Explosive Volcanic Eruptions Research Articles

On the relationship between eruption intensity and volcanic plume height: Insights from three-dimensional numerical simulations

Height of plumes generated during explosive volcanic eruptions is commonly used to estimate the associated eruption intensity (i.e., mass eruption rate; MER). In order to quantify the relationship between plume height and MER, we performed a parametric study using a three-dimensional (3D) numerical model of volcanic plumes for different vent sizes. The results of five simulations indicate that the flow pattern in the lower region of the plume systematically changes with vent size, and hence, with MER. For MERs <4×107kgs−1, the flow in the lower region has a jet-like structure (the jet-like regime). For MERs >108kgs−1, the flow shows a fountain-like structure (the fountain-like regime). The flow pattern of plumes with 4×107kgs−1<MERs <108kgs−1 shows transitional features between the two flow regimes. Within each of the two flow regimes, the plume height increases as the MER increases, whereas plume heights remain almost constant or even decrease as MER increases in the transitional regime; as a result, the jet-like and fountain-like regimes show distinct relationships of plume height and MER. The different relationships between the two regimes reflect the fact that the efficiency of entrainment of ambient air in the jet-like regime is substantially lower than that in the fountain-like regime. It is suggested that, in order to estimate eruption intensity from the observed plume heights, it is necessary to take the different flow regimes depending on MER into account.

The Grizzly Lake complex (Yellowstone Volcano, USA): Mixing between basalt and rhyolite unraveled by microanalysis and X-ray microtomography

Magma mixing is a widespread petrogenetic process. It has long been suspected to operate in concert with fractional crystallization and assimilation to produce chemical and temperature gradients in magmas. In particular, the injection of mafic magmas into felsic magma chambers is widely regarded as a key driver in the sudden triggering of what often become highly explosive volcanic eruptions. Understanding the mechanistic event chain leading to such hazardous events is a scientific goal of high priority. Here we investigate a mingling event via the evidence preserved in mingled lavas using a combination of X-ray computed microtomographic and electron microprobe analyses, to unravel the complex textures and attendant chemical heterogeneities of the mixed basaltic and rhyolitic eruption of Grizzly Lake in the Norris-Mammoth corridor of the Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field (YVF). We observe evidence that both magmatic viscous inter-fingering of magmas and disequilibrium crystallization/dissolution processes occur. Furthermore, these processes constrain the timescale of interaction between the two magmatic components prior to their eruption. X-ray microtomography images show variegated textural features, involving vesicle and crystal distributions, filament morphology, the distribution of enclaves, and further textural features otherwise obscured in conventional 2D observations and analyses. Although our central effort was applied to the determination of mixing end members, analysis of the hybrid portion has led to the discovery that mixing in the Grizzly Lake system was also characterized by the disintegration and dissolution of mafic crystals in the rhyolitic magma. The presence of mineral phases in both end member, for example, forsteritic olivine, sanidine, and quartz and their transport throughout the magmatic mass, by a combination of both mixing dynamics and flow imposed by ascent of the magmatic mass and its eruption, might have acted as a “geometric perturbation” of flow fields further fuelling mass exchange between magmas in terms of both chemical diffusion and crystal transfer. These results illuminate the complexity of mixing in natural magmatic systems, identifying several reaction-related textural factors that must be understood more deeply in order to advance our understanding of this igneous process.

Uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis of volcanic columns models: Results from the integral model PLUME-MoM

