The experimental results show that the enrichment of alkalis in residual melts during differentiation of tephri-phonolites is enhanced at high fO2.