Magma Drainage Research Articles

Capturing Mayotte's deep magmatic plumbing system and its spatiotemporal evolution with volcano-tectonic seismicity

Since 2018 an unexpected number of earthquakes have been occurring offshore Mayotte, in the Mozambique Channel. They are linked to the eruption of the Fani Maoré submarine volcano. Using a recently-developed comprehensive automatic catalog, we explore two years of volcano-tectonic (VT) seismicity between March 2019 and March 2021 and analyse in detail the active structures of the magmatic plumbing system using ~33,000 events. The VT earthquakes highlight three magma storage zones and two aseismic conduits that had never been observed before. The temporal evolution of the seismicity reveals a probable regime change in March 2020. While before, the plumbing system reacted to the drainage of magma from a deep reservoir and to the migration of magma towards the seafloor, it is now responding to new migrations of fluids and to the redistribution of the stress-load across the system's pre-existing faults. This analysis is key to better understand long-term volcanism worldwide.

Petrogenesis of the Girnar Complex in the Deccan Traps Province, India

AbstractThe c. 66 Ma Girnar Complex of the Deccan Traps consists of various mafic to silicic rocks and provides a unique setting for understanding the dynamics of magma chamber processes. The intrusive alkaline rocks in Girnar are diorites/monzodiorites and contain syenite/nepheline syenite veins. Several (alkaline) mafic dykes cut the alkaline rocks. These rocks are surrounded by intrusive tholeiitic gabbro and extrusive basaltic flows and a silicic (SiO2 > 65 wt%) ring dyke at the outer margin of the complex. The tholeiitic gabbro and basaltic lavas have relatively flat light rare earth element (REE) patterns (La/SmN ~ 0.8 to 1.8) with positive Eu anomalies of 1.1–1.3. The tholeiitic basalts formed by 3–5% partial melting of an incompatible element depleted mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB)-like source. Accumulating c. 20–30% of (olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, and plagioclase) crystals from the tholeiitic melt generated the tholeiitic gabbro. The alkaline rocks display enriched light REE patterns (La/SmN ~ 5.0 to 7.8) consistent with (~9%) partial melting of a spinel lherzolite source, different from the MORB-like source for tholeiitic rocks. The subsequent 58–72% fractional crystallization of olivine, clinopyroxene, plagioclase, orthoclase, spinel, and apatite mineral assemblage formed the alkaline rocks. Reverse and oscillatory zoning in plagioclase (An30 to An50) phenocrysts of the silicic rocks suggest that convective movement of crystals in a magma chamber led to initial crystallization of high-An plagioclase in the hotter zone of the magma chamber, followed by addition of low-An plagioclase in cooler regions of the magma chamber. Pressure estimates from shattered (xenocryst or antecryst) clinopyroxene crystals in silicic rocks give a minimum value of 450 MPa. Ti-in-quartz geothermometry gives a crystallization temperature between 690°C and 1080°C. The distinct isotopic composition of the silicic rocks (87Sr/86Sri = 0.7204–0.7275, εNd(i) = −6.8 to −7.3, 206Pb/204Pbi = 18.74–19.02, 207Pb/204Pbi = 15.76–15.79, 208Pb/204Pbi = 39.63–40.03, εHf(i) = −6.0 to −7.3) further indicates that the silicic rocks assimilated 7 to 9% granitic basement rocks. Overall, therefore, the Girnar Complex started to form with the emplacement of mafic rocks (both alkaline and tholeiitic) in the central part along a reactivated fault lineament and silicic rocks along the concentric marginal fault. Petrography, mineral chemistry, and whole-rock geochemical and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotope ratios of the Girnar Complex rocks indicate that despite the close spatial association of tholeiitic gabbro and basalt, alkaline rocks, and silicic rocks, these rocks originated from multiple sources and evolved in a complex magma drainage and storage network in a continental setting of the Deccan Large Igneous Province (LIP).