The behavior of plumes associated with explosive volcanic eruptions is complex and dependent on eruptive source parameters (e.g. exit velocity, gas fraction, temperature and grain-size distribution). It is also well known that the atmospheric environment interacts with volcanic plumes produced by explosive eruptions in a number of ways. The wind field can bend the plume but also affect atmospheric air entrainment into the column, enhancing its buoyancy and in some cases, preventing column collapse. In recent years, several numerical simulation tools and observational systems have investigated the action of eruption parameters and wind field on volcanic column height and column trajectory, revealing an important influence of these variables on plume behavior. In this study, we assess these dependencies using the integral model PLUME-MoM, whereby the continuous polydispersity of pyroclastic particles is described using a quadrature-based moment method, an innovative approach in volcanology well-suited for the description of the multiphase nature of magmatic mixtures. Application of formalized uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis techniques enables statistical exploration of the model, providing information on the extent to which uncertainty in the input or model parameters propagates to model output uncertainty. In particular, in the framework of the IAVCEI Commission on tephra hazard modeling inter-comparison study, PLUME-MoM is used to investigate the parameters exerting a major control on plume height, applying it to a weak plume scenario based on 26 January 2011 Shinmoe-dake eruptive conditions and a strong plume scenario based on the climatic phase of the 15 June 1991 Pinatubo eruption.

Physical properties of volcanic lightning: Constraints from magnetotelluric and video observations at Sakurajima volcano, Japan

Abstract The lightning generated by explosive volcanic eruptions is of interest not only as a promising technique for monitoring volcanic activity, but also for its broader implications and possible role in the origin of life on Earth, and its impact on the atmosphere and biosphere of the planet. However, at present the genetic mechanisms and physical properties of volcanic lightning remain poorly understood, as compared to our understanding of thundercloud lightning. Here, we present joint magnetotelluric (MT) data and video imagery that were used to investigate the physical properties of electrical discharges generated during explosive activity at Sakurajima volcano, Japan, and we compare these data with the characteristics of thundercloud lightning. Using two weeks of high-sensitivity, high-sample-rate MT data recorded in 2013, we detected weak electromagnetic signals radiated by volcanic lightning close to the crater. By carefully inspecting all MT waveforms that synchronized with visible flashes, and comparing with high-speed (3000 frame/s) and normal-speed (30 frame/s) videos, we identified two types of discharges. The first type consists of impulses (Type A) and is interpreted as cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning. The second type is characterized by weak electromagnetic variations with multiple peaks (Type B), and is interpreted as intra-cloud (IC) lightning. In addition, we observed a hybrid MT event wherein a continuous weak current accompanied Type A discharge. The observed features of volcanic lightning are similar to thunderstorm lightning, and the physical characteristics show that volcanic lightning can be treated as a miniature version of thunderstorm lightning in many respects. The overall duration, length, inter-stroke interval, peak current, and charge transfer all exhibit values 1–2 orders of magnitude smaller than those of thunderstorm lightning, thus suggesting a scaling relation between volcanic and thunderstorm lightning parameters that is independent of the type of charged particles. On the other hand, the polarities, which are estimated by long-time (3.4 yrs) MT (32 samples/s) and video (30 frame/s) observations, are different than those of normal thunderstorm lightning. These observations are consistent with the notion that charge structures in volcanic ash plumes are highly disordered and are characterized by numerous small charged regions with high charge density.

Automated detection and cataloging of global explosive volcanism using the International Monitoring System infrasound network

Explosive volcanic eruptions are among the most powerful sources of infrasound observed on earth, with recordings routinely made at ranges of hundreds to thousands of kilometers. These eruptions can also inject large volumes of ash into heavily traveled aviation corridors, thus posing a significant societal and economic hazard. Detecting and counting the global occurrence of explosive volcanism helps with progress toward several goals in earth sciences and has direct applications in volcanic hazard mitigation. This project aims to build a quantitative catalog of global explosive volcanic activity using the International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound network. We are developing methodologies to search systematically through IMS infrasound array detection bulletins to identify signals of volcanic origin. We combine infrasound signal association and source location using a brute-force, grid-search, cross-bearings approach. The algorithm corrects for a background prior rate of coherent infrasound signals in a global grid. When volcanic signals are identified, we extract metrics such as location, origin time, acoustic intensity, signal duration, and frequency content, compiling the results into a catalog. This work represents a step toward the goal of integrating IMS data products into global volcanic eruption early warning and notification systems.

