Magma Eruption Research Articles

Mafic magma recharge triggered eruption of a long-lived shallow silicic magma reservoir beneath a submarine volcano from the southwestern Okinawa Trough

Abundant submarine volcanoes have been identified in the southwestern Okinawa Trough, yet the duration of shallow magma reservoirs and processes driving their eruptions remains unclear. Here, the texture and in situ element compositions of orthopyroxene and magnetite in the dacite and mafic magmatic enclaves (MMEs) from the FDV-1 submarine volcano were investigated to decipher the duration of pre-eruption shallow silicic magma storage and eruption triggering processes. Both unzoned and zoned orthopyroxene phenocrysts were observed in the host dacite. The rims of zoned and unzoned orthopyroxene have similar compositions with Mg# from 49 to 55, Cr = 2.31–9.26 μg/g, V = 54.10–137 μg/g, and Ni = 16.44–21.19 μg/g, and they are in equilibrium with the rhyolitic matrix, which is consistent with growth in the shallow silicic magma reservoir. In contrast, the high Mg# cores (Mg# = 63–79) in the zoned orthopyroxenes are in equilibrium with basalt, with significant enrichment in Cr (1092–1737 μg/g), Ni (106–181 μg/g), and V (183–295 μg/g), which indicates a recycled (antecryst) origin by mafic magma recharge and magma mixing. Furthermore, the timescales from FeMg interdiffusion in orthopyroxene phenocrysts suggest that the magma mixing is approximately 600 years before eruption. Correspondingly, the shallow silicic magma reservoir beneath the submarine volcano is longevity. The presence of bubble and V-depleted magnetite aggregates in the MMEs suggests that volatile-saturated and oxidized mafic magma recharges into the shallow silicic magma chamber. Moreover, the distinct contents of relatively fast-diffusing Ni in magnetite between the MMEs and host dacite suggest that the mafic magma injection into the silicic magma reservoir and formation of the MMEs must have occurred over very short timescales (< 24 h) before the eruption to inhibit complete re-equilibration. Therefore, this last mafic magma recharge induces destabilization of the long-lived shallow silicic magma reservoir and leads to the dacitic magma eruption.

Geochemical Characteristics of the Volcanic Rocks Associated with Boron-Rich Deposits from the Xiongba Basin, Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) hosts significant lacustrine sedimentary boron-rich deposits, with the Xiongba Basin being a prominent region housing two large sedimentary boron-rich deposits. These deposits are closely associated with extensive Neogene volcanic rocks. This study investigates the origin and boron sources of Miocene volcanic rocks in the Xiangqu River area, located within the Xiongba Basin. The volcanic rocks in the basin comprise ultrapotassic andesites, ultrapotassic trachyte, potassic trachyte, and potassic trachyandeiste. The trace element content and the active/inert elements ratios of the studied volcanic rocks have indicated that they were generated in a subduction environment and were influenced by enrichment fluids derived from deep-sea sediments or altered oceanic crust during their formation. Accordingly, the studied volcanic rocks exhibit significant boron enrichment. The eruption of magma and subsequent hydrothermal activity released boron, which became the primary source for the lacustrine sedimentary boron-rich deposits within the basin. The arc-like trace element features (e.g., Nb-Ta depletion relative to La and K) and high B concentrations in these rocks were inherited from the mantle source, which had been enriched by melt/fluid of the subducted sediments. A two-stage evolutionary model is proposed to explain the enrichment of B in subduction environments, as well as the subsequent melting of the B-enriched source during a post-collisional setting. These findings highlight the potential for boron and lithium mineralization in similar volcanic rock-bearing regions across the QTP. Future exploration efforts in such areas could provide valuable insights into the formation processes of lacustrine sedimentary boron-rich deposits and contribute to the understanding of boron and lithium resource potential.

