Repose Periods Research Articles

Hydraulically linked reservoirs simultaneously fed the 1975–1984 Krafla Fires eruptions: Insights from petrochemistry

The 1975–1984 Krafla Fires in northeast Iceland was the first plate-boundary rifting episode to be tracked using seismic and geodetic monitoring. Geophysical observations from this episode have inspired conceptual models of magma transport during plate spreading, but a lack of complementary petrologic insights has hindered a holistic understanding of the events. To address this knowledge gap, we studied the petrochemistry of all nine Krafla Fires basaltic eruptions. Our large dataset of new whole-rock, matrix glass and mineral analyses from samples collected during or shortly after each eruption reveal a clear compositional bimodality in the erupted magmas that persisted across the episode, with evolved quartz tholeiite (MgO = 5.7–6.4 wt.%) erupted inside Krafla caldera, and more primitive (usually olivine-normative) tholeiite (MgO = 6.4–8.7 wt%) erupted north of the caldera margin. Barometric calculations indicate tapping of these magmas from distinct reservoirs: a primitive lower-crustal reservoir at a most probable depth of ∼14–19 km, and a more evolved, shallower reservoir at a most probable depth of ∼7–9 km beneath the caldera. These reservoirs were tapped simultaneously in several of the nine eruptions, and in three events the two magma types mixed near the northern caldera margin. Varying levels of trace element depletion in the deep-sourced primitive melts reflect incomplete mixing of diverse mantle-derived melts at depth; the most enriched of these melts could be parental to evolved inside-caldera magma via fractional crystallization. Clinopyroxene rims on gabbroic nodules from primitive September 1984 lavas record lower crustal pressures, while diffusion models suggest that these rims grew up to within a few months before eruption. Ascent of the primitive magma from the lower crust thus occurred over timescales much shorter than eruptive repose periods, without prolonged stalling at shallow depths. These observations are inconsistent with the view that the eruptions were entirely fed by lateral magma outflow from the shallow reservoir. They instead require some decoupling of the flow paths of the two magma types: the primitive magma either bypassed the sub-caldera reservoir laterally or ascended vertically beneath the northern vents. The two reservoirs nonetheless shared a hydraulic connection and jointly responded to rifting. Comparison of the Krafla Fires with other rifting events and eruptions highlights the complexity and diversity of magma transport during plate boundary rifting events, which is not yet captured by a generalizable model. Integration of petrologic, geochemical and geophysical data is essential to provide a holistic view of future rifting events in Iceland and at other spreading centres.

Upper holocene tephro-chronostratigraphy of Irazú Volcano, Costa Rica

Irazú is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Costa Rica. We present the tephro-chronostratigraphy of the last 2.6 ka of the Irazú volcano based on detailed field work and C14 radiometric dating, as well as a revision of the geological and historical records. In the stratigraphic record we identified at least 30 tephra units. Eight of them corresponding to the historical period (i.e., after 1700 A.D.), separated by repose periods of different durations. The distribution of the deposits, the volcanic morphologies (craters and pyroclastic cones) and the radiometric ages indicate that most of this recent eruptive activity has occurred from the summit of Irazú along an E–W fissure (~ 4 km long). Toward the west of the summit, near the Sapper hill may be the source of the oldest eruptions at 200 A.D., while the La Laguna cone, located to the east of the summit, could have formed around 1540 A.D., and Main Crater to the west could have formed around sixteenth–seventeenth century. Since then, the historical eruptions (i.e., 1723–1724, 1917–1921, 1924, 1928, 1930, 1933, 1939–1940 and 1963–1965) have been sourced from this crater, but not all of them are registered in the stratigraphy. The eruption frequency of Irazú during this period ranges from 23 to 100 years, with a major event about every 80 years. Irazu’s eruptions have been mainly phreatomagmatic and Strombolian, including some phreatic explosions. We present a detailed tephro-chronostratigraphy that will help to building temporal analysis for hazard assessment and risk management plans to face future eruptions at Irazú.

A temporal dissection of late Quaternary volcanism and related hazards within the Rio Grande rift and along the Jemez lineament of New Mexico, USA