Lightning and electrical activity during the Shiveluch volcano eruption on 16 November 2014

Abstract. According to World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) data, a sequence of lightning discharges was detected which occurred in the area of the explosive eruption of Shiveluch volcano on 16 November 2014 in Kamchatka. Information on the ash cloud motion was confirmed by the measurements of atmospheric electricity, satellite observations and meteorological and seismic data. It was concluded that WWLLN resolution is enough to detect the earlier stage of volcanic explosive eruption when electrification processes develop the most intensively. The lightning method has the undeniable advantage for the fast remote sensing of volcanic electric activity anywhere in the world. There is a good opportunity for the development of WWLLN technology to observe explosive volcanic eruptions.

Characteristics of terrestrial basaltic rock populations: Implications for Mars lander and rover science and safety

We analyzed the morphometry of basaltic rock populations that have been emplaced or affected by a variety of geologic processes, including explosive volcanic eruptions (as a proxy for impact cratering), catastrophic flooding, frost shattering, salt weathering, alluvial deposition, and chemical weathering. Morphometric indices for these rock populations were compared to an unmodified population of rocks that had broken off a solidified lava flow to understand how different geologic processes change rock shape. We found that a majority of rocks have an sphericity described as either a disc or sphere in the Zingg classification system and posit that this is a function of cooling fractures in the basalt (Zingg [1935] Schweiz. Miner. Petrogr. Mitt., 15, 39–140). Angularity (roundness) is the most diagnostic morphometric index, but the Corey Shape Factor (CSF), Oblate–Prolate Index (OPI) and deviation from compactness (D) also sometimes distinguished weathering processes. Comparison of our results to prior analyses of rock populations found at the Mars Pathfinder, Spirit, and Curiosity landing sites support previous conclusions. The observation that the size-frequency distribution of terrestrial rock populations follow exponential functions similar to lander and orbital measurements of rocks on Mars, which is expected from fracture and fragmentation theory, indicates that these distributions are being dominantly controlled by the initial fracture and fragmentation of the basalt.

Climatic impacts of stratospheric geoengineering with sulfate, black carbon and titania injection

Abstract. In this paper, we examine the potential climatic effects of geoengineering by sulfate, black carbon and titania injection against a baseline RCP8.5 scenario. We use the HadGEM2-CCS model to simulate scenarios in which the top-of-the-atmosphere radiative imbalance due to rising greenhouse gas concentrations is offset by sufficient aerosol injection throughout the 2020–2100 period. We find that the global-mean temperature is effectively maintained at historical levels for the entirety of the period for all three aerosol-injection scenarios, though there is a wide range of side-effects which are discussed in detail. The most prominent conclusion is that although the BC injection rate necessary to produce an equivalent global mean temperature response is much lower, the severity of stratospheric temperature changes (&gt; +70 °C) and precipitation impacts effectively exclude BC from being a viable option for geoengineering. Additionally, while it has been suggested that titania would be an effective particle because of its high scattering efficiency, it also efficiently absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation producing a significant stratospheric warming (&gt; +20 °C). As injection rates and climatic impacts for titania are close to those for sulfate, there appears to be little benefit in terms of climatic influence of using titania when compared to the injection of sulfur dioxide, which has the added benefit of being well-modeled through extensive research that has been carried out on naturally occurring explosive volcanic eruptions.

Impact of explosive volcanic eruptions around Vesuvius: a story of resilience in Roman time

Large explosive eruptions have reshaped the landscape around Vesuvius many times in prehistoric and historical times. Previous stratigraphic surveys suggested that people living in this area have probably abandoned their settlements (in the Bronze Age) or towns and villas (in the Roman period) for centuries after each major plinian eruption. New archaeological excavations on the northern slope of Vesuvius suggest a much more intriguing scenario. At Pollena Trocchia, an ongoing excavation has shown the superimposition of three different Roman structures, sandwiched between the deposits of the AD 79, AD 472, and AD 512 Vesuvius eruptions. Each of these eruptions more or less completely destroyed and buried the buildings under meters of volcanic products. Surprisingly, after a few years or decades, a new settlement was established exactly on the top of the buried one, indicating the immediate recovery of part of the devastated area. Our research documents the destruction of Roman buildings by volcanic eruptions over a period of five centuries (first to sixth century AD) and provides new insight into human behavior after major explosive eruptions.