Differentiation of Chemical Components in Basaltic Melts During Eruptions: An Example from Tolbachik–Hawaiian Fissure Zones and Etna Vent

The study on differentiation of chemical components in quenched volcanics from the Etna, Tolbachik and Hawaiian fissure zones was carried out under simulated temperature/pressure (T/P) conditions reflecting real-time conditions in the early stages of magmatic eruptions. The simulation was performed under high-pressure chamber apparatus, and the rocks were then subjected to high T/P conditions resulting in basaltic melts. Various temperature and pressure conditions were adjusted from the apparatus to allow for different rates of magmatic cooling and crystallization. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS-microanalysis) was then used to study the quenched glasses with the aim of identifying major element partitioning based on micro-heterogeneity of melts structures. The microscopic study of the experimental melts and their comparisons with natural melts under the electron microscopes indicate the existence of two distinct liquids which fractionated during cooling on the basis of their chemical composition (compositional melts): Fe, Mg liquids concentrated in the poorly polymerized and mobile parts of the melt and K, Na and Al liquids were concentrated in more highly polymerized parts of the melts. Partitioning of Ca and Si appears to be changeable and more dependent on bulk melt composition. Fractionation of non-crystalline melts was evident under post-explosion sharp quenching and high-pressure conditions.

Priming and eruption of andesite magmas at Taranaki volcano recorded in plagioclase phenocrysts

Plagioclase phenocrysts in pre-historic andesites provide insight to the dynamics of magma formation and eruption at Taranaki volcano, New Zealand. The phenocryst population has a diversity of relic cores and a total in situ 87Sr/86Sr range of 0.70440–0.70486. Within-sample 87Sr/86Sr variations of 0.00018 to 0.00043 indicate that many phenocrysts are antecrysts and/or xenocrysts, derived from multiple crystal mush bodies. The Sr-isotopic differences in the phenocrysts of consecutive eruptions indicate that different magmas were tapped or formed on a centennial timescale. Most phenocrysts have multiple resorption/calcic regrowth zone(s) with elevated FeO* but invariant MgO zonation profiles. They likely record mafic melt inputs, and subsequent storage at elevated temperature caused re-equilibration of the Mg gradient. However, distinct rim types record different final pre/syn-eruptive magmatic conditions. Those in magmas erupted at 1030–1157 CE, 1290–1399 CE and 1780–1800 CE are characterised by resorption and calcic regrowth with sharp MgO and FeO* gradients. They record the entry of mafic melt into the system a few days or less before eruption based on Mg diffusion chronometry. In contrast, most phenocrysts erupted at 1755 CE, 1655 CE, and a few pre-1 ka events, have texturally uniform rims, compositionally consistent with closed-system crystallisation. This suggests alternating external and internal eruption triggers. Alternatively, the rate of magma reactivation via intrusion may dictate whether there was sufficient time for a mineralogical response to be recorded in part or all of the system. With respect to anticipating future eruptions, the plagioclase phenocrysts suggest multi-stage magma priming but rapid onset of the final trigger.

Two Distinct Magma Storage Regions at Ambrym Volcano Detected by Satellite Geodesy

AbstractThe flux of eruptible magma into a magmatic plumbing system influences eruption size and timing. If magma transfer is possible between two hydraulically‐connected magma lenses, system destabilization can tap a larger magma volume than stored in any one melt lens. This study identifies two distinct magma reservoirs beneath Ambrym, a basaltic island volcano in Vanuatu, during the time period February 2019 to January 2022. Using InSAR time series and a data assimilation approach, we estimate pressure changes within two reservoirs (located 5–7 and 4–6 km b.s.l.). Furthermore, a theoretical model demonstrates that the reservoirs may not currently be hydraulically connected, despite evidence of physical mixing of magma derived from each reservoir during the December 2018 eruption. These findings further our understanding of how magmatic plumbing systems at basaltic calderas may change after rift‐zone eruptions.

