Magma Overpressure Research Articles

Tectonomagmatic evolution of Pune – Nasik Deccan Dykes: Insights from structure and dimension scaling

The Deccan Continental Flood Basalt of the Indian Peninsula is characterized by extensive basaltic eruptions ornamented with three spectacular distinct dyke swarms: the Pune – Nasik, Narmada – Tapi, and Western Coastal dyke swarms. Our study area is the Pune – Nasik dyke swarm, which has ∼465 mappable dykes. These dykes exhibit different orientations with a predominant trend of N101° and vary in length from less than 1 km to ∼64 km. These dykes are massively jointed and occasionally contain vesicles filled with secondary minerals like quartz and calcite. The host rock is weathered basalt of various older Deccan flows. In this study, we have calculated magmatic overpressures and magma chamber depths using the aspect ratios (length/thickness) of the dykes. The average estimated source depth is ∼13 km, based on an average Young's modulus for the host rock basalt (Eavg, 7.5 GPa). Additionally, we compared the inferred magma source depths of the Pune – Nasik, and Narmada-Tapi dyke swarms which include the Nandurbar – Dhule, and Pachmarhi dykes of the Deccan Flood Basalt Province. Our findings indicate that the magma chamber source depth is greater in the Pune – Nasik dyke swarm compared with other dyke swarms. The variation in strike distribution of the Pune-Nasik dyke swarm may be attributed to several factors, including a larger magma chamber, local stress fields generated by shallow magma chamber, or the superimposition of tectonic stress fields (N-S and E-W extension) during the emplacement of dykes. This contrasts with the commonly held belief that the dykes are solely connected to a central edifice of the Reunion hotspot.

Dyke to sill deflection in the shallow heterogeneous crust during glacier retreat: part II

Changes from dyke to sill propagation in the shallow crust are often caused by dissimilar layer properties. However, most previous studies have not considered the influence of glacial loading and unloading on dyke and sill deflection processes. Here, we attempt to collectively explore mechanical (layer stiffness) and geometrical (dyke dip, layer thickness) realistic parameters subject to two different magma overpressure values (namely 5 MPa and 10 MPa) that promote dyke-sill transitions in both non-glacial and glacial settings. To do this, we use as a field example, the Stardalur laccolith: a multiple stacked-sill intrusion located in SW Iceland. The laccolith lies near the retreating Langjökull glacier and was emplaced at the contact between a stiff lava layer and a soft hyaloclastite layer. We initially model two different stratigraphic crustal segments (stratigraphy a and b) and perform sensitivity analyses to investigate the likely contact opening due to the Cook-Gordon debonding and delamination mechanism under different loading conditions: magma overpressure, regional horizontal extension, glacial vertical load and a thin elastic layer at the stratigraphic contact. Our results show that contact opening (delamination) occurs in both non-glacial and glacial settings when the dissimilar mechanical contact is weak (low shear and tensile stress, zero tensile strength). In non-glacial settings, stiff layers (e.g., lavas) concentrate more tensile stress than soft layers (e.g., hyaloclastites/breccia) but accommodate less total (x–y) displacement than the surrounding host rock (e.g., soft hyaloclastites) in the vicinity of a dyke tip. Yet, a thicker hyaloclastite layer in the stratigraphy, subject to higher magma overpressure (Po = 10 MPa), may encourage dyke-sill transitions. Instead, in glacial domains, the stress conditions imposed by the variable vertical pressure of the ice cap result in higher tensile stress accumulation and displacement in stiff layers which they primarily control sill emplacement.

Volcanic unrest as seen from the magmatic source: Reyðarártindur pluton, Iceland

How the Earth’s crust accommodates magma emplacement influences the signals that can be detected by monitoring volcano seismicity and surface deformation, which are routinely used to forecast volcanic eruptions. However, we lack direct observational links between deformation caused by magma emplacement and monitoring signals. Here we use field mapping and photogrammetry to quantify deformation caused by the emplacement of at least 2.5 km3 of silicic magma in the Reyðarártindur pluton, Southeast Iceland. Our results show that magma emplacement triggered minor and local roof uplift, and that magma reservoir growth was largely aseismic by piecemeal floor subsidence. The occurrence and arrangement of fractures and faults in the reservoir roof can be explained by magmatic overpressure, suggesting that magma influx was not fully accommodated by floor subsidence. The tensile and shear fracturing would have caused detectable seismicity. Overpressure eventually culminated in eruption, as evidenced by exposed conduits that are associated with pronounced local subsidence of the roof rocks, corresponding to the formation of an asymmetric graben at the volcano surface. Hence, the field observations highlight processes that may take place within silicic volcanoes, not accounted for in widely used models to interpret volcanic unrest.