Abstract New 40Ar/39Ar ages, combined with selected ages from published studies, provide detailed insight into the late Quaternary (<500 ka) eruptive history and related hazards of the Rio Grande rift and Jemez lineament of New Mexico, USA. Most eruptions in the region during this time were within monogenetic volcanic fields, which largely produced cinder cones and mafic lava flows. 40Ar/39Ar ages of mafic groundmass determined using the high-sensitivity ARGUS VI multicollector mass spectrometer are significantly more precise, by as much as an order of magnitude, than prior 40Ar/39Ar dates. The high-precision data permit more rigorous interpretation of age spectra and isochrons, leading to a greater confidence in assigning eruption ages, and thus allowing more accurate and thorough calculations of eruptive rates and repose periods. For most fields, comprehensive dating identifies a greater number of late Quaternary eruptions than previously known and, for some fields, determines younger-than-previously established ages for the last eruptive events. Repose periods in the fields range from too short to measure with the 40Ar/39Ar method to a few hundred thousand years, which suggests that all 12 fields in the rift and lineament with late Quaternary activity should be considered dormant rather than extinct, with the possibility of future eruptions. Average recurrence intervals for these fields during the late Quaternary range from 16.5 k.y. to 170.8 k.y. Many fields display peak periods of activity where rates spike to a recurrence interval of 5 k.y. or less. At the scale of the entire rift and lineament, 75 late Quaternary eruptions were dated, yielding an average recurrence interval of 6.5 k.y., which is a minimum estimate considering the likelihood of undated eruptions (either not studied or buried). During the last 100 k.y., the volcanic record is better preserved, and the recurrence interval is 3.2 k.y., which indicates that the current hiatus of 3.9 ± 1.2 k.y. is typical for the region. Since ca. 36 ka, the average recurrence interval decreased to 2.3 k.y., which suggests a slight increase in recent activity. When ages are compared to vent locations, a previously unrecognized migrational pattern is observed in nearly all of the fields studied. Migration vectors vary from 1.0 cm/yr to 4.0 cm/yr, and always with an eastward component—similar to migration patterns at some other late Cenozoic fields throughout the American Southwest. Volcanic migration is attributed to a combination of mechanisms including asthenospheric convection along the margin of the Colorado Plateau, North American plate motion over partial mantle melt, and extensional tectonics. Developing similar high-precision chronologies for other Quaternary fields throughout southwestern North America will be necessary to better understand the volcanic hazards of the region.

Foreword of Special section: “Monogenetic Volcanism, environment and Society”

Monogenetic volcanism is a worldwide phenomenon that occurs in all tectonic and geographic environments, representing an important manifestation of the Earth´s internal dynamics that causes the formation of numerous volcanic edifices distributed over large areas, the monogenetic fields. The volcanic activity within these fields is generally of low intensity and with relatively long repose periods between successive events, favoring human settlements on the fertile soils it produces and their abundant natural resources, and causing a distributed volcanic hazard difficult to assess. With the increase in human population, the threats of new eruptions to society and highly productive agricultural areas are increasing every day.

The Cerro Guacha Caldera complex, SW Bolivia: A long-lived, multicyclic, resurgent caldera complex in the Altiplano-Puna Volcanic Complex of the Central Andes

Measuring ∼50 × 30 km, the Cerro Guacha Caldera Complex (CGCC) is a polycyclic, nested caldera complex within the Altiplano Puna Volcanic Complex (APVC) of the Central Andes. Previous work had established that CGCC was built in three stages. Catastrophic supereruptions of the 1300 km3 (DRE - Dense Rock Equivalent) Guacha ignimbrite at ca. 5.65 Ma and the 800 km3 (DRE) Tara ignimbrite at ca. 3.49 Ma resulted in two nested caldera collapses that define the first two stages (G1C and G2C) of the CGCC. The third stage, G3C, initiated ∼1.8 Ma with the eruption of the Puripica Chico ignimbrite and associated lavas. The only previous detailed systematic study of the CGCC was of the G2C (Grocke et al., 2017a, 2017b). In this work we provide new field, petrochemical and geochronological data on the first and third cycles that now allow us to present the first comprehensive account of the eruption history, as well as the magmatic and volcanological evolution of the CGCC as a long-lived caldera complex.Erupted compositions during the G1C and G3C cycles are dominantly high-K, calc-alkaline dacites and minor andesites and these fall within the andesite to rhyolite compositional array previously defined for the G2C. In the CGCC as a whole, dacitic compositions account for over 90% of the ∼2200 km3 of magma erupted. These data reveal a consistency of magma composition, storage and evolution throughout the >4 Ma history of the CGCC.New UPb in zircon ages reveal distinct zircon age distributions that indicate that each caldera cycle represented new magmatic cycles that accumulated 10's to 100's of thousands of years prior to eruption. We find zircon antecrysts in all eruptive stages which we interpret as assimilation of non-erupted progenitors of earlier magmatic cycles. Occassional zircon xenocrysts and cores are interpreted as assimilation of upper crustal basement lithologies, supporting previous interpretations of upper crustal open system magmatic evolution for the G2C to the entire CGCC.Both the G1C and G2C calderas are west-hinged trap-door style collapses. Of these, the 5.65 Ma G1C caldera measures ∼50 km × 30 km, whereas the 3.49 Ma G2C is 30 × 20 km and is nested within the G1C. Resurgent uplift in both the calderas reveals at least a kilometer thickness of intracaldera ignimbrite. Outflow ignimbrites from the CGCC extend 100 km N-S and 40 km E-W around CGCC and were topographically limited. Intracaldera ignimbrite volume dominates outflow volumes by a ratio of ∼5:1. Repose periods between successive stages are now calculated to be 2.1 (G1C to G2C) and 1.8 (G2C to G3C) Myr respectively.The evolution of the CGCC parallels other APVC calderas and is closely linked to the history of the APVC flare-up. The two supereruptions at 5.65 Ma (Guacha Ignimbrite) and 3.49 Ma (Tara Ignimbrite) coincide with the peak of the flare-up and its eruptive and magmatic tempo correlate with the regional tempo. The eruptive and magmatic histories connote a composite granodioritic subcaldera pluton of significant extent accumulated in the upper crust beneath the CGCC.