Temporal variation in the depth of the magma surface at Aso volcano in 2014–2015

Monitoring the depth of the magma surface at open-vent volcanoes can be a practical tool to infer temporal variations in the magma supply during an eruption. We focus on the magmatic eruption of Aso volcano in 2014–2015 to estimate the temporal change in the depth of the magma surface, and show that this needs to be coupled with an understanding of the shallow conduit geometry if it is to be done in a representative manner. The eruption lasted 5 months from November 2014 and ending with a crater floor collapse in May 2015. During the eruption, we recorded seismo-acoustic waveforms related to frequent Strombolian explosions. The infrasound signals show several distinct peak frequencies derived from acoustic resonance inside the vent. We estimate the depth of the magma surface using the time delay of seismo-acoustic signals and the peak frequency of infrasound signals. In addition, the temporal variation in the shape of the conduit is constrained by the overtone frequency of the acoustic resonance. From the beginning of the eruption to early-January 2015, the magma surface was located at a depth of sim 200 m, and the conduit was a cylindrical pipe. Later, between January and February, the magma surface rose to sim 120 m, and the shape of the conduit changed to a conical frustum flaring inside. This finding indicates that the magma was injected into the shallow conduit and that it heated and weakened the conduit wall near the magma surface. Before the cessation of the magmatic eruption, the magma surface dropped by approximately 70 m. This magma drainage and, primarily, the instability of the conduit shape caused the crater floor to collapse. We show the possibility of tracking and assessing the depth of the magma surface and the shallow conduit geometry even with limited seismo-acoustic observations.

3D seismic reflection constraints on the emplacement of mafic laccoliths and their role in shallow crustal magma transport: A case study from the Ceduna sub-basin, Great Australian Bight

Magma plumbing systems transport and store magma in the subsurface, as well as playing an important role in feeding eruptions and inducing overburden deformation. Whilst the important role of sills and dikes in these systems is well documented, the three-dimensional (3D) morphology of mafic laccoliths and their role in magma transport and eruption is less well understood. This is due to a paucity of well-documented examples from 3D seismic reflection data, and the limited exposure provided by field examples. Here we use 3D seismic reflection data to document for the morphology and emplacement of a multi-lobed laccolith of inferred mafic composition (the Hammerhead Laccolith (HHL)). This middle Eocene-age intrusion was emplaced at <320 m beneath the paleosurface within the intraplate Bight Basin Igneous Complex located offshore southern Australia. The HHL is composed of multiple convex-upwards, flat-based, laccolith-shaped lobes between 5 and 270 m thick and 2–14 km long. Inflation of the lobes resulted in the formation of a ≤150 m high, compound forced fold at the paleosurface, whose morphology mirrors that of the underlying laccolith. Subsequent drainage of magma from the HHL to feed small-volume lava flows resulted in the formation of collapse faults which focus on the margin of a magma reservoir, similar to those associated with calderas. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using 3D seismic reflection data to document the morphology of a shallow mafic laccolith and its relationship to its erupted products, whilst the HHL is notable for possessing characteristics of both classic laccoliths and shallowly emplaced, multi-lobate mafic sills. We highlight the important role of laccoliths in magma plumbing systems, and their potential for inducing both brittle and ductile host-rock deformation. Finally, our detailed mapping of the HHL and its associated forced fold provides a valuable exemplar that may assist the identification of mafic laccoliths using 3D seismic reflection data in energy-rich sedimentary basins.

Ground Deformation After a Caldera Collapse: Contributions of Magma Inflow and Viscoelastic Response to the 2015–2018 Deformation Field Around Bárðarbunga, Iceland

AbstractImprovement of our understanding of the role of ground deformation due to viscoelastic relaxation following eruptions is important, as the generated signals can resemble renewed magma inflow. We study post‐eruptive unrest at the subglacial Bárðarbunga volcano, Iceland, after a caldera collapse and major magma drainage in 2014–2015. Elevated seismicity began about 6 months after the eruption ended, including nine Mlw &gt; 4.5 earthquakes. Global Navigation Satellite System and Sentinel‐1 Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar geodesy are applied to evaluate post‐eruptive ground deformation from 2015 to 2018. Horizontal velocities locally exceed 10 cm/year and rapidly decay with distance away from the caldera. We explore two end‐member models and their combination to explain the post‐eruptive deformation field: 1) viscoelastic relaxation caused by the co‐eruptive caldera collapse and magma withdrawal, and 2) renewed magma inflow. We find parameter combinations for each model that explain the observed ground deformation. The purely viscoelastic relaxation model, consisting of a half‐space composed of a 7‐km thick elastic layer on top of a viscoelastic layer with a viscosity of 3.0 × 1018 Pa s reproduces broadly the observations. A simple magma inflow model consisting of a single point source with an inflow rate of 1 × 107 m3/year at 0.7 km depth broadly fits the observations, but may be unrealistic. A more elaborate model of magma inflow into a 10‐km deep sill combined with slip on the caldera ring fault explains the observations well. Our results suggest that the co‐eruptive deformation field is likely influenced by viscoelastic relaxation, renewed magma inflow, or a combination of both processes.