Quantifying Magma Overpressure Beneath a Submarine Caldera: A Mechanical Modeling Approach to Tsunamigenic Trapdoor Faulting Near Kita‐Ioto Island, Japan

AbstractSubmarine volcano monitoring is vital for assessing volcanic hazards but challenging in remote and inaccessible environments. In the vicinity of Kita‐Ioto Island, south of Japan, unusual M ∼ 5 non‐double‐couple volcanic earthquakes exhibited quasi‐regular recurrence near a submarine caldera. Following the earthquakes in 2008 and 2015, a distant ocean bottom pressure sensor recorded distinct tsunami signals. In this study, we aim to find a source model of the tsunami‐generating earthquake and quantify the pre‐seismic magma overpressure within the caldera's magma reservoir. Based on the earthquake's characteristic focal mechanism and efficient tsunami generation, we hypothesize that submarine trapdoor faulting occurred due to highly pressurized magma. To investigate this hypothesis, we establish mechanical earthquake models that link pre‐seismic magma overpressure to the size of the resulting trapdoor faulting, by considering stress interaction between a ring‐fault system and a reservoir of the caldera. The trapdoor faulting with large fault slip due to magma‐induced shear stress in the submarine caldera reproduces well the observed tsunami waveform. Due to limited data, uncertainties in the fault geometry persist, leading to variations of magma overpressure estimation: the pre‐seismic magma overpressure ranging approximately from 5 to 20 MPa, and the co‐seismic pressure drop ratio from 10% to 40%. Although better constraints on the fault geometry are required for robust magma pressure quantification, this study shows that magmatic systems beneath calderas are influenced significantly by intra‐caldera fault systems and that tsunamigenic trapdoor faulting provides rare opportunities to obtain quantitative insights into remote submarine volcanism hidden under the ocean.

Dyke to sill deflection in the shallow heterogeneous crust during glacier retreat: part I

Dykes and sills occupy Mode I (extension), Mode II (shear), or hybrid mode fractures and most of the time transport and store magma from deep reservoirs to the surface. Subject to their successful propagation, they feed volcanic eruptions. Yet, dykes and sills can also stall and become arrested as a result of the crust’s heterogeneous and anisotropic characteristics. Dykes can become deflected at mechanical discontinuities to form sills, and vice versa. Although several studies have examined dyke propagation in heterogeneous and anisotropic crustal segments before, the conditions under which dykes propagate in glacial-volcanotectonic regimes remain unclear. Here, we coupled field observations with 2D FEM numerical modelling to explore the mechanical conditions that encourage (or not) dyke-sill transitions in volcanotectonic or glacial settings. We used as a field example the Stardalur cone sheet-laccolith system, which lies on the Esja peninsula, close to the western rift zone, NW of the southern part of the Icelandic rift. The laccolith is composed of several vertical dykes that transition into sills and form a unique stacked sill ‘flower’ structure. Here, we investigate whether the Stardalur laccolith was formed under the influence of stresses caused by glacial retreat due to thickness variations (0–1 km) in addition to regional and local tectonic stresses (1–3 MPa extension or compression) and varied magma overpressure (1–30 MPa), as well as the influence of the mechanical properties of the lava/hyaloclastite contact. Our results show that the observed field structure in non-glacial regimes was formed as a result of either the mechanical (Young’s modulus) contrast of the lava/hyaloclastite contact or a compressional regime due to pre-existing dykes or faulting. In the glacial domain, the extensional stress field below the ice cap encouraged the formation of the laccolith as the glacier became thinner (subject to a lower vertical load). In all cases, the local stress field influenced dyke to sill deflection in both volcanotectonic regimes.