Analysis of magma flux and eruption intensity during the 2021 explosive activity at La Soufrière, St Vincent, West Indies

Abstract Real-time Seismic Amplitude Measurement signals and eruption cloud height measurements were used to estimate peak intensities of 40 explosive events during the 8–22 April 2021 activity of La Soufrière volcano. We estimated magma supply rates and erupted volumes in each explosion, characterized uncertainty by stochastic modelling and identified four eruptive stages. Stage 1 included an intense period of 9.5 hours with 11 explosive events with peak eruption intensity between 2000 and 4000 m 3 s −1 and magma supply rate reaching 828 m 3 s −1 . Twelve high-intensity explosions ( c. 4000 m 3 s −1 ) occurred in Stage 2 with average magma supply rate of 251 m 3 s −1 . Stage 3 involved both declining intensity and magma supply rate and lengthening repose periods between explosions. Stage 4 involved three much weaker explosions. The total erupted volume of magma is estimated at 38.5 × 10 6 m 3 (90% credible interval: [22.0 .. 61.9] × 10 6 m 3 ) consistent with independent estimates from analysis of tephra deposits and volcano subsidence sourced at c. 6 km depth. The 150-fold increase in magma supply rate, from the preceding effusive phase to Stage 1 of the explosive phase, is attributed to replacement of very high-viscosity degassed magma occupying the shallow conduit system with new, lower-viscosity, volatile-rich magma from the magma chamber.

Decompression and degassing, repressurization, and regassing during cyclic eruptions at Guagua Pichincha volcano, Ecuador, 1999–2001

In 1999–2001, Guagua Pichincha volcano, Ecuador, produced a series of cyclic explosive and effusive eruptions. Rock samples, including dense blocks and pumiceous clasts collected during the eruption sequence, and ballistic bombs later collected from the crater floor, provide information about magma storage, ascent, decompression, degassing, repressurization, and regassing prior to eruption. Pairs of Fe-Ti oxides indicate equilibrium within 1.2–1.5 log units above the NNO oxidation buffer and equilibrium temperatures from 805 to 905 °C. Melt inclusions record H2O contents of 2.7–4.6 wt% and CO2 contents (uncorrected for CO2 segregation into bubbles) from 19 to 310 ppm. Minimum melt inclusion saturation pressures fall between 69 and 168 MPa, or equilibration depths of 2.8 and 6.8 km, the lower end of which is coincident with the maximum inferred equilibration depths for the most vesicular breadcrust bombs sampled. Amphibole phenocrysts lack breakdown rims (except for one sample) and plagioclase phenocrysts have abundant oscillatory compositional zones. Plagioclase areal microlite number densities (Na) range over less than one order of magnitude (8.9×103–8.7×104 mm-2) among all samples, with the exception of a dense, low crystallinity sample (Na = 3.0×103 mm−2) and a pumiceous sample erupted on 17 December 1999 (Na = 1.7×103 mm−2). Plagioclase microlite shapes include tabular, hopper, and swallowtail forms. Taken together, the relatively high plagioclase microlite number densities, the high number of oscillatory zones in plagioclase phenocrysts, the presence of CO2 in groundmass glass, seismicity, and time-varying tilt cycles provide a picture of sudden evacuation of magma residing at different levels in the shallow conduit. Explosive eruptions punctuate inter-eruptive repose periods marked by time-varying rates of degassing (volatile fluxing) and re-pressurization. Shallow residence time in the conduit was sufficient to allow precipitation of silica-phase in the groundmass, but insufficient to allow breakdown of hornblende phenocrysts, with the one exception of the final dome sample from 2000, which has the longest preceding repose time. These results support a model of cyclic pressure cycling, volatile exsolution and regassing, and magma decompression decoupled from ascent.