Petrology and mineralogy of volcanic glass in meteorite Northwest Africa 11801: Implications for their petrogenesis

AbstractThe study of lunar magma evolution holds significant importance within the scientific community due to its relevance in understanding the Moon's thermal and geological history. However, the intricate task of unraveling the history of early volcanic activity on the Moon is hindered by the high flux of impactors, which have substantially changed the morphology of pristine volcanic constructs. In this study, we focus on a unique volcanic glass found in the lunar meteorite Northwest Africa 11801. This kind of volcanic glass is bead‐like in shape and compositionally similar to the Apollo‐14 and Apollo‐17 very low‐Ti glass. Our research approach involves conducting a comprehensive analysis of the petrology and mineralogy of the volcanic glass, coupled with multiple thermodynamic modeling techniques. Through the investigation, we aim to shed light on the petrological characteristics and evolutionary history of the glass. The results indicate that the primitive magma of the glass was created at 1398–1436°C and 8.3–11.9 kbar (166–238 km) from an olivine+orthopyroxene mantle source region. Then, the magma ascended toward the surface along a non‐adiabatic path with an ascent rate of ~40 m s−1 or 0.2 MPa s−1. During the magma ascent, only olivine crystallized and the onset of magma eruption occurred at ~1320–1343°C. Finally, the glass cooled rapidly on the lunar surface with a cooling rate ranging between 20 and 200 K min−1. Considerable evidence from petrology, mineralogy, cooling rate, and the eruption rate of the glass beads strongly supports the occurrence of ancient explosive volcanism on the Moon.

Geochemical constraints on the evolution of the magmatic system leading to catastrophic eruptions at Aira Caldera, Japan

Caldera-forming eruptions of Aira volcano at 30 ka were among the most explosive eruptions in Japan during the late Pleistocene. In this study, new data on whole-rock major and trace elements, Sr–Nd–Pb isotopes, and 238U-230Th disequilibrium were obtained for representative volcanic products of caldera-forming and pre-caldera eruptions (31–90 ka) to acquire insights on the evolution of the felsic magma system leading to catastrophic eruptions. Voluminous rhyolitic pumices from the caldera-forming eruptions at 30 ka and rhyolitic lavas and pumices of the younger pre-caldera eruptions (31–36 ka) have similar Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopic compositions, and differ from those of dacitic and rhyolitic pumices produced by eruptions at 90 and 60 ka, respectively. These three types of felsic magmas are considered to have formed by partial melting of hornblende gabbroic rocks with distinct isotopic compositions in the middle-lower crust. Most felsic products from the pre-caldera and caldera-forming eruptions are in secular 238U-230Th equilibrium, suggesting that the original magmas were generated > ∼ 400 ka and existed as long-lived crystalline mush in the deep hot crust. Felsic magmas originating from the deep crustal mush zones ascended to form the shallow felsic magma system, which was replaced by a new one after the explosive eruptions at 90 and 60 ka. The voluminous rhyolitic magmas for the caldera-forming eruptions accumulated in a shallow magma reservoir between 60 and 30 ka. Rhyolitic magmas with compositions similar to those of the voluminous magmas erupted catastrophically at 30 ka began to erupt effusively at 36 ka and 33 ka as lava flows with significant 238U-230Th disequilibrium, suggesting that these magmas were generated in the deep crust much later than the other main rhyolitic magmas. The effusive magma eruptions presumably resulted from the relatively low content of dissolved H2O in the melt due to the low crystallinity because of the shorter residence time in the shallow felsic magma system.

Cadomian Iron ore bodies in the Bafq-Saghand metallogenic province, Iran: genetic constraints from field observations and laser ablation ICP-MS mineral studies