Magmatic volatile content and the overpressure ‘sweet spot’: Implications for volcanic eruption triggering and style

Volatile exsolution is widely considered to be capable of generating magmatic overpressure and triggering volcanic eruptions. Despite its role as an eruption trigger, exsolution-driven overpressurisation is relatively poorly understood. Part of the problem is that thermodynamic models do not consider how the behaviour of small quantities of magma scales up to reservoir level – where variations in temperature and crystallinity become important. In contrast, many thermomechanical models focus only on magma injection, and do not consider how overpressure evolves spatially or temporally, when related to crystallisation and volatile exsolution. Here, we use Rhyolite-MELTS to track exsolution-driven overpressure during cooling for a variety of natural compositions, storage pressures, initial volatile contents and magmatic XH2O (molar H2O/ (CO2 + H2O)). We then couple these outputs to a thermal model to determine the timescales and spatial extent of overpressurisation with varying volatile content.We find that the highest overpressures occur in magmas which are initially at their H2O solubility limit, with the addition or removal of H2O resulting in a decrease in peak overpressure. We also find that maximum overpressure decreases with the addition of CO2 (decreasing XH2O) at typical magma storage pressures of 100–230 MPa. The higher overpressures generated at the volatile ‘sweet spot’ have a greater potential to trigger eruptions – or to favour their initiation by making the system more susceptible to other triggers, such as magma injection. The reduction in overpressure with increasing or decreasing initial H2O suggests that triggering by volatile exsolution is less likely for these magmas. Peak overpressure at the volatile sweet spot also coincides with an increased incidence of explosive eruptions at water contents ∼4–5.5 wt%. This suggests that higher magmatic overpressures may produce more explosive eruptions, by driving faster initial ascent rates and decreasing outgassing efficiency in the conduit. Our thermal modelling demonstrates that, for small magmatic systems, exsolution-driven overpressurisation can operate on timescales which are much shorter than the crustal relaxation timescale. In these cases, overpressure cannot be dissipated by a visco-elastic crustal response, and therefore has the potential to trigger a volcanic eruption.

Role of volatiles in intrusion emplacement and sulfide deposition in the supergiant Norilsk-Talnakh Ni-Cu-PGE ore deposits

Abstract The Norilsk-Talnakh orebodies in Siberia are some of the largest examples on Earth of magmatic Ni–Cu–platinum group element (PGE) deposits, formed by segregation of immiscible sulfide melts from silicate magmas. They show distinctive features attributable to degassing of a magmatic vapor phase during ore formation, including: vesiculation of the host intrusions, widespread intrusion breccias, and extensive hydrofracturing, skarns, and metasomatic replacement in the country rocks. Much of the magmatic sulfide was generated by assimilation of anhydrite and carbonaceous material, leading to injection of a suspension of fine sulfide droplets attached to gas bubbles into propagating tube-like host sills (“chonoliths”). Catastrophic vapor phase exsolution associated with a drop in magma overpressure at the transition from vertical to horizontal magma flow enabled explosive propagation of chonoliths, rapid “harvesting” and gravity deposition of the characteristic coarse sulfide globules that form much of the ore, and extensive magmatic fluid interaction with country rocks.

The 2021 Semeru volcano eruption: An insight from visual, seismic, and deformation monitoring data

Semeru is the highest volcano on the island of Java and one of Indonesia’s volcanoes that has a potential threat of pyroclastic flows. The eruption of Semeru often shows a transition pattern between explosive and effusive styles. An increased eruptive activity occurred in 2021 with series of explosions dominated the first two thirds of the year and then transition to series of pyroclastic flows in December 2021. On 4 December 2021, a dome collapse triggered significant pyroclastic flows that reached a maximum distance of 16 km from the crater and resulted in 51 casualties. In this paper, we aimed to study the dynamics of magma movement from depth to the surface and assessing the style transition of the eruptions between explosive and effusive activity from visual, seismic and deformation monitoring data. We analyzed Semeru volcano monitoring data throughout the year 2021. The volcanic activity monitoring system of Semeru volcano consists of 4 seismic stations, 5 deformation stations (2 tiltmeters and 3 GPS stations), and 2 Web Camera/CCTV. Our analysis on seismic data indicates that the series of large pyroclastic flows were triggered by excess pressure at shallow depths a few hours before the events. Deep volcanic earthquakes are relatively increased after the collapse of the lava dome or pyroclastic flows, possibly caused by the sudden decrease in hydrostatic pressure of the rock mass around the magma pocket, thus triggering gas expansion. Deformation monitoring using a tiltmeter at Argosuko and Jawar stations indicates inflation of a deep source since 15 August 2021. Since 7 November 2021, tiltmeter measurement has shown deep source deflation patterns which indicate magma movement from the deep reservoir to a shallower reservoir. After 21 November, inflation of the deep source was observed again, indicating an increase in magma supply from the deep pocket. The results of the pressure source modeling from GPS vector data in the period before the eruption, 1 November – 4 December 2021, showed an anomaly in the form of an increased volume at a depth of > 1.7 km of about 0.84 million/m3. Between 5 December and 31 December 2021, after the 4 December pyroclastic flow, the deformation modeling indicates the transition of the pressure source from a depth of 1.7 km to 8 km. In addition, we also observed a decrease in volume of 5.6 million/m3. The deformation pattern at shallow depths showed a deflationary pattern indicating a decrease in magma overpressure.