High-precision 40Ar/39Ar geochronology and volumetric investigation of volcanism and resurgence following eruption of the Tshirege Member, Bandelier Tuff, at the Valles caldera

Despite recognition as a significant volcanic threat to the southwestern United States, the post-caldera history of Valles caldera is poorly constrained. This study provides 49 new high-precision 40Ar/39Ar sanidine ages and volume estimations that reveal insights into eruptive timescales and resurgence. Caldera collapse and deposition of the Tshirege Member of the Bandelier Tuff at 1231.9 ± 1.3 ka was followed by eruption of 34 volcanic units from vents on the resurgent dome and along the caldera ring-fracture. New ages indicate post-caldera dome complexes are characterized by dominantly polygenetic and minor monogenetic emplacement. The Deer Canyon eruptions immediately followed caldera formation between 1231.6 ± 4.1 ka and 1212.0 ± 5.6 ka, for a total lifespan of 19.6 ± 6.9 kyr. Similarly, Redondo Creek eruptions occurred between 1199.9 ± 5.6 ka and 1186.8 ± 2.9 ka, a lifespan of 13.1 ± 6.3 kyr. Cerro del Medio is the longest-lived dome complex, erupting during a 24.5 ± 5.5 kyr lifespan between 1158.0 ± 3.1 and 1133.5 ± 4.6 ka. Following Cerro del Medio, Cerros del Abrigo erupted between 1010.1 ± 1.7 and 997.7 ± 1.7 ka. These longer-lived dome complexes are located within structurally complex zones of the caldera, suggesting the dense network of faults facilitate magma transport to the surface, producing long-lived eruptions. Conversely, the six dome and vent complexes that erupted between 932.5 ± 1.1 ka and 68.9 ± 1.0 ka have shorter eruptive lifespans than early post-caldera eruptions. Three of the complexes—San Antonio Mountain, South Mountain, and the East Fork Member—are polygenetic with lifespans ranging from 4.9 to 5.4 kyr with measurable repose periods. Dating of Cerro Santa Rosa 2, Cerro San Luis, and Cerro Seco domes yields a suite of indistinguishable ages, constraining rapid emplacement of each dome complex between 804.7 ± 2.0 ka and 800.3 ± 2.7 ka. The post-caldera volcanic units are grouped into a total of 17 temporally distinguishable eruptive events emplaced during 93.9 kyr of intra-dome volcanic activity. The eruptive frequency is 1 event per 5.5 ka for when Valles caldera enters periods of dome activity. A combination of new and published volumes of the dome and vent complexes indicate that these eruptions range from 0.8 km3 to 14.1 km3. In contrast, the average eruptive flux for each volcanic complex has nearly systematically increased from 0.05 ± 0.02 to 2.66 ± 0.75 km3/kyr during post-caldera evolution. Using new ages of the Tshirege Member, a syn-resurgent lava, and the oldest post-resurgent eruption, resurgence durations at Valles caldera are constrained between 73.9 ± 3.4 and 41.9 ± 6.4 kyr. Average magmatic flux during resurgence is between 0.52 ± 0.02 and 0.92 ± 0.14 km3/kyr, similar to pluton-filling rates, suggesting that resurgence is partly caused by significant decreases in magmatic flux following higher fluxes that sustain caldera-forming magma bodies. The eruptive frequency during dome activity and increasing flux has important implications should Valles caldera enter a new volcanic phase.

Historical volcanism in the Canary Islands; part 1: A review of precursory and eruptive activity, eruption parameter estimates, and implications for hazard assessment

Despite decadal–millennial repose periods, volcanoes of the Canary Islands pose significant, though poorly understood hazards to local communities and infrastructure. At least 13 volcanic eruptions forming monogenetic cones and lava flows have occurred in the archipelago since 1500 CE: six on the island of La Palma (in 1585, 1646, 1677–1678, 1712, 1949 and 1971), four on Tenerife (1704–1705, 1706, 1798 and 1909), two on Lanzarote (1730–1736 and 1824) and one on the submarine flank of El Hierro (2011–2012). In this paper, we synthesize available data on these historical eruptions, focusing on their physical characteristics and chronological development, and provide new estimates of eruption parameters, such as lava flow runout, area and volume, to inform volcanic hazard assessment in the archipelago. While incomplete and imprecise, historical records indicate that precursory seismicity began days to years prior to eruption onset, consistent with the three months of well-documented unrest for the 2011–2012 eruption. Excluding the atypical 1730–1736 event, eruptions lasted from ten days to a little under five months. Initial eruptive phases usually involved the opening of multiple vents along dike-fed fissures, with Strombolian explosive activity forming monogenetic cones. Lava flow emission generally quickly followed, and later eruptive phases were typically dominated by effusive behavior. Some eruptions (1704–1705, 1824 and 1949), however, had a complex evolution punctuated by the sequential opening of distinct vents several kilometers apart. Total lengths of vent-defined fissures range from 0.2 to 14.0 km, and maximum lava flow runout is 2.7–9.4 km, extending to the coastline in 75% of eruptions. Proximal eruptive deposits cover 1.8–7.8 km2. Published estimates of subaerial eruptive volumes average between 11 and 66 × 106 m3. In comparison, a new empirical relationship based on well-constrained lava flow area and volume data at other basaltic volcanoes yields volumes of 10–76 × 106 m3 for Canary Island eruptions. The 1730–1736 Timanfaya eruption on Lanzarote represents an outlier in the context of historical Canary Island volcanism, with a duration of 2055 days, a total fissure length ≥ 14.4 km defined by at least ten main emission centers, a maximum lava flow length of 21.7 km, a lava flow field area of 146 km2 and volume of at least 2.2–3.7 km3. Historical eruptive rates are low, at 1.0–2.1 × 106 m3/year or 7.3–11.0 × 106 m3/year including the 1730–1736 eruption, in agreement with long-term volcano growth rates based on geologic data. We find no evidence for time-predictable or volume-predictable behavior of the historical eruptive sequence, which has a mean recurrence interval of 39 ± 24 years. Our analysis outlines a useful framework for forecasting the onset, development and style of future eruptions in the archipelago. Further work, particularly detailed field-based studies of eruption deposits and petrologic reconstructions of eruption run-up processes, will help refine our understanding of historical volcanism and associated hazards in the Canary Islands.

