Tephrostratigraphy and eruptive history of post-caldera stage of Toya Volcano, Hokkaido, northern Japan

Abstract

A detailed tephrostratigraphy of Toya Volcano in Hokkaido, northern Japan has been constructed to evaluate the post-caldera eruptive history of the volcano. The tephrostratigraphic sequence preserved above the Toya ignimbrite reaches a total thickness of 8m southeast of the caldera. After the caldera formation (115–112ka), there was a long quiescent period of more than 60kayears. The first post-caldera activity started with Nakajima Osarugawa pumice-fall deposit (Nj-Os) inside the caldera at 48ka. Eruptive activity at Nakajima Volcano resumed at 30ka with Nakajima Sekinai pumice-fall deposit (Nj-Sk), and was followed by continuous emission of fine ash including abundant accretionary lapilli. Soon after the Nakajima pyroclastic eruption Usu Volcano began its activity with discharges of basaltic ash and scoria (forming the Usu prehistoric tephra) and extrusion of homogeneous lavas namely Usu somma lava, resulting in the formation of the initial volcanic edifice. Subsequently, a large sector collapse occurred between 30 and 20ka that emplaced the Zenkoji debris avalanche with little break after the formation of the initial Usu volcanic edifice. After the sector collapse, the volcano remained dormant for about 20–30kayears. Eruptive activity at Usu Volcano resumed in 1663AD with the most explosive plinian eruption in the post-caldera stage of Toya Volcano. Since then, seven eruptions have been recorded in 1769, 1822, 1853, 1910, 1943–1945, 1977–1978 and 2000 at multi-decadal interval. Total tephra volume during the post-caldera stage is estimated at about 0.9km3 (dense rock equivalent: DRE), whereas total lava volume is calculated at about 2.3km3. Therefore, the average magma discharge rate during the post-caldera stage of Toya Volcano is estimated at about 0.03km3/ky, which is one or two order smaller than those of other Quaternary volcanoes in Japan.