Magma Transport and Storage Along Rift Zones Through Volcanic Conduits

AbstractRecent geodetic data has clearly imaged significant contraction of rift zones during effusive eruptions, which is attributed to deformation of active, elongated feeders, challenging the rigid conduit paradigm. In this work we develop a physical model to understand the impact of conduit deformation on the eruptive dynamics. Numerical calculations show that magma overpressure increases the width of the conduit, resulting in higher discharge rates than would be expected from the rigid case. At the same time, conduits with high aspect ratio, have larger compressibility and can store significant amount of magma, thereby acting as secondary reservoirs. The net result is that rift zones can maintain high fluxes over prolonged periods of time, leading to large volume eruptions and biasing magma compressibility estimates. We apply our findings to the 2018 Kīlauea eruption where episodic collapse of the summit led to pressure pulses that propagated down‐rift and that were recorded by both tiltmeters and peaks in the effusion rates. Inversion of the data indicates a conduit with a height of 700–800 m and a maximum opening of 4 m, located at a depth of 2.5 km in the Upper East Rift Zone, becoming shallower in the Puʻu ʻŌʻō region and propagating sub‐horizontally in the Middle and Lower East Rift Zone. Based on these properties we infer that up to 30% of the erupted volume can be attributed to magma stored in the rift zone. In agreement with recent studies, we find that magma over‐pressure was low at the end of the 2018 eruption.

Magma reservoir growth and ground deformation preceding the 79 CE Plinian eruption of Vesuvius

The 79 CE eruption of Vesuvius is the first documented Plinian eruption, also famous for the archaeological ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Although much is known regarding the eruption dynamics and magma reservoir, little is known about the reservoir shape and growth, and related ground deformation. Numerical modelling by Finite Element Method was carried out, aimed at simulating the reservoir growth and ground deformation with respect to the reservoir shape (prolate, spherical, oblate) and magma overpressure. The modelling was tuned with volcanological, petrological and paleoenvironmental ground deformation constraints. Results indicate that the highest magma overpressure is achieved considering a prolate reservoir, making it as the most likely shape that led to eruption. Similar deformations but lower overpressures are obtained considering spherical and oblate reservoirs. These results demonstrate that ground deformation may not be indicative of eruption probability, style/size, and this has direct implications on surveillance at active explosive volcanoes.

Two Volcanic Tsunami Events Caused by Trapdoor Faulting at a Submerged Caldera Near Curtis and Cheeseman Islands in the Kermadec Arc

AbstractTwo submarine earthquakes (Mw 5.8) occurred near volcanic islands, Curtis and Cheeseman, in the Kermadec Arc in 2009 and 2017. Following both earthquakes, similar tsunamis with wave heights of about a meter, larger than expected from their moderate seismic magnitudes, were observed by coastal tide gauges. We investigate the source mechanism for both earthquakes by analyzing tsunami and seismic data of the 2017 event. Tsunami waveform analysis indicates that the earthquake uplifted a submerged caldera around the islands. Combined analysis of tsunami and seismic data suggests that trapdoor faulting, or sudden intra‐caldera fault slip interacted with magma reservoir deformation, occurred due to magma overpressure, possibly in association with caldera resurgence. The earthquake scaling relationship for trapdoor faulting events at three calderas deviates from that for regular earthquakes, possibly due to the fault‐reservoir interaction in calderas.