ABSTRACT The volcano-sedimentary unit in the Bafq-Saghand metallogenic province (BSMP) of Central Iran hosts various types of iron ore bodies including Fe-oxides with jaspilite beds, Mn-dominated iron lenses, magnetite-apatite lenses, and massive magnetite-apatite deposits. The Fe-oxides with jaspilite beds and Mn-dominated iron lenses have limited outcrops and show volcano-sedimentary features in the field. The main features are the presence of syngenetic submarine rhyolite-hosted magnetite, lamination and bedding of iron ore body, jaspilite and dropstone. Volcano-sedimentary origin is testified by magnetite composition showing affinity to BIF and positive Eu and negative Ce anomaly. Magnetite-apatite lenses and massive magnetite-apatite deposits that having spatio-temporal correlation form the main economically important deposits. They have magmatic to high-temperature hydrothermal field characteristics (lava flow-like ore bodies, the presence of degassing tubes in ore bodies, occurrence of brecciated texture and developed Na-Ca metasomatism). Mineral composition (enrichment of LREE, magnetite and apatite negative Eu anomaly and Co/Ni < 1 in pyrites) is in agreement with magmatic and high temperature hydrothermal origin. We propose a hydrous and oxidizing mantle derived iron-rich basic magma that formed in an extensional post-collisional setting for origin of Kiruna-type IOA ore bodies of the BSMP. Fe-oxides with jaspilite beds and Mn-dominated iron lenses resulted from degassing or eruption of iron-rich magma during Ediacaran in a submarine environment. However, magnetite-apatite lenses and massive magnetite-apatite deposits formed from an Early Cambrian magmatic-hydrothermal transition system from a magnetite-crystal mush zone.

Constraints on magma storage conditions based on geodetic volume change and erupted magma volume and application to the 2011 and 2018 eruptions at Kirishima Shinmoe-dake volcano, Japan

We investigated magma storage conditions prior to the 2011 and 2018 eruptions at Kirishima Shinmoe-dake volcano in Japan based on the relationship between geodetic volume change of magma chamber and erupted magma volume. We derived an analytical expression for the ratio of the erupted magma volume to the geodetic volume change (“volume ratio”), which was formulated as a function of parameters related to the magma storage conditions. This expression shows that the volume ratio is strongly dependent on the effective compressibility of the magma chamber, which in turn depends on the rigidity of surrounding host rocks and shape of the chamber. For the Shinmoe-dake eruptions, the magnitude of the volume change (i.e., deflation) of a spherical magma chamber associated with lava effusion was estimated based on geodetic observations. The erupted magma volume was estimated from a SAR image analysis of the lava accumulation inside the summit crater. Based on these observations, we estimated that the volume ratio in 2011 and 2018 was 2.69 and 2.33, respectively. Substituting the estimated volume ratio into the analytical expression revealed that the observed geodetic data and volume ratio can be explained only when the magma chamber, which was assumed to be spherical, is filled with bubble-free magma. This result suggests that efficient gas segregation from the chamber occurred prior to the eruptions. Our results indicate that combining multi-observation data based on the volume ratio provides valuable information about the magma storage process, such as the behavior of the gas phase in the magma chamber.Graphical

Age of the magma chamber and its physicochemical state under Elbrus Greater Caucasus, Russia using zircon petrochronology and modeling insights

Mount Elbrus, Europe's tallest and largely glaciated volcano, is made of silicic lavas and is known for Holocene eruptions, but the size and state of its magma chamber remain poorly constrained. We report high spatial resolution U–Th–Pb zircon ages, co-registered with oxygen and hafnium isotopic values, span ~ 0.6 Ma in each lava, documenting magmatic initiation that forms the current edifice. The best-fit thermochemical modeling constrains magmatic fluxes at 1.2 km3/1000 year by hot (900 °C), initially zircon-undersaturated dacite into a vertically extensive magma body since ~ 0.6 Ma, whereas a volcanic episode with eruptible magma only extends over the past 0.2 Ma, matching the age of oldest lavas. Simulations explain the total magma volume of ~ 180 km3, temporally oscillating δ18O and εHf values, and a wide range of zircon age distributions in each sample. These data provide insights into the current state (~ 200 km3 of melt in a vertically extensive system) and the potential for future activity of Elbrus calling for much-needed seismic imaging. Similar zircon records worldwide require continuous intrusive activity by magmatic accretion of silicic magmas generated at depths, and that zircon ages do not reflect eruption ages but predate them by ~ 103 to 105 years reflecting protracted dissolution–crystallization histories.