Mineral composition of tephra layers in the Quaternary deposits of the Sea of Okhotsk:: Heavy minerals associations and their geochemistry

Heavy mineral associations from tephra layers in the Quaternary deposits of the Sea of Okhotsk and their chemical characteristics were studied by various techniques. It was shown that such investigations may have a bearing on the problems of tephrostratigraphic correlation. We assessed the possibility of application of the mineral composition of distal tephra for identification and, in particular, estimation of the relation of tephras to the explosive volcanism of back-arc and frontal zones of island arcs. The investigation of the compositions of minerals and use of mineral geothermometers and geobarometers (two-pyroxene, magnetite–ilmenite, and amphibole) provided evidence on the physicochemical parameters of melt crystallization during the explosive volcanic eruptions that produced the distal tephra layers. It was established that the pyroclastic material of some tephra layers was supplied during explosive eruptions not only from shallow magma chambers but also from deeper and higher temperature reservoirs. Together with the geochemical signatures of volcanic glasses, the obtained results on mineral associations and the geochemistry of mineral inclusions are applicable for the comparative analysis and correlation of tephras from marine and continental sequences, as well as for the identification of explosive volcanic products in adjacent land areas.

Late-stage volatile saturation as a potential trigger for explosive volcanic eruptions

Magma reservoirs are thought to grow relatively slowly, assembling incrementally under volatile-saturated conditions. Eruptions may be triggered by injections of volatile-rich melt, or generation of over-pressure due to protracted crystallization. Here, we analyse fluorine, chlorine and water in apatite crystals trapped at different stages of magma evolution, and in melt inclusions from clinopyroxene and biotite crystals expelled during an explosive eruption of the Campi Flegrei caldera, Italy, about 4,000 years ago. We combine our geochemical analyses with thermodynamic modelling to reconstruct the evolution of magmatic volatile contents leading up to the explosive eruption. We find that the magma reservoir remained persistently water-undersaturated throughout most of its lifetime. Even crystals in contact with the melt shortly before eruption show that the magma was volatile-undersaturated. Our models suggest that the melt reached volatile saturation at low temperatures, just before eruption. We suggest that late-stage volatile saturation probably triggered the eruption, and conclude that ‘priming’ of the magma system for eruption may occur on timescales much shorter than the decadal to centennial timescales thought typical for magma reservoir assembly. Thus, surface deformation pulses that record magma assembly at depth beneath Campi Flegrei and other similar magmatic systems may not be immediately followed by an eruption; and explosive eruptions may begin with little warning. Magma reservoirs typically accumulate over hundreds to thousands of years. Yet, geochemical analyses of volcanic rocks from Campi Flegrei suggest activity there was triggered by injections of volatile-rich magma only days before the eruption.

Radiative and climate impacts of a large volcanic eruption during stratospheric sulfur geoengineering

Abstract. Both explosive volcanic eruptions, which emit sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, and stratospheric geoengineering via sulfur injections can potentially cool the climate by increasing the amount of scattering particles in the atmosphere. Here we employ a global aerosol-climate model and an Earth system model to study the radiative and climate changes occurring after an erupting volcano during solar radiation management (SRM). According to our simulations the radiative impacts of the eruption and SRM are not additive and the radiative effects and climate changes occurring after the eruption depend strongly on whether SRM is continued or suspended after the eruption. In the former case, the peak burden of the additional stratospheric sulfate as well as changes in global mean precipitation are fairly similar regardless of whether the eruption takes place in a SRM or non-SRM world. However, the maximum increase in the global mean radiative forcing caused by the eruption is approximately 21 % lower compared to a case when the eruption occurs in an unperturbed atmosphere. In addition, the recovery of the stratospheric sulfur burden and radiative forcing is significantly faster after the eruption, because the eruption during the SRM leads to a smaller number and larger sulfate particles compared to the eruption in a non-SRM world. On the other hand, if SRM is suspended immediately after the eruption, the peak increase in global forcing caused by the eruption is about 32 % lower compared to a corresponding eruption into a clean background atmosphere. In this simulation, only about one-third of the global ensemble-mean cooling occurs after the eruption, compared to that occurring after an eruption under unperturbed atmospheric conditions. Furthermore, the global cooling signal is seen only for the 12 months after the eruption in the former scenario compared to over 40 months in the latter. In terms of global precipitation rate, we obtain a 36 % smaller decrease in the first year after the eruption and again a clearly faster recovery in the concurrent eruption and SRM scenario, which is suspended after the eruption. We also found that an explosive eruption could lead to significantly different regional climate responses depending on whether it takes place during geoengineering or into an unperturbed background atmosphere. Our results imply that observations from previous large eruptions, such as Mount Pinatubo in 1991, are not directly applicable when estimating the potential consequences of a volcanic eruption during stratospheric geoengineering.