Aspect ratio analysis of distinct Paleoproterozoic mafic dyke swarms and related fracture systems in the Eastern Dharwar Craton, India: Implications for emplacement mechanism and depth of origin

Understanding emplacement mechanism and depth of origin of continental mafic dyke swarms is pivotal in resolving outstanding questions regarding magma flow dynamics, plumbing system architecture, and amount of crustal dilation related to large igneous provinces. Paleoproterozoic mafic dyke swarms are often deemed as suitable candidates to establish the crustal evolution of cratonic regions. Here, we present the geometric and statistical analyses of five distinct Paleoproterozoic mafic dyke swarms and associated fracture systems in the Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC) to constrain their magmatic overpressures and magma chamber depths. The geometric analysis is further validated with field evidence and measurements. It is suggested that mafic dykes of different swarms are formed primarily due to vertical magma injection from deep-seated magma reservoirs, followed by lateral magma flow at shallower depths. This study suggests a direct derivation of magma from deep-seated magma reservoirs, extending from lower crustal depths (∼17 km) to the crust-mantle boundary (∼36 km). It is also suggested that the emplacement of mafic dykes at ca. 2.37–2.36 Ga, ca. 2.26–2.25 Ga, ca. 2.22 Ga, and ca. 2.21 Ga can be traced back to the development of fracture system formed during and subsequent to the Neoarchean accretion event of Eastern and Western Dharwar Cratons (< 2.52 Ga). Therefore, the emplacement systems of the studied mafic dyke swarms have been largely controlled by the regional stress field and large-scale structural architecture of the Dharwar Craton.

Estimation of magma overpressure from partially exposed dykes - A new approach

We present a new method to estimate full length and maximum thickness of dykes from their partial exposures having at least one tip. The method is particularly applicable to dykes which originate as dominantly opening mode fractures. The idealized canonical model for Mode I fracture shows it to open up in the shape of an ellipse. We solve the equation of this ellipse using every possible combination of two points lying on the dyke margin measured from the observed tip to acquire the results. The method has been validated with observations made on felsic dykes found within intrusive porphyritic granitoids of Chotanagpur Granite Gneiss Complex (CGGC), Purulia, India which are completely exposed (showing tips at both ends) or have an exposed centre with at least one tip. The method has also been tested against published data collected from incomplete dyke outcrops found in the caldera walls of Miyake-jima volcano, Japan. Acquired results are found to be in good agreement with the ones estimated through a previously published method. The present method has been successfully employed to calculate the aspect ratios (maximum thickness/total length) of partially exposed mafic dykes emplaced within younger granite of Chitradurga Schist Belt, Western Dharwar Craton, India. We comment on the magma overpressure ranges and depth of origin of these dykes and on the fracture toughness of the host granite.

Dimension-scaling relationships of Pachmarhi dyke swarm and their implications on Deccan magma emplacement

The Continental flood basalts of the Deccan Volcanic Province in India contain three major dyke swarms, namely the Narmada-Satpura-Tapi (N-S-T), the Western Coastal and the Nasik-Pune dyke swarm. The current study area is around Pachmarhi town, Madhya Pradesh, which marks the eastern end of the N-S-T dyke swarm. There are ∼244 mappable doleritic and basaltic dykes around Pachmarhi. The shortest and longest dykes in the area are 140 m and 22 km respectively. The mean length of all the studied dykes is ∼5.15 km. The dykes are in general shorter than those exposed in the western end of the NST swarm in the Dhule-Nandurbar area in Maharashtra. The thickness of the Pachmarhi dykes varies between 3.5 m and 35 m. The dykes exhibit a preferred orientation of N82°E that is parallel to the general trend of the Narmada-Son Lineament (NSL) and perpendicular to the N-S trending paleo extension. In this paper, we present detailed documentation of the scaling relationships of Pachmarhi dyke dimensions, calculate magmatic overpressures during emplacement of dykes and therefore infer magma source depth. Further, we compare the inferred magma source depths among Pachmarhi and Dhule-Nandurbar dykes of Deccan with Early-Neoarchean to Late-Paleoproterozoic Newer dolerite dykes of the Singhbhum craton. Finally, we discuss some possible scenarios of magma emplacement mechanisms for Pachmarhi dykes and relate them to the larger geodynamics of Deccan volcanism.

Conduit Flow Dynamics During the 1986 Sub-Plinian Eruption at Izu-Oshima Volcano

We investigated conduit flow dynamics during the 1986 sub-Plinian eruption of Izu-Oshima volcano, Japan, using a 1-D steady conduit flow model. Following observations that the magma plumbing system beneath Izu-Oshima, characterized by the feeding of a dyke, generated a fissure-type sub-Plinian eruption, we considered a dyke-like conduit geometry by applying a pseudo-dyke conduit with an ellipsoidal horizontal cross-section. Under appropriate parameter settings constrained by geological, petrological, and geophysical observations, we identified a conduit geometry that enables steady solutions of a conduit flow that generates the sub-Plinian eruption. A dyke-like conduit geometry allows us to widen the range of geometric parameters of the solution. We found that the distribution of magma overpressure in the conduit strongly depends on conduit geometry. When the conduit geometry is composed of deeper and shallower dykes with large and small aspect ratios, respectively, localized overpressurization occurs in the region before magma fragmentation. This overpressurization in the dyke-like conduit may induce a characteristic crustal deformation similar to that caused by a vertical tensile fault. It is crucial to consider the effects of conduit flow with a dyke-like geometry on deformation for precise monitoring of eruption sequences based on geodetic signals in future eruptions at Izu-Oshima volcano.