Interevent Seismicity Statistics Associated With the 2018 Quasiperiodic Collapse Events at Kīlauea, HI, USA

AbstractFollowing the Mw 6.9 Hawaiian earthquake on 4 May 2018, a remarkable quasiperiodic sequence of collapse events began at Halema'uma'u Crater at the summit of Kīlauea Volcano. The collapse events were associated with the drainage of magma from beneath the summit to the Lower East Rift Zone where fissure eruptions occurred. From 4 June 2018 to 2 August 2018 forty‐seven collapse events Mw 5.3 ± 0.1 occurred with the same temporal pattern of seismicity occurring between sequential pairs of collapse events. This paper focuses on this interevent seismicity pattern. Following a collapse event, there was a relatively quiescent period. This was followed by a sudden increase in seismicity, occurring at a nearly linear rate of 397 ± 96 earthquakes per day. These seismically active periods lasted until the next collapse event occurred. The pattern then repeated itself beginning again with postcollapse quiescence. We provide a statistical summary of this seismicity behavior by isolating the quiescent and active times to look at immediate precollapse and postcollapse activity. In mid‐June there were significant changes in the quiescent time lengths (decreased), the number of earthquakes during the interevent times (increased), and the rates of seismicity during the active times (increased). This type of interevent study could be conducted with other seismically well recorded, sequential caldera collapse events and also with other data types to look for potential physical explanations and an improved understanding of precollapse and postcollapse activity.

The low-Ti high-temperature dacitic volcanism of the southern Paraná-Etendeka LIP: Geochemistry, implications for trans-Atlantic correlations and comparison with other Phanerozoic LIPs

The low-Ti silicic volcanic units of the Paraná-Etendeka Large Igneous Province (LIP) have a high volume (~20,000 km3) and are widespread in South America and Africa. In this paper we present a geochemical investigation of conduit- and lava flow-related metaluminous dacitic volcanic rocks from three areas outcropping in southern Brazil. Trace-element abundances are close to those observed from the low-Ti basaltic parental melts and interbedded basaltic andesites. Assimilation and fractional crystallization models suggest significant fractionation (>60%) from basaltic melts with assimilation involving sources with variable large ion lithophiles (LIL) and high field strength (HFS) elements. Variation in Zr/Nb ratios of the silicic volcanic rocks is interpreted to be related to the source characteristics. An effective magma drainage system through structurally controlled conduits was sustained at high magmatic temperatures (~1000–1100 °C), low viscosities of ~106–104 Pa s and water contents from 0.5–1.3 wt%. Melt structures with RAI < 1 are in agreement with field descriptions of an effusive emplacement, erupting domes, coulees, lobes, and extensive SR-type lavas. Trans-Atlantic correlations indicate some compositional overlaps with the Grootberg and Wereldsend quartz latites of Namibia, but the much higher Pb contents of the Namibian quartz latites, five to ten times greater than for the Brazilian dacites, and higher Pb/Cu ratios, suggest a greater degree of assimilation/fractionation of Pb-rich material, such as shale, slate or schist, for the Namibian silicic rocks. After comparing Phanerozoic silicic units related to LIPs, we propose they can be separated into three main types: (1) large volume, high-temperature, water-poor metaluminous rocks, (2) small volume, lower temperature, more hydrous peraluminous to peralkaline rocks; and (3) high-temperature peraluminous rocks with cordierite and garnet, derived from partial melting of metapelitic basement.