Genesis and interaction of magmas at Nishinoshima volcano in the Ogasawara arc, western Pacific: new insights from submarine deposits of the 2020 explosive eruptions

Sudden changes of eruption styles and magma compositions at arc volcanoes are enigmatic processes. Nishinoshima volcano, western Pacific, has had historical eruptions in 1973–1974 and from 2013 on and off to the present day. These eruptions were characterized by effusive Strombolian eruptions of andesite magmas until mid-June 2020, when they suddenly transitioned to violent explosive Strombolian eruptions that produced tephra fallout over a wide area. To understand this transition, we conducted marine surveys and sampling of the extensive submarine deposits of the tephra fallout. Our new data demonstrate that the full compositional range of the 2020 eruptions spans from basalt to dacite. We present evidence for magma mixing of newly injected basalt with andesite magmas. Nishinoshima consists of an andesitic main edifice surrounded by basaltic knolls: previous studies have shown that Nishinoshima andesite compositions can be generated by olivine fractionation of primary andesitic magmas that result from partial melting of hydrous mantle at relatively low pressures under the thin crust of the Ogasawara arc; knoll basalt compositions can be generated by partial melting of mantle at greater depths and were interpreted as older events of the volcano. We show that basalt magmas could have been generated throughout the entire history of Nishinoshima. In addition, we show that andesites from Nishinoshima and nearby Nishinoshima-Minami Knoll, which are only ∼8 km apart, have distinct subduction components. Together, these data improve our understanding of the diverse primary magmas responsible for the construction and continuing eruptive activity of an active island arc volcano.

Implications for Shallow Magma Transfer During the 2017 and 2018 Eruptions at Fernandina (Galápagos) Inferred From InSAR Data

AbstractPrevious work at Fernandina, the most active volcano of the Western Galápagos (Ecuador), revealed evidence for both a shallow and a deep magma reservoir, but the relative contribution of the two reservoirs to eruptions remains unclear. Here we investigate the September 2017 circumferential eruption and the June 2018 radial eruption using interferometric synthetic aperture radar data and geodetic modeling. Our results show that during the 2017 eruption magma was simultaneously withdrawn from the deep reservoir, injected upwards through the shallow reservoir, and then fed the circumferential feeder dike to the SW of the caldera. Two episodes of inflow of new magma occurred in both the deep and shallow magma reservoirs in the inter‐eruptive period from December 2017 to May 2018. During the 2018 eruption, both reservoirs fed two radial feeder dikes below the north flank, probably interacting with an underlying peripheral melt pocket, and an inclined sheet below the NW sector of the caldera. Our results highlight the primary role of the deeper reservoir which accumulates most of the magma before eruptions. Both eruptions were characterized by rapid magma transfer from the deeper to the shallower reservoir. This is similar to what is observed at the nearby Wolf volcano, but unlike nearby Sierra Negra, where a shallower reservoir accumulates higher volumes of magma before eruptions. These differences in the pre‐eruptive role of the deeper and shallower reservoirs might be related to the different evolutionary stages of Fernandina and Wolf with regard to the more mature Sierra Negra.

Feasibility of melt segregation from a crystal mush in response to the 2011–2012 eruption at Cordón Caulle, Chile