Stronger or longer: Discriminating between Hawaiian and Strombolian eruption styles

The weakest explosive volcanic eruptions globally, Strombolian explosions and Hawaiian fountaining, are also the most common. Yet, despite over a hundred years of observations, no classifications have offered a convincing, quantitative way of demarcating these two styles. New observations show that the two styles are distinct in their eruptive time scale, with the duration of Hawaiian fountaining exceeding Strombolian explosions by ∼300–10,000 s. This reflects the underlying process of whether shallow-exsolved gas remains trapped in the erupting magma or is decoupled from it. We propose here a classification scheme based on the duration of events (brief explosions versus prolonged fountains) with a cutoff at 300 s that separates transient Strombolian explosions from sustained Hawaiian fountains.

Experimental laboratory study on the formation of multiple shock waves observed during volcanic eruptions

AbstractSequences of multiple pressure waves have recently been observed in different explosive volcanic eruptions, but their origin is not clearly understood. Although a pulsating type of eruption with many individual discharges can produce this effect, the formation of multiple shock waves could also result from a single discharge through (1) the dynamics of the shock wave itself, (2) the coupled shock wave‐supersonic jet dynamics, or (3) a combination of these factors. Shock tube experiments were performed to evaluate these potential mechanisms under controlled laboratory conditions. The amount of energy released was varied to achieve different weak shock wave conditions and to promote formation of single or multiple shock waves through both shock wave dynamics and coupled shock wave‐supersonic jet interactions. Our analysis indicates that both mechanisms may play a role in the formation of multiple pressure waves in low‐intensity eruptions.

The Fluid Mechanics of Pyroclastic Density Currents

Pyroclastic density currents are generated in explosive volcanic eruptions when gas and particle mixtures remain denser than the surrounding atmosphere. These mobile currents have a diversity of flow regimes, from energetic granular flows to turbulent suspensions. Given their hazardous nature, much of our understanding of the internal dynamics of these currents has been explored through mathematical and computational models. This review discusses the anatomy of these currents and their phenomenology and places these observations in the context of forces driving the currents. All aspects of the current dynamics are influenced by multiphase interactions, and the study of these currents offers insight into a high-energy end-member of multiphase flow. At low concentration, momentum transfer is dominated by particle-gas drag. At higher concentration, particle collisions, friction, and gas pore pressure act to redistribute momentum. This review examines end-member theoretical models for dilute and concentrated flow and then considers insight gained from multiphase simulations of pyroclastic density currents.

K-bentonites: A review

Pyroclastic material in the form of altered volcanic ash or tephra has been reported and described from one or more stratigraphic units from the Proterozoic to the Tertiary. This altered tephra, variously called bentonite or K-bentonite or tonstein depending on the degree of alteration and chemical composition, is often linked to large explosive volcanic eruptions that have occurred repeatedly in the past. K-bentonite and bentonite layers are the key components of a larger group of altered tephras that are useful for stratigraphic correlation and for interpreting the geodynamic evolution of our planet. Bentonites generally form by diagenetic or hydrothermal alteration under the influence of fluids with high-Mg content and that leach alkali elements. Smectite composition is partly controlled by parent rock chemistry. Studies have shown that K-bentonites often display variations in layer charge and mixed-layer clay ratios and that these correlate with physical properties and diagenetic history. The following is a review of known K-bentonite and related occurrences of altered tephra throughout the timescale from Precambrian to Cenozoic.