Geomorphometric analysis of the 2014–2015 Bárðarbunga volcanic eruption, Iceland

Topographical information is of fundamental interest for a wide range of disciplines including glaciology, agriculture, communication network planning, or hazard management. In volcanology, elevation data are of particular importance when assessing material flows throughout a volcanic system. To obtain accurate estimates of time-varying topography in volcanic active regions, high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) are required. To monitor and evaluate topographical changes and especially volumetric gains and losses during the 2014–2015 Bárðarbunga eruption, Iceland, multi-temporal TanDEM-X DEM sequences were evaluated.The 2014–2015 volcanic eruption was associated with the rare event of a caldera collapse, visible on the surface of the Vatnajökull glacier, as well as major lava effusion in the Holuhraun plain. Before investigating topographical change at the two study areas, the TanDEM-X DEMs were analysed for absolute and relative height errors resulting from the radar system parameters, the SAR processing or the local environment. The uncertainty investigation determined that acquisitions over the snow-covered Bárðarbunga caldera were primarily affected by microwave penetration into snow and DEMs over the Holuhraun lava field exhibited increased height errors due to active lava flows and dynamic outwash plain.The topographical analysis of the 2014–2015 Bárðarbunga eruption revealed a maximum vertical displacement of approximately −65m and +43m at the study area of the Bárðarbunga caldera and Holuhraun lava field respectively. With a total subsidence volume of −1.40±0.13km3 and a dense-rock equivalent (DRE) lava volume of +1.36±0.07km3, known uncertainties in volume were decreased by approximately 35% and 77% accordingly. Taking into account the calculation of rates, the temporal development of caldera collapse and lava effusion was found to exhibit a near-exponential decrease. The ratio between subsidence and DRE lava volume moreover indicated the coupling between piston collapse and magma drainage.

Tracking dynamics of magma migration in open-conduit systems

Open-conduit volcanic systems are typically characterized by unsealed volcanic conduits feeding permanent or quasi-permanent volcanic activity. This persistent activity limits our ability to read changes in the monitored parameters, making the assessment of possible eruptive crises more difficult. We show how an integrated approach to monitoring can solve this problem, opening a new way to data interpretation. The increasing rate of explosive transients, tremor amplitude, thermal emissions of ejected tephra, and rise of the very-long-period (VLP) seismic source towards the surface are interpreted as indicating an upward migration of the magma column in response to an increased magma input rate. During the 2014 flank eruption of Stromboli, this magma input preceded the effusive eruption by several months. When the new lateral effusive vent opened on the Sciara del Fuoco slope, the effusion was accompanied by a large ground deflation, a deepening of the VLP seismic source, and the cessation of summit explosive activity. Such observations suggest the drainage of a superficial magma reservoir confined between the crater terrace and the effusive vent. We show how this model successfully reproduces the measured rate of effusion, the observed rate of ground deflation, and the deepening of the VLP seismic source. This study also demonstrates the ability of the geophysical network to detect superficial magma recharge within an open-conduit system and to track magma drainage during the effusive crisis, with a great impact on hazard assessment.

How a complex basaltic volcanic system works: Constraints from integrating seismic, geodetic, and petrological data at Mount Etna volcano during the July–August 2014 eruption

AbstractIntegrating geodetic, seismic, and petrological data for a recent eruptive episode at Mount Etna has enabled us to define the history of magma storage and transfer within the multilevel structure of the volcano, providing spatial and temporal constraints for magma movements before the eruption. Geodetic data related to the July–August 2014 activity provide evidence of a magma reservoir at ~4 km below sea level. This reservoir pressurized from late March 2014 and fed magmas that were then erupted from vents on the lower eastern flank of North‐East Crater (NEC) and at New South‐East Crater (NSEC) summit crater during the July eruptive activity. Magma drainage caused its depressurization since mid‐July. Textural and microanalytical data obtained from plagioclase crystals indicate similar disequilibrium textures and compositions at the cores in lavas erupted at the base of NEC and NSEC, suggesting comparable deep histories of evolution and ascent. Conversely, the compositional differences observed at the crystal rims have been associated to distinct degassing styles during storage in a shallow magma reservoir. Seismic data have constrained depth for a shallow part of the plumbing system at 1–2 km above sea level. Timescales of magma storage and transfer have also been calculated through diffusion modeling of zoning in olivine crystals of the two systems. Our data reveal a common deep history of magmas from the two systems, which is consistent with a recharging phase by more mafic magma between late March and early June 2014. Later, the magma continued its crystallization under distinct chemical and physical conditions at shallower levels.