SUMMARY The 2011–2012 eruption at Cordón Caulle in Chile produced crystal-poor rhyolitic magma with crystal-rich mafic enclaves whose interstitial glass is of identical composition to the host rhyolite. Eruptible rhyolites are thought to be genetically associated with crystal-rich magma mushes, and the enclaves within the Cordón Caulle rhyolite support the existence of a magma mush from which the erupted magma was derived. Moreover, towards the end of the 2011–2012 eruption, subsidence gave way to inflation that has on average been continuous through at least 2020. We hypothesize that magma segregation from a crystal mush could be the source of the observed inflation. Conceptually, magma withdrawal from a crystal-poor rhyolite reservoir caused its depressurization, which could have led to upward flow of interstitial melt within an underlying crystal mush, causing a new batch of magma to segregate and partially recharge the crystal-poor rhyolite body. Because the compressibility of the crystalline matrix of the mush is expected to be lower than that of the interstitial melt, which likely contains some fraction of volatile bubbles, this redistribution of melt would result in a net increase in volume of the system and in the observed inflation. We use numerical modelling of subsurface magma flow and storage to show under which conditions such a scenario is supported by geodetic and petrologic observations.

SO 2 emissions during the 2021 eruption of La Soufrière, St Vincent, revealed with back-trajectory analysis of TROPOMI imagery

Abstract Determining SO 2 emission time-series from explosive eruptions can provide important insights into the driving magmatic processes, however accurate measurements are difficult to collect. Satellite-based platforms provide SO 2 imagery, however translating this to the altitude- and time-resolved emission history required to unravel volcanic processes is a major challenge. This means SO 2 emission time-series are rarely quantified for major eruptions, producing a gap in our understanding of explosive volcanism. Here, we combine SO 2 imagery collected by the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) with PlumeTraj, a back-trajectory analysis toolkit, to reconstruct the SO 2 emission prior to, and during, the explosive eruption of La Soufrière volcano, St Vincent, in April 2021. Precursory SO 2 emissions were quantified the day before the eruption, with emission rates in agreement with ground-based measurements. We estimate initial magma sulfur contents by comparing the measured SO 2 emissions with erupted magma volumes, finding that the initial explosion was sulfur poor (730 ppm S) compared to the main eruption phase (up to 3400 ppm S). This suggests that the initial explosion cleared old, previously degassed magma resident in the shallow plumbing system, followed by the eruption of the main, mostly un-degassed magma source.

Major and trace element emission rates in hydrothermal plumes in a tropical environment. The case of La Soufrière de Guadeloupe volcano

Hydrothermal or low-temperature volcanic emissions, most commonly occurring in fumarolic environments, dominate the global volcanic landscape. This work presents physicochemical characterization of the aerosols contained in steam- and H2S-rich plumes discharged from La Soufrière volcano, in conjunction with the first report on their heavy metal degassing emission rates. Our results indicate that the plume is enriched in certain lithophile (K, Ti, Si, Al, Mn, and Mg) and siderophile (Fe) elements, related to hydrothermal rock leaching, and chalcophile (Sb, As, Zn, Pb, and Tl) elements, which are usually degassed from the magma source. Heavy metal emission rates were found to be below 15 g/d, which are modest compared to available worldwide data. Nevertheless, Cr and Sb emission rates were very similar to those of Lascar volcano (Chile), which instead has produced magmatic eruptions in recent times. We propose that the depth of the magma chamber and the input of meteoric waters play an important role in scavenging heavy metals in the hydrothermal system of magmatic-hydrothermal volcanoes. Notwithstanding low heavy metal emission rates, La Soufrière can be regarded as an important pollution source in the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc.

Magnetotelluric imaging of the magmatic and geothermal systems beneath Mount Meager, southwestern Canada