Fluid-melt partitioning of sulfur in differentiated arc magmas and the sulfur yield of explosive volcanic eruptions

The fluid-melt partitioning of sulfur (DSfluid/melt) in differentiated arc magmas has been experimentally investigated under oxidizing conditions (Re–ReO2 buffer) from 800 to 950°C at 200MPa. The starting glasses ranged in composition from trachyte to rhyolite and were synthesized targeting the composition of the residual melt formed after 10–60% crystallization of originally trachy-andesitic, dacitic and rhyodacitic magmas (Masotta and Keppler, 2015). Fluid compositions were determined both by mass balance and by Raman spectroscopy of fluid inclusions. DSfluid/melt increases exponentially with increasing melt differentiation, ranging from 2 to 15 in the trachytic melt, from 20 to 100 in the dacitic and rhyodacitic melts and from 100 to 120 in the rhyolitic melt. The variation of the DSfluid/melt is entirely controlled by the compositional variation of the silicate melt, with temperature having at most a minor effect within the range investigated. Experiments from this study were used together with data from the literature to calibrate the following model that allows predicting DSfluid/melt for oxidized arc magmas: lnDSfluid/melt=9.2-31.4·nbot-1.8·ASI-29.5·Al#+4.2·Ca#where nbot is the non-bridging oxygen atoms per tetrahedron, ASI is the alumina saturation index, Al# and Ca# are two empirical compositional parameters calculated in molar units (Al#=XAl2O3XSiO2+XTiO2+XAl2O3 and Ca#=XCaOXNa2O+XK2O).The interplay between fluid-melt partitioning and anhydrite solubility determines the sulfur distribution among anhydrite, melt and fluid. At increasing melt polymerization, the exponential increase of the partition coefficient and the decrease of anhydrite solubility favor the accumulation of sulfur either in the fluid phase or as anhydrite. On the other hand, the higher anhydrite solubility and lower partition coefficient for less polymerized melts favor the retention of sulfur in the melt. At equilibrium conditions, these effects yield a maximum of the sulfur fraction in the fluid phase for slightly depolymerized melts (nbot=0.05–0.15). Our data allow quantitative predictions of the sulfur yield of explosive volcanic eruptions over a wide range of magma compositions.

Experimental volcanic ash aggregation: Internal structuring of accretionary lapilli and the role of liquid bonding

Explosive volcanic eruptions can release vast quantities of pyroclastic material into Earth's atmosphere, including volcanic ash, particles with diameters less than two millimeters. Ash particles can cluster together to form aggregates, in some cases reaching up to several centimeters in size. Aggregation alters ash transport and settling behavior compared to un-aggregated particles, influencing ash distribution and deposit stratigraphy. Accretionary lapilli, the most commonly preserved type of aggregates within the geologic record, can exhibit complex internal stratigraphy. The processes involved in the formation and preservation of these aggregates remain poorly constrained quantitatively. In this study, we simulate the variable gas-particle flow conditions which may be encountered within eruption plumes and pyroclastic density currents via laboratory experiments using the ProCell Lab System® of Glatt Ingenieurtechnik GmbH. In this apparatus, solid particles are set into motion in a fluidized bed over a range of well-controlled boundary conditions (particle concentration, air flow rate, gas temperature, humidity, liquid composition). Experiments were conducted with soda-lime glass beads and natural volcanic ash particles under a range of experimental conditions. Both glass beads and volcanic ash exhibited the capacity for aggregation, but stable aggregates could only be produced when materials were coated with high but volcanically-relevant concentrations of NaCl. The growth and structure of aggregates was dependent on the initial granulometry, while the rate of aggregate formation increased exponentially with increasing relative humidity (12–45% RH), before overwetting promoted mud droplet formation. Notably, by use of a broad granulometry, we generated spherical, internally structured aggregates similar to some accretionary pellets found in volcanic deposits. Adaptation of a powder-technology model offers an explanation for the origin of natural accretionary pellets, suggesting them to be the result of a particular granulometry and fast-acting selective aggregation processes. For such aggregates to survive deposition and be preserved in the deposits of eruption plumes and pyroclastic density currents likely requires a significant pre-existing salt load on ash surfaces, and rapid aggregate drying prior to deposition or interaction with a more energetic environment. Our results carry clear benefits for future efforts to parameterize models of ash transport and deposition in the field.