Evidence of a shallow persistent magmatic reservoir from joint inversion of gravity and ground deformation data: The 25–26 October 2013 Etna lava fountaining event

AbstractTo evaluate the volcanic processes leading to the 25–26 October 2013 lava fountain at Mount Etna, we jointly investigated gravity, GPS, and DInSAR measurements covering the late‐June to early‐November time interval. We used finite element modeling to infer a shallow magmatic reservoir which (i) inflated since July 2013, (ii) fed the volcanic activity at the summit craters during 25–26 October, and (iii) deflated due to magma drainage related to this volcanic activity. We suggested that this reservoir belongs to a shallow volume, which is located beneath the summit area and is replenished by magma rising from deep reservoirs and fed the short‐term volcanic activity, representing a persistent shallow magmatic plumbing system of Etna. In addition, the model results show that there is a large discrepancy between the erupted and shallow reservoir deflation volumes, which could be reasonably attributable to a highly compressible volatile‐rich magma.

Volcano seismicity and ground deformation unveil the gravity-driven magma discharge dynamics of a volcanic eruption.

Effusive eruptions are explained as the mechanism by which volcanoes restore the equilibrium perturbed by magma rising in a chamber deep in the crust. Seismic, ground deformation and topographic measurements are compared with effusion rate during the 2007 Stromboli eruption, drawing an eruptive scenario that shifts our attention from the interior of the crust to the surface. The eruption is modelled as a gravity-driven drainage of magma stored in the volcanic edifice with a minor contribution of magma supplied at a steady rate from a deep reservoir. Here we show that the discharge rate can be predicted by the contraction of the volcano edifice and that the very-long-period seismicity migrates downwards, tracking the residual volume of magma in the shallow reservoir. Gravity-driven magma discharge dynamics explain the initially high discharge rates observed during eruptive crises and greatly influence our ability to predict the evolution of effusive eruptions.

Spatiotemporal gravity variations to look deep into the southern flank of Etna volcano

A 14‐year‐long microgravity data set (October 1994 to September 2007) collected along a 24‐km east‐west trending profile of 19 stations was analyzed to detect underground mass redistributions related to the volcanic activity involving the southern flank of Mt Etna (Italy). A multiresolution wavelet analysis was applied to separate the volcano‐related anomalies from the unwanted components. The residual image having both spatial extension and temporal duration evidenced two complete gravity increase/decrease cycles mainly affecting the central and eastern stations of the profile. The first gravity increase (early 1995 to the end of 1996) and decrease (end of 1996 to late in 1998) cycle reached a maximum amplitude of approximately 90 μGal. The second gravity increase (mid‐1999 to mid‐2000) and decrease (mid‐2000 to early‐2004) cycle attained an amplitude of about 80 μGal. After about 5 years of a persistent negative gravity anomaly, a new semicycle started at the end of 2006 and continued during the last survey carried out in September 2007. The density changes, modeled over time since 1994 using a Quadratic Programming algorithm, are mainly located at a depth of 2–4 km bsl in a region recognized to be a preferential pathway of magma rising and an intermediate zone of magma storage/withdrawal. The computed positive mass variations of about 105 × 109 kg were interpreted as magma accumulation, while negative mass changes of about −120 × 109 kg were associated with either magma drainage or opening of new voids by tectonic stresses within a source volume, where tensional earthquakes occurred.

New mass increase beneath Askja volcano, Iceland - a precursor to renewed activity?

Askja is an active central volcano located on the NS trending en echelon rift zone marking the mid-Atlantic plate boundary in North Iceland. Between 2007 and 2009, we observed a gravity increase at the centre of the caldera. This contrasts with net gravity decreases recorded between 1988 and 2007 interpreted previously in terms of magma drainage. The recent gravity increase is rapid, but similar in terms of lateral extent to the preceding decrease. This gravity increase corresponds to a sub-surface mass increase of 0.68×1011kg at about 3km depth. It is possible that the new gravity increases observed at Askja reflect accumulation of magma beneath the caldera and thus may herald a new phase in the activity of this volcano, which last erupted in 1961.