Taupōinflate: illustrating detection limits of magmatic inflation below Lake Taupō

ABSTRACT Lake Taupō (Taupō-nui-a-Tia) infills the composite caldera above an active rhyolitic magmatic system in the central Taupō Volcanic Zone (TVZ). Ground deformation is a key unrest indicator at Taupō volcano. We present a spreadsheet tool, TaupōInflate, to calculate and plot ground deformation from magmatic inflation at depth beneath Taupō caldera. Examples show detection limits for inflating magma bodies and their ascent through the crust beneath Lake Taupō. Source locations where it is challenging to detect even substantial volumes of inflating magma bodies are as large as 20 km3, with volume changes up to 0.01 km3, owing to the restricted station placement around the lake, although a dike propagating from shallow crustal depths towards the surface is likely to be detectable. For a magma overpressure of 10 MPa, the sizes of detectable inflating bodies at depths of 5–8 km using the present monitoring system are larger than the volumes of many past eruptions, illustrating the importance of future improvements to the geodetic network. We discuss the potential for future equipment installation, including lakebed instrumentation that would require approval of local iwi Ngāti Tūwharetoa through the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board who oversee the health and wellbeing of Lake Taupō.

Magma buoyancy drives rhyolitic eruptions: A tale from the VEI 5 2008-2009 Chaitén eruption (Chile) from seismological and geodetic data

Magma buoyancy is a mechanism usually neglected with respect to magma overpressure in eruption models constrained with geophysical data. In this study we provide evidence for a buoyancy-driven mechanism of magma ascent during the effusive phase of the 2008-2009 Chaitén rhyolitic eruption. We also constrain the volcano plumbing system with source models from InSAR and teleseismic data. InSAR data did not detect unambiguous evidence of pre-eruptive ground deformation up to 1 year before the eruption. Teleseismic data indicate that a dike opened twice during the first two days of the eruption, while InSAR data show that three sources deflated during the eruption. These include one dike and a sill during the onset of the eruption, and a spherical source halfway through it, all located at depths between 3 and 12 km. 75% of the total ground deformation of ∼0.5 m occurred during the first three weeks of the eruption. A Pléiades DEM show that the dome has a bulk volume of 1 km3, and was extruded with an exponential trend, but the lack of deformation during most of the effusive phase of the eruption implies that the dome extrusion did not result in depressurization of a magma reservoir. Instead, we show that the time series of extruded volume can be explained by magma ascending due its buoyancy instead of its overpressure. Further, the end of the first pulse of dome effusion in September 2008 can be explained by an increase in the dome surface load that equals the effect of the magma buoyancy. These results imply that in some cases ground deformation data alone cannot be used to forecast the temporal evolution of an eruption. They also call for the acquisition of denser time series of extruded volume, as a way to better constrain their evolution through time.

Post-caldera volcanism reveals shallow priming of an intra-ocean arc andesitic caldera: Hunga volcano, Tonga, SW Pacific

Intra-oceanic arcs are typically associated with intermediate (andesitic) cone volcanoes. However, caldera volcanoes may also form in these settings from very large eruptions, resulting in sudden changes to the magma reservoir. These reservoirs can then produce either semi-continuous or intermittent low-intensity volcanism between major caldera-producing or caldera-deepening eruptions, providing insights into the post-caldera evolution of the system. Hunga volcano (Kingdom of Tonga, Southwest Pacific) is a large mainly submarine edifice that produced a series of caldera-forming eruptions ~900 years ago. Since then, numerous smaller-scale subaerial and submarine eruptions occurred, the most recent forming new islands in 2009 and 2014/15. Pyroclastic deposits associated with these latest eruptions have identical (range ~ 0.1 wt% of all major oxides) andesitic composition that overlap with the primitive end of the slightly wider compositional range of the caldera-forming episodes. Texturally simple plagioclase, clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene phenocrysts in pre-, syn- and post-caldera pyroclasts point to a single shallow storage reservoir at 5–8 km depth. Lack of complex zonation indicates that this reservoir is constantly resupplied by low-flux inputs of basaltic andesite magma and is large enough that convective mixing rapidly homogenises new inputs. The reservoir feeds intermittent, low-intensity, post-caldera volcanism with constant andesite composition, driven possibly by magmatic overpressure and “leakage” of gas-rich magma pockets around the edges of the caldera. More primitive and compositionally variable basaltic andesites formed a lava-dominated edifice prior to the caldera-forming event. This suggests a causal link between magma supply dynamics and caldera priming relating to the maturing of the plumbing system and formation of a sustained subvolcanic andesite magma reservoir.