The magma source of small-scale intraplate monogenetic volcanic systems in northern New Zealand

The Auckland intraplate volcanic province consists of four small fields of basaltic monogenetic volcanoes. Each of these was active for a period of ~1 Myr and during the last 3 Myr the locus of magmatic activity migrated northward in discrete ~50 km steps. The most recent of these volcano fields is the Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF) in which individual eruptions have produced discrete magma batches within the composition range nephelinite to sub-alkaline basalt. This range of compositions is explained by partial melting involving variable melt/solid ratios together with modal heterogeneity in their mantle source. Eruptions in the field have been irregularly spaced during its 200 kyr life with repose periods varying between ≤0.1 and 13 kyr. Although most of Auckland's volcanoes represent a single period of eruption, paired eruption sequences in which smaller more alkaline magma batches have been followed by more voluminous less alkalic magmas have also occurred. A significant flare-up in activity at about 30 kyr produced compositionally discrete eruptions from at least five spatially separate locations all within a temporal interval of as little as 100 years. An interpretation of these data is that each event (volcano) in the AVF represents a discrete batch of magma extracted from an source with the capacity of producing a compositional variety of magma. Such a source forms when upwelling mantle undergoes adiabatic rise and exists as a metastable entity at the asthenosphere-lithosphere boundary for prolonged periods (105–106 years) during which time it is tapped to create individual magma batches. The shorter term magma extraction events that produced individual volcanoes in the AVF are suggested to be the result of crustal scale tectonic events. The behaviour of these four spatially separate monogenetic volcanic systems at temporal intervals of <106 years is likely linked to the long term tectonic evolution of the Pacific-Australian Plate boundary beneath the New Zealand region.

Indicators of Volcanic Eruptions Revealed by Global M4+ Earthquakes

AbstractDetermining whether seismicity near volcanoes is due primarily to tectonic or magmatic processes is a challenging but critical endeavor for volcanic eruption forecasting and detection, especially at poorly monitored volcanoes. Global statistics on the occurrence and timing of earthquakes near volcanoes both within and outside of eruptive periods reveal patterns in eruptive seismicity that may improve our ability to discern magmatically driven seismicity from purely tectonic seismicity. In this paper, we catalog magnitude four and greater (M4+) earthquakes near volcanoes globally and compute statistics on their occurrence with respect to various eruptive and volcanic attributes, evaluating their utility as diagnostic indicators of eruptions. Using a 2‐week time window and a 30 km radius around the volcanoes, we find that 11% of eruptions are preceded by at least one M4+ earthquake, but only 1% of such earthquakes is followed by eruption. However, earthquakes located 5–15 km from the volcano, those with normal faulting mechanisms and/or large nondouble‐couple components, and those occurring as groups are more commonly associated with eruptions, providing significant forecasting utility in some cases. Similarly, certain volcanoes are more likely to exhibit such precursors, such as those with long repose periods. We illustrate the use of these data in eruption forecasting scenarios, including rapid identification of analogous earthquake sequences at other volcanoes. When integrated within the context of multiparametric, multidisciplinary probabilistic assessments of volcanic activity, global earthquake statistics can improve eruption forecasts, and our work provides a model for use on other rapidly expanding global volcanological databases.

U-Th zircon dating reveals a correlation between eruptive styles and repose periods at the Nisyros-Yali volcanic area, Greece