Identifying cryptotephra units using correlated rapid, nondestructive methods: VSWIR spectroscopy, X‐ray fluorescence, and magnetic susceptibility

AbstractUnderstanding the frequency, magnitude, and nature of explosive volcanic eruptions is essential for hazard planning and risk mitigation. Terrestrial stratigraphic tephra records can be patchy and incomplete due to subsequent erosion and burial processes. In contrast, the marine sedimentary record commonly preserves a more complete historical record of volcanic activity as individual events are archived within continually accumulating background sediments. While larger tephra layers are often identifiable by changes in sediment color and/or texture, smaller fallout layers may also be present that are not visible to the naked eye. These cryptotephra are commonly more difficult to identify and often require time‐consuming and destructive point counting, petrography, and microscopy work. Here we present several rapid, nondestructive, and quantitative core scanning methodologies (magnetic susceptibility, visible to shortwave infrared spectroscopy, and XRF core scanning) which, when combined, can be used to identify the presence of increased volcaniclastic components (interpreted to be cryptotephra) in the sedimentary record. We develop a new spectral parameter (BDI1000VIS) that exploits the absorption of the 1 µm near‐infrared band in tephra. Using predetermined mixtures, BDI1000VIS can accurately identify tephra layers in concentrations &gt;15–20%. When applied to the upper ∼270 kyr record of IODP core U1396C from the Caribbean Sea, and verified by traditional point counting, 29 potential cryptotephra layers were identified as originating from eruptions of the Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc. Application of these methods in future coring endeavors can be used to minimize the need for physical disaggregation of valuable drill core material and allow for near‐real‐time recognition of tephra units, both visible and cryptotephra.

The Viscous to Brittle Transition in Crystal- and Bubble-Bearing Magmas

The transition from viscous to brittle behaviour in magmas plays a decisive role in determining the style of volcanic eruptions. While this transition has been determined for one- or two-phase systems, it remains poorly constrained for natural magmas containing silicic melt, crystals, and gas bubbles. Here we present new experimental results on shear-induced fracturing of three-phase magmas obtained at high-temperature (673-1023 K) and high-pressure (200 MPa) conditions over a wide range of strain-rates (5·10-6 s-1 to 4·10-3 s-1). During the experiments bubbles are deformed (i.e. capillary number are in excess of 1) enough to coalesce and generate a porous network that potentially leads to outgassing. A physical relationship is proposed that quantifies the critical stress required for magmas to fail as a function of both crystal (0.24 to 0.65) and bubble volume fractions (0.09 to 0.12). The presented results demonstrate efficient outgassing for low crystal fraction ( 0.44) promote gas bubble entrapment and inhibit outgassing. The failure of bubble-free, crystal-bearing systems is enhanced by the presence of bubbles that lower the critical failure stress in a regime of efficient outgassing, while the failure stress is increased if bubbles remain trapped within the crystal framework. These contrasting behaviours have direct impact on the style of volcanic eruptions. During magma ascent, efficient outgassing reduces the potential for an explosive eruption and favours brittle behaviour, contributing to maintain low overpressures in an active volcanic system resulting in effusion or rheological flow blockage of magma at depth. Conversely, magmas with high crystallinity experience limited loss of exsolved gas, permitting the achievement of larger overpressures prior to a potential sudden transition to brittle behaviour, which could result in an explosive volcanic eruption.