Protracted mafic magmatism and two-stage mineralization of the Kalatongke Cu-Ni sulfide deposit in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The Kalatongke Cu-Ni sulfide deposit in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is hosted by the early Permian mafic intrusions. After conducting a detailed field survey, we found that the massive sulfide ores and network olivine gabbro were emplaced separately into the dominant sulfide-barren mafic suite. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were performed for zircon U-Pb dating to determine the ages of rocks derived from the sulfide-rich suites and adjacent sulfide-barren suites. The results revealed that the U-Pb ages of olivine gabbro with network ore, gabbro with globular ore and breccia ore are 276.0 ± 1.1, 272.4 ± 0.9 and 271.9 ± 1.3 Ma, respectively. Biotite diorite in the Y1 intrusion, biotite gabbro and biotite norite in the Y2 intrusion presented with ages of 287.4 ± 1.1, 281.7 ± 3.0 and 286.7 ± 1.1 Ma, respectively. Combined with the published data, our findings demonstrated that the Kalatongke sulfide deposit experienced two stages of magma replenishment, lasting at least 16 Myr (287–271 Ma). The sulfide-rich magmas were most likely transported upward from the staging chamber via magma overpressure attributable to considerable tectonic compressive stresses. It could be proposed that the sulfide-rich magmas were derived from a strongly evolved magma chamber, whereas the sulfide-barren mafic suite was related to the emplacement of a weakly evolved magma in the same or a related plumbing system.

Magma propagation and emplacement within the central intrusive complex of Summer Coon stratovolcano, Colorado

A field-based study used geologic mapping and a ground-based magnetic survey to investigate the exhumed central intrusive complex (CIC) of Summer Coon stratovolcano in Colorado. The CIC comprises a group of diorite to granodiorite stocks and sub-vertical domains of conduit-filling breccia hosted within basaltic-andesite breccia associated with cone building. The stocks serve as the focal points for 53 basaltic-andesite (mafic) and 36 andesite to rhyolite (evolved) radial dikes mapped within the CIC. The evolved dikes with outcrop lengths (strike length) of <650 m are confined to the central areas of the CIC, cut through the stocks, and have steeply plunging terminal segments. In contrast, most evolved dikes with outcrop lengths >1600 m are excluded from the central areas of the CIC, do not cut through the stocks, and have terminal segments that plunge shallowly toward their focus. Assuming the dikes are blade-shaped and that they originated directly below the CIC, the propagation direction of the evolved dikes was estimated using the plunge angles, spatial distribution, and dike outcrop lengths. The relatively long dikes may have ascended toward the level of exposure along inclined paths. These dikes remained exclusively within the basaltic-andesite breccia and, probably due to the higher relative stiffness of the stocks, were unable to propagate through the stocks as they ascended. Upon approaching the level of exposure, the same dikes encountered a stress barrier likely generated by the gravitational load of the edifice. This barrier altered the dike propagation paths from inclined to sub-horizontal, significantly increasing their outcrop lengths. In contrast, the dikes with short outcrop lengths ascended along primarily sub-vertical paths, intersecting the level of exposure within the central portions of the CIC. To propagate sub-vertically through both the relatively stiff stocks and a potential stress barrier, the magma overpressures within the shorter dikes may have been higher relative to the longer sub-horizontally propagating dikes. It is probable that at active volcanoes, only dikes with sufficiently high overpressures can ascend through the central intrusive complex of mature stratovolcanoes to feed eruptions near the summit. Perhaps more frequently, stress barriers and existing intrusions stall or deflect dikes with lower relative overpressures toward the slopes of the volcano where they may feed flank eruptions.