Water-rich silicic magmas are capable of erupting effusively and explosively, and this drastic change in eruptive styles, termed effusive-explosive transition, has important implications in managing volcanic hazards. Some volcanoes exhibit effusive-explosive transitions during the same eruptive event, while others show this behavior between different eruptions. In the latter case, magma chamber processes induce physical-chemical changes in the magma, which can favor either effusivity or explosivity. This is the case for the Nisyros-Yali volcanic center, from the South Aegean Sea. In the recent stages of activity (past 120 ky), the volcanic area generated eight rhyolitic effusive and explosive events (five on the island of Nisyros and three on the island of Yali), including two caldera-forming eruptions. Changes of water content, temperature and pre-eruptive water-saturation between effusive and explosive deposits point to a potential time-dependency between the two eruptive styles. We investigate this time-dependency by applying UTh disequilibrium dating to zircon crystals. Our eruptive age estimates of the investigated units range from 118.7 ± 10 ka to 19.9 ± 1.5 ka for Nisyros, and from 40 ± 5.2 ka to 22.7 ± 1.6 ka for Yali. Yali volcano has developed after the two caldera-forming events on Nisyros, which occurred at 63.1 ± 4.7 ka and 58.4 ± 2.7 ka. Yali marks the transition to a more geometrically complex system, where the upper-crustal silicic mush hosts at least two eruptible magma chambers (one under Yali, and one under Nisyros). The eruptive styles at both volcanoes seem to be correlated with the length of the repose periods. Effusive events occur after longer periods of volcanic quiescence, while explosive events are generated after shorter periods of repose of ~5–10 ky, which can be extended based on eruption age uncertainty to <18 ky for Nisyros and <12 ky for Yali. This observation is explained by the physical state of the volatiles in the magma chamber, with longer repose periods favoring volatile build-up. This can lead to water-supersaturation at storage pressures which was shown to favor effusivity. Based on this interpretation, both Nisyros and Yali volcanoes are presently in the effusive time window, which makes it probable for the next eruptions to be non-explosive.

Growth and erosion rates of the East Carpathians volcanoes constrained by numerical models: Tectonic and climatic implications

The East Carpathian volcanic range experienced an along-arc, Late Miocene to Quaternary migration of eruptive activity during its ~11 Ma-long activity. Here, a novel and complex methodology is presented that yields new geochronological and geomorphological constraints on the evolution of the 20 volcanic edifices. New unspiked K-Ar ages either constrain their lifespan (6.79 ± 0.10–6.47 ± 0.09 Ma for Seaca-Tătarca; 5.47 ± 0.08–4.61 ± 0.07 Ma for Vârghiş) or date the youngest volcanic activity (central Călimani). In parallel, numerical reconstructions of volcanic paleo-topographies were performed to quantify their shape at the end of their construction stage. The inferred initial volcano size shows a wide range (3 to 592 km3), making up the four main successive volcanic segments (910, 880, 279 and 165 km3 for Călimani, Gurghiu, North Harghita and South Harghita segment, respectively) totalizing 2200 km3 and an average growth rate of 200 km3/Ma at range-scale. At the volcano-scale, with only consideration to their respective time spans (i.e. avoiding repose periods), growth rate is characterized by two major trends: a moderate growth rate (137 km3/Ma) for the older volcanoes (11–3.6 Ma) followed by a lower growth rate (28 km3/Ma) obtained for the Plio-Quaternary volcanoes. Comparing reconstructed and current topographies yielded a total eroded volume of 524 ± 125 km3, defining averaged denudation of 22% and a 20 m/Ma erosion rate. Erosion rates for major climatic periods were computed, which highlight the contrasting climatic contexts since 11 Ma. The highest erosion rate (38 m/Ma) occurred during transitional moderate subtropical-continental climate period (9.5–8.2 Ma). An intermediate erosion rate (14 m/Ma) characterized a moderate continental climate period (8.2–6.8 Ma) when conditions became less humid. The lowest erosion rate (7 m/Ma) reflects the prevailing continental but occasionally semi-arid climate (6.8–5.8 Ma). The highest erosion rate (28 m/Ma) was obtained for Plio-Quaternary times during the interglacial/glacial cycles. Such a quantitative morphometric and geochronological approach demonstrates its efficiency to study volcanic dynamism, including both constructional and erosional processes, through time.

Auckland Volcanic Field magmatism, volcanism, and hazard: a review

ABSTRACT Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF) is a basaltic intraplate volcanic field in North Island, New Zealand, upon which >1.6 million people live. Seismic velocity tomography and geochemistry suggest a primary mantle source region at a depth of 70–90 km. Geochemical analysis indicates a range of magma compositions, and that melts ascend with little crustal interaction. Eruptions generally began with a phreatomagmatic phase forming maar and tuff rings with tephra fall, base surges, and ballistic projectiles as the main hazards. Subsequent magmatic phases formed scoria cones, and sometimes produced lava flows. Ages of 47 of the 53 volcanic centres reveal that the AVF first erupted ∼193 ka, and last erupted ∼500 yrs. BP. These geochronological constraints indicate repose periods ≤0.1–13 kyr, which have decreased since ∼60 ka. From known geological and exposure information, and using an interdisciplinary approach, eight future eruption scenarios have been developed for planning processes. Outstanding questions for the AVF concern the cause of mantle melting, the structure of the underlying lithosphere, magma ascent rates, controls on repose periods and eruptive volumes. Answering these questions may improve our understanding of warning periods, monitoring strategies, spatiotemporal risk profiles, and socio-economic impacts of volcanism on New Zealand’s largest city.