Magnetotelluric data were collected on and around the Mount Meager volcanic complex, an active volcanic complex with eruptions ∼2400 and ∼24 300 years ago. Three-dimensional inversion was used to create an electrical resistivity model to a depth of &gt;20 km. The model is characterized by high resistivity (&gt;100 Ωm) in the upper 6–7 km, implying relatively dry, unaltered rock. Within this resistive layer, localized conductors are observed in the upper 2 km beneath Pylon Peak and Fish Creek, corresponding to low-permeability, clay-rich layers, acting as caprocks to geothermal fluids below. Beneath the resistive upper crust, there is a large conductor at ∼5–15 km below sea level with an average resistivity of ∼3 Ωm. Laboratory experiments of melt resistivity and petrological data from erupted volcanic rocks were used to interpret the model. The magma body (deep conductor) is inferred to have a minimum volume of ∼2 × 1012 m3 comprising ∼18–32% dacitic-to-trachydacitic melt with ∼6–8 wt.% H2O at a temperature of ∼800–900 °C. This is below the melt fraction of an eruptible magma body. Resolution tests suggest it might be regional in extent, not localized beneath Mount Meager. There are fluid pathways from the northern part of the magma body, up toward Mount Meager and nearby fumaroles. This model is a significant advancement from its predecessors, created 20–40 years ago, providing the first deep 3D image of this volcanic system. Along with other geophysical and geological models of the Garibaldi Geothermal Energy Project, it will reduce the exploration risk associated with geothermal energy development.

Three-Dimensional Numerical Modeling of Lava Dynamics Using the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics Method

Lava domes and lava flows are major manifestations of effusive volcanic eruptions. Less viscous lava tends to flow long distances, depending on the volcanic slope topography, the eruption rate, and the viscosity of the erupted magma. When magma is highly viscous, its eruption to the surface leads to the formation of lava domes and their growth. The meshless smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is used in this paper to simulate lava dynamics. We describe the SPH method and present a numerical algorithm to compute lava dynamics models. The numerical method is verified by solving a model of cylindrical dam-break fluid flow, and the modelled results are compared to the analytical solution of the axisymmetric thin-layer viscous current problem. The SPH method is applied to study three models of lava advancement along the volcanic slope, when the lava viscosity is constant, depends on time and on the volume fraction of crystals in the lava. Simulation results show characteristic features of lava flows, such as lava channel and tube formation, and lava domes, such as the formation of a highly viscous carapace versus a less viscous dome core. Finally, the simulation results and their dependence on a particle size in the SPH method are discussed.

The magmatic evolution of South-East Crater (Mt. Etna) during the February–April 2021 sequence of lava fountains from a mineral chemistry perspective

The South-East Crater (SEC) at Mt. Etna started a period of lava fountaining in December 2020, producing over 60 paroxysms until February 2022. The activity had an intense sequence from February 16 to April 1, 2021, totaling 17 paroxysmal events separated by repose times varying from 1 to 7 days. The eruptive sequence was extensively monitored, providing a unique opportunity to relate the chemistry and texture of the erupted products to eruption dynamics. We investigate the temporal evolution of the magmatic system through this eruptive sequence by quantifying variations in the composition and texture of clinopyroxene. Clinopyroxene major element transects across crystals from five representative lava fountains allow us to determine the relative proportions of deep versus shallow-stored magmas that fed these events. We use hierarchical clustering (HC), an unsupervised machine learning technique, to objectively identify clinopyroxene compositional clusters and their variations during this intense eruptive phase. Our results show that variations of monitoring parameters and eruption intensity are expressed in the mineral record both as changes in cluster proportions and the chemical complexity of single crystals. We also apply random forest thermobarometry to relate each cluster to P-T conditions of formation. We suggest that the February–April 2021 eruptive sequence was sustained by the injection of a hotter and deeper magma into a storage area at 1–3 kbar, where it mixed with a slightly more evolved magma. The February 28 episode emitted the most mafic magma, in association with the highest mean lava fountain height and highest time–averaged discharge rate, which make it the peak of the analyzed eruptive interval. Our results show that after this episode, the deep magma supply decreased and the erupted magma become gradually more chemically evolved, with a lower time–average discharge rate and fountain height. We propose this approach as a means to rapidly, objectively, and effectively link petrological and geophysical/geochemical monitoring during ongoing eruptions. We anticipate that the systematic application of this approach will serve to shed light on the magmatic processes controlling the evolution of ongoing eruptions.

