Pre-eruptive conditions and reheating of dacitic magma (Malinche Pumice II Plinian eruption) at La Malinche volcano, Central Mexico

Abstract

The Malinche Pumice II is a fallout deposit produced by a Plinian-type eruption during the Pleistocene-Holocene at La Malinche volcano. La Malinche (4461 masl) is an active stratocone located in central Mexico, in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt province. It is 26 km to the NE of the City of Puebla and 22 km to the SE of the City of Tlaxcala. The Malinche Pumice II was produced by one of the largest explosive eruptions of this volcano, involving a dacitic magma (63.6–65.3 wt% SiO2, anhydrous basis) with a mineral assemblage of plagioclase + amphibole + FeTi oxides and ± biotite phenocrysts. Larger plagioclase crystals are up to 1.2 mm in diameter, with resorbed margins and complex zoning (An26 to An43), whereas microcrysts are euhedral with homogeneous composition (An42 to An55). Amphibole is mainly magnesio-ferri-hornblende (Mg# = 0.65–0.82) and lesser amounts of pargasite. Geothermometry performed using FeTi oxides yields an average temperature of 873 ± 2 °C and oxygen fugacity of 1.8 units above the NNO buffer. Amphibole geothermobarometry yields a lower temperature (809 ± 19 °C) and a pressure of 230 ± 100 MPa, assuming 4.4 wt% of H2O. Considering an average density of 2650 kg/m3 for the upper crust in central Mexico, the storage region of the Malinche Pumice II dacitic magma was located at 8 ± 2 km depth. Biotite could be antecrystic or xenocrystic in origin, based on its reacted texture, large sizes (0.85–2 mm), and reaction rims. Similarly, pargasite that provides higher temperature estimates (900 ± 18 °C) and low anorthite plagioclase (An26) could also be antecrysts or xenocrysts. The Plinian eruption was likely triggered by an input of a hotter and deeper magma batch that overpressurized the dacitic magma system that eventually provoked vesiculation and fragmentation. The eruption shifted to a hydromagmatic style because of external water's entrainment that decreased the vesicularity of pumice. Our results are in good agreement with recent seismicity recorded at depths of ~7 km probably associated with activity of the Malinche's magmatic system.