Structural features of the 2007 Stromboli eruption

On 27 February 2007, two NE–SW and NNW–SSE dike-fed effusive vents opened to the North (at 650 and 400 m above sea level, asl) of the summit craters at Stromboli, forming a fissure parallel to the inner walls of the Sciara del Fuoco (SdF) sector collapse depression. The formation of these vents was soon followed by rapid subsidence of the summit crater area. This partly obstructed the central conduit, temporarily choking the fissure and increasing the deformation of the upper part of SdF. The reactivation of the NNW–SSE vent and the opening of a new vent located at 500 m asl, fed by a second dike, released the internal pressure and surface deformation ceased. The eruption then continued again from the 400 m vent, after a summit explosion on 15 March, until ending in early April after a progressive decrease of magma output. Repeated NE–SW dike intrusions have occurred in recent years, close to the upper SE limit of the SdF. In that zone, named Bastimento, the eruptive fractures traced the discontinuities that borders the SdF, increasing the risk of triggering new sector collapse. Whereas the NE–SW trending structures lie along the regional volcano-structural trend of the Aeolian arc through Stromboli, the NNW–SSE vents are oblique to this trend and may be controlled by the anomalous stress field within the unstable flank of the SdF. Another fundamental aspect of the 2007 eruption is the collapse of the central conduit, due to the rapid and deep magma drainage linked to the opening of the 400 m vent. The intrusion of dikes and development of flank vents during the 2007 eruption could possibly have triggered catastrophic landslides and related tsunami or eruptive paroxysms, but the opening of new effusive vents released the internal pressures, diminishing the hazard.

Subsidence due to crack closure and depressurization of hydrothermal systems: a case study from Mt Epomeo (Ischia Island, Italy)

AbstractLevelling surveys carried out between 1990 and 2003 on the Mt Epomeo resurgent block (Ischia Island) record negative dislocations on its northern and southern flanks with a maximum subsidence rate of 1.27 cm yr−1. This deformation is not associated with the cooling, crystallization or lateral drainage of magma and cannot be explained by a pressure point or prolate ellipsoid source. Results from dislocation models and the available structural and geochemical information indicate that the subsidence is due to crack closure processes along two main ENE–WSW and E–W preexisting faults, which represent the preferred pathway of CO2 degassing from the hydrothermal system located beneath Mt Epomeo. The monitoring of the dislocations and CO2 flux along these faults could give useful information on the dynamics of the hydrothermal system.

Integration of micro-gravity and geodetic data to constrain shallow system mass changes at Krafla Volcano, N Iceland

New and previously published micro-gravity data are combined with InSAR data, precise levelling and GPS measurements to produce a model for the processes operating at Krafla volcano, 20 years after its most recent eruption. The data have been divided into two periods: from 1990 to 1995 and from 1996 to 2003 and show that the rate of deflation at Krafla is decaying exponentially. The net micro-gravity change at the centre of the caldera is shown, using the measured free air gradient, to be −85 μGal for the first and −100 μGal for the second period. After consideration of the effects of water extraction by the geothermal power station within the caldera, the net gravity decreases are −73±17 μGal for the first and −65±17 μGal for the second period. These decreases are interpreted in terms of magma drainage. Following a Mogi point source model, we calculate the mass decrease to be ∼2×1010 kg/year reflecting a drainage rate of ∼0.23 m3/s, similar to the ∼0.13 m3/s drainage rate previously found at Askja volcano, N. Iceland. Based on the evidence for deeper magma reservoirs and the similarity between the two volcanic systems, we suggest a pressure-link between Askja and Krafla at deeper levels (at the lower crust or the crust-mantle boundary). After the Krafla fires, co-rifting pressure decrease of a deep source at Krafla stimulated the subsequent inflow of magma, eventually affecting conditions along the plate boundary in N. Iceland, as far away as Askja. We anticipate that the pressure of the deeper reservoir at Krafla will reach a critical value and eventually magma will rise from there to the shallow magma chamber, possibly initiating a new rifting episode. We have demonstrated that by examining micro-gravity and geodetic data, our knowledge of active volcanic systems can be significantly improved.