The co-incidence of earthquakes and volcanoes: assessing global volcanic radiant flux responses to earthquakes in the 21st century

The temporal and spatial co-incidence of earthquakes and volcanoes has been documented for many years with recent reports suggesting that instances of earthquake-induced volcanic activity often occur following high magnitude seismic events. Using data extracted from the MODVOLC algorithm, this paper compares global volcanic radiant fluxes with large magnitude earthquakes to investigate temporal co-incidences between earthquakes and volcanic activity and to identify the thermal response of volcanoes to 14 large magnitude (Mw ≥ 8.0) earthquakes that occurred between 2001 and 2011. Results indicate that, on the basis of statistical testing, 3 events were associated with a statistically significant increase in global volcanic radiant flux by more than half and, 2 events experienced a statistically significant decrease in global volcanic activity. In the remaining 9 cases, global volcanic activity remained unchanged. These findings indicate that (1) at a global scale, there are instances of a temporally co-incident relationship between large magnitude earthquakes and global volcanic radiant flux, (2) modified thermal activity following an earthquake is short-lived, often reflected in changes in the number of thermally active volcanoes and/or global volcanic radiant flux and, (3) under favourable conditions, volcanoes with long repose periods may be more susceptible to triggering.

WORKING TIME

Working time is subject of health and safety in the form of the Working Time Act (ArbZG) as well as of works councils’ co-determination under section 87 (II) Nrs. 2 and 3 Works Constitution Act (BetrVG), (at times) section 99 BetrVG and of individual and colletive contractual arrangements. Under health and safety aspects, it is about limitation of working time to a maximum permissible threshold and its interruption through necessary repose periods in order to avoid health endangering impacts on the employees. The paper describes the baselines of the German Working Time Act’s rules and the limits to flexibility possible according to it, which are to be tested constantly for their conformity with EU law in the (Working Time) directive 2003/88/EC of 4 November 2003. The question which activities constitute “work” under the German and European rules is of particular importance. There is no definitive answer to this question yet for diverse employee duties and activities for the benefit of others. For co-determination under section 87 (II) Nr. 2 BetrVG the question is, on which weekdays and which concrete times of day employees shall work, i.e. when exactly does working time start and end? In this context as well, it is of importance which activities are “work”, e. g. whether putting on protective clothing at the work place counts as work. For co-determination under section 87 (I) Nr. 3 an alteration of the usual working time volume may only be “temporary”, for co-determination under section 99 BetrVG the increase of the hitherto existing volume must be “significant”. The paper describes the problems in detail. It must be resolved in individual contracts to which temporal extent the employee owes work at all. Here, section 307 Civil Code (BGB) requests sufficient clarity, in particular regarding the agreement for which temporal work extent the employer owes which reimbursement. Here as well it has to be determined what belongs to reimbursable “working time”. This is not necessarily coinciding with the health and safety or the co-determination realm.

Precursors to intra-eruptive reposes during the 1998–2019 lava dome-building eruption at Volcán de Colima, México

The 1998–2019 lava dome-building eruption at Volcan de Colima, Mexico, involved two eruptive cycles of activity during which andesitic lava domes were extruded. The first cycle of extrusion lasted from November 1998 to June 2011 and was followed by a period of intra-eruptive repose from June 2011 to January 2013. The second cycle lasted from January 2013 to March 2017. The second intra-eruptive repose began from March 2017, and continues through the time of writing (April 2019). The reposes were preceded by interruptions in the endogenous regime of growth of the lava domes by extrusion of exogenous shear lobes (before repose 1) and by collapse of the lava dome (before repose 2). We conclude that interruptions in endogenous lava dome growth may herald the onset of intra-eruptive repose periods at this volcano. The nature of such precursors is potentially associated with the process of batch supply from deep magma storage into the shallow system feeding the eruption. During the two cycles of eruption at Volcan de Colima, the equal volumes of products (about 75 × 106 m3) were erupted with a difference in the mean magma discharge rates (approximately 5 × 106 m3 and 18 × 106 m3 per year for cycles 1 and 2 respectively). It seems that a cycle was controlled by a volumetric limit of 75 × 106 m3; once this volume has been erupted, then the cycle ends irrespective of discharge rate. At the same time, a difference in the mean magma discharge rates may be a reason for differences in the type of interruptions.

Total grain size distribution of an intense Hawaiian fountaining event: case study of the 1959 Kīlauea Iki eruption

The 1959 eruption of Kīlauea Iki on the Island of Hawai’i is a principal example of powerful Hawaiian fountaining. Over 36 days (including repose periods), 16 fountaining episodes created a small cone, a downwind tephra blanket of approximately 0.003 km3 and a lava lake of about 0.04 km3 volume. During the explosive activity, the maximum fountain heights reached 600 m. Based on a dataset of more than 450 tephra grain size samples, we present both a total grain size distribution (TGSD) of the entire downwind tephra deposit, and also TGSDs for two eruptive subunits (the opening and the closing stages). The opening stage was characterized by persistent fountaining over a period of 8 days with fountain heights averaging ∼ 100 m; in contrast, the closing stage was characterized by two short (hours-long) but powerful fountaining episodes (up to 600 m). The significantly different fountaining intensities are reflected in the characteristics of the TGSDs. For the closing stages, we link bimodality of TGSDs to periods of simultaneous deposition of ballistics and fallout from the convective cloud, both of which are a function of the maximum fountain height. The 1959 Kīlauea Iki case study presents a well-constrained set of TGSD data linked with Hawaiian-style fountaining of two contrasting intensities and can be used as a valuable reference point for eruption source parameters in future modeling of pyroclast dispersal during Hawaiian fountaining eruptions.