Cogenetic Origin of Magmatic Enclaves in Peralkaline Felsic Volcanic Rocks from the Sanshui Basin, South China

Centimeter-scale magmatic enclaves are abundant in peralkaline felsic volcanic rocks in the Sanshui Basin. Their lithology is mainly syenite and syenitic porphyry, and they mainly comprise alkali feldspar and amphibole, which is similar to the mineral assemblage of the host trachyte and comendite. The SiO2 content in the syenitic enclaves is ~63 wt%, which is similar to that of the host trachyte but lower than that of the comendite. Thermobarometric calculations showed that the syenitic enclaves crystallized at similar temperature and pressure conditions as their host trachyte. The results of mass-balance modeling and MCS modeling indicate that the syenitic enclaves likely experienced an approximately 74% fractional crystallization from the basaltic parental magma. Combined with the similar mineral assemblages and geochemical characteristics of the host trachyte, we think that the enclaves resulted from the in situ crystallization of trachytic magma in the shallow crust and that they had a cogenetic origin with their host volcanic rocks, which means that they were likely to derived from the identical magma chamber which was formed from different batches of magma mixing/mingling. The recharge and mixing of basaltic magma triggered the eruption of trachytic magma eruption. The syenitic crust may have been disaggregated by the ascending trachytic magma and brought to the surface as syenitic enclaves. The syenitic enclaves in volcanic rocks provide unique information on the magmatism of the shallow crust as evidence of magma mixing/mingling.

Architecture of the Lesser Antilles Arc Illustrated by Melt Inclusions

Abstract Volatiles are an essential aspect of subduction zones and constraining their cycling through subduction zones is of prime importance to better understand the genesis, transport, storage and eruption of arc magmas. Here we performed an along-arc investigation of the chemical composition of melt inclusions trapped in minerals representative of ten volcanic centers and 23 key explosive eruptions along the presently active Lesser Antilles arc, from Montserrat in the North to St. Vincent in the South. We use the melt inclusion compositions to reconstruct pre-eruptive conditions, especially pre-eruptive magma storage and degassing levels that highlight how the magma plumbing system is organized and works and to discuss magma source characteristics. All major and selected trace elements and volatiles (H2O, CO2, S, halogens (F, Cl, Br)) have been measured on the same melt inclusions when possible. Eruptions dominantly involved andesitic to dacitic magmas (Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia) and basaltic andesite magmas from St. Vincent. Melt inclusions have been used as pressure probes for magmas, for inferring crustal equilibration pressures. We shed light on the systematic occurrence and lateral complexity of a vertical transcrustal magmatic systems feeding active volcanoes. The geochemical view of the architecture of the plumbing system and in particular the Moho's depth is more variable than the view obtained by seismic data along the Lesser Antilles arc. We propose that the discontinuity between the upper and the middle crust is a major magma ponding zone beneath most of the Lesser Antilles islands and that the crustal structure thus imparts a control on the geochemical signature of arc lavas. Melt inclusions are highly differentiated (dacitic to rhyolitic in composition), so they are distant in composition from the primary, mantle-derived magmas, but they provide indirect information about the magmatic sources. The along-arc variability in Y and heavy rare earth element contents of melt inclusions is consistent with the presence of garnet in the mantle source. Our results also indicate an important contribution of oxidized and saline slab-derived fluids to the magma source predominantly in the southern Lesser Antilles that may have implication on the accretionary system behavior. In addition, a high geographical gradient between sediment melt and slab-derived fluid contributions, illustrating high variability in magmas erupted in close spatial association is reported for some islands, such as Martinique and Dominica. Volatile contents are variable for MIs across the arc: the highest H2O (&amp;lt;8 wt%), Cl (up to 3800 ppm) and Br (up to 20 ppm) concentrations occur in MIs from Dominica. However, there is no systematic correlation between MI volatile content and position along the arc. Halogen Cl/F and Cl/Br ratios vary from one island to another, even between the different eruptions, but without any along arc zoning, indicating that halogen fractionation occurred by fluid transfer (variable assimilation rate of fluids derived from seawater) or by heterogeneities of mantle origin inherited from the initial differentiation of the mantle.