Collapse mechanism of the Paleogene Sakurae cauldron, SW Japan

The Paleogene Sakurae cauldron of SW Japan is characterized by a nested structure with a polygonal outline (21×13 km2) including a circular collapsed part (5 km in diameter). Total thickness of the caldera infill amounts to 2,000 m. The lower member of the infill consists mainly of felsic crystal tuff and lesser intercalated andesitic lava flows, whereas the upper member is composed of high-grade ignimbrite capped with a large rhyolitic lava dome. These members represent the first and second stage eruptions, respectively. Faults bounding the cauldron rim comprise intersecting radial and concentric faults, producing the polygonal outline of this cauldron. The primary collapse of this cauldron thus occurred as a polygonal caldera basin where products of the first stage eruption accumulated. In contrast, the inner collapse part is defined by a ring fracture system. This sector subsided concurrently with accumulation of the high-grade ignimbrite of the second stage eruption. This inner circular collapse thus represents syn-eruptional subsidence concurrent with the climactic eruption. Magma drainage during the first stage probably induced outward-dipping ring fractures in the chamber roof. Opening of the ring fractures following subsidence of the central bell-jar block caused rapid evacuation of magma as voluminous pumice flows, even though magma pressure may have decreased to some degree.

Eruptive dynamics and caldera collapse during the Onano eruption, Vulsini, Italy

The Onano explosive eruption of the Latera Volcanic Complex (Vulsini Volcanoes, Quaternary potassic Roman Comagmatic Region, Italy) provides an interesting example of multiple changes of eruptive style that were concomitant with a late phase of collapse of the polygenetic Latera Caldera. This paper reports a reconstruction of the event based on field analysis, laboratory studies of grain size and density of juvenile clasts, and re-interpretation of available subsurface geology data. The Onano eruption took place in a structurally weak area, corresponding to a carbonate substrate high bordered by the pre-existing Latera caldera and Bolsena volcano-tectonic depression, which controlled the ascent and eruption of a shoshonitic-phonotephritic magma through intersecting rim fault systems. Temporal changes of magma vesiculation, fragmentation and discharge rate, and consequent eruptive dynamics, were strongly controlled by pressure evolution in the magma chamber and changing vent geometry. Initially, pumice-rich pyroclastic flows were emplaced, followed by spatter- and lithic-rich flows and fallout from energetic fire-fountaining. The decline of magma pressure due to the partial evacuation of the magma chamber induced trapdoor collapse of the chamber roof, which involved part of the pre-existing caldera and external volcano slopes and eventually led to the present-day caldera. The widening of the vent system and the emplacement of the main pyroclastic flow and associated co-ignimbrite lag breccia marked the eruption climax. A sudden drop of the confining pressure, which is attributed to a pseudo-rigid behaviour of the magma chamber wall rocks during a phase of rapid magma drainage, led to extensive magma vesiculation and fragmentation. The disruption of the magma chamber roof and waning magma pressure in the late eruption stage favoured the explosive interaction of residual magma with groundwater from the confined carbonate aquifer. Pulsating hydrostatic and magma pressures produced alternating hydromagmatic pyroclastic surges, strombolian fallout and spatter flows.

Net gravity decrease at Askja volcano, Iceland: constraints on processes responsible for continuous caldera deflation, 1988–2003

Askja caldera in northeast Iceland has been in a state of unrest for decades. Ground-deformation surveys show that the rate of deformation, i.e., deflation, is much higher then observed at any other dormant volcano in Iceland. This work presents the results from microgravity and deformation studies at Askja from 1988 to 2003. The deflation reaches a maximum of −0.46 m in the centre of the caldera, relative to a station outside the caldera, during the study period. The source of deformation is inferred to be at ∼3 km depth and a recent study infers a second deeper source at ∼16 km depth. The deflation is consistent with a subsurface volume change of −0.018 km 3. We find a net microgravity decrease of 115 μGal in the centre of the caldera relative to the same station. This corresponds to a subsurface mass decrease of 1.6×10 11 kg between 1988 and 2003 based on the use of a point source model. A combination of magma drainage and cooling and contraction of the shallow magma reservoir at 3 km depth is our favoured model, consistent with the integrated observations. We suggest that extensional tectonic forces generate space in the ductile part of the crust to accommodate ongoing magma drainage from the shallow magma chamber.