Eruptive history of the Late Quaternary Ciomadul (Csom\xe1d) volcano, East Carpathians, part II: magma output rates

This study, which builds on high-precision unspiked Cassignol-Gillot K-Ar age determinations, presents an advanced DEM-based volumetrical analysis to infer long-term magma output rates for the Late Quaternary Ciomadul (Csomád) dacitic lava dome complex (East Carpathians, Romania). The volcanic field of Ciomadul developed on the erosional surface of Lower Cretaceous flysch and ~ 2 Ma old andesites and experienced an extended eruptive history from ~ 850 to < 30 ka. Predominantly effusive activity took place during the first stage (~ 850 to ~ 440 ka), producing volumetrically minor, isolated, peripheral domes. Subsequently, after a ~ 250 ky repose interval, a voluminous central dome cluster developed in the second stage (~ 200 to < 30 ka). During the youngest phase of evolution (~ 60 to < 30 ka), highly explosive eruptions also occurred, resulting in the formation of two craters (Mohos and St. Ana). The calculated ~ 8.00 ± 0.55 km3 total volume of the lava domes, which includes the related volcaniclastic (1.57 km3) as well as erosionally removed (0.18 km3) material, is in line with dimensions of other medium-sized dacitic lava domes worldwide. This volume was extruded at an average long-term magma output rate of 9.76 km3/My (0.0098 km3/ky). However, most of the domes (7.53 ± 0.51 km3) were formed in the 200 to < 30 ka period, implying a significantly increased magma output rate of 37.40 km3/My (0.0374 km3/ky), more than 30 times higher than in the first stage. Within these long-term trends, individual lava domes of Ciomadul (e.g. those with volumes between 0.02 and 0.40 km3) would have been emplaced at much higher rates over a period of years to tens of years. The active periods, lasting up to hundreds of years, would have been followed by repose periods ~ 30 times longer. The most recent eruption of Ciomadul has been dated here at 27.7 ± 1.4 ka. This age, which is in agreement with radiocarbon dates for the onset of lake sediment accumulation in St. Ana crater, dates fragmented lava blocks which are possibly related to a disrupted dome. This suggests that during the last, typically explosive, phase of Ciomadul, lava dome extrusion was still ongoing. In a global context, the analysis of the volumetric dynamism of Ciomadul’s activity gives insights into the temporal variations in magma output; at lava domes, short-term (day- or week-scale) eruption rates smooth out in long-term (millenia-scale) output rates which are tens of times lower.

Ceboruco hazard map: part II—modeling volcanic phenomena and construction of the general hazard map

Ceboruco volcano in the western Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt is one of the eleven most active stratovolcanoes in Mexico. Due to its recent eruptive history including a large Plinian eruption ~ 1000 years ago, the AD 1870 eruption, and recurrent recent seismic activity, it seemed highly appropriate to construct a hazard map in order to be prepared for future eruptions and their associated hazards. Ceboruco volcano eruptions are predominantly effusive; however, it also has been characterized by a great variability of eruptive styles throughout its record of activity. In fact, some eruptions comprise a significant diversity of volcanic processes, including lava flows, tephra fallout, ballistic emission, pyroclastic flows and surges, and lahars. In this work, we present (1) an integrated and simplified hazard map and (2) more detailed scenario-based hazard maps showing the areas affected by the different expected volcanic phenomena attempting to account for this great diversity of eruptive processes. The maps represent the basis to identify the main hazard zones during a future eruption and the related impacts on population and infrastructure within the area of influence of Ceboruco (~ 700 km2), as well as for undertaking subsequent vulnerability and risk analyses. The maps provide a tool to develop measures of prevention and mitigation of volcanic hazards (preparedness of the population, establishment of evacuation routes and refuges, etc.), as well as for decision-making by authorities during territorial planning (urban expansion for example). The integrated simplified hazard map can also be a tool for dissemination purposes, in order to create awareness of associated hazards derived from a possible future activity of the volcano among the public in general. This is important because in the western sector of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (and specifically in the State of Nayarit) most volcanic edifices (with the exception of Colima volcano) are closed-vent volcanoes (sealed volcanic vent vs. open-vent systems) with long repose periods (up to ~ 16,000 years for example in the case of San Juan volcano 60 km to the W), a situation that consequently and unfortunately has led to a practically nonexistent volcanic risk perception.