Sete Cidades Volcano Research Articles

Magma Evolution of the Sete Cidades Volcano, São Miguel, Azores

The Sete Cidades volcano (Sao Miguel, Azores) is situated at the eastern end of the ultraslow spreading Terceira rift axis. The volcano comprises several dominantly basaltic pre-caldera eruptions, a trachytic caldera-forming stage and a post-caldera stage consisting of alternating trachytic and basaltic eruptions. The post-caldera flank lavas are more primitive (> 5 wt % MgO) than the pre-caldera lavas, implying extended fractional crystallization and longer crustal residence times for the pre-caldera, shield-building lavas. Thermobarometric estimates show that the ascending alkali basaltic magmas stagnated and crystallized at the crust-mantle boundary (similar to 15 km depth), whereas the more evolved magmas mainly fractionated in the upper crust (similar to 3 km depth). The caldera-forming eruption was triggered by a basaltic injection into a shallow trachytic magma chamber. Lavas from all stages follow a single, continuous liquid line of descent from alkali basalt to trachyte, although slight differences in incompatible element (e.g. Ba/Nb, La/Nb) and Sr isotope ratios imply some heterogeneity of the mantle source. Major and trace element data suggest similar partial melting processes throughout the evolution of the volcano. Slight geochemical differences between post- and pre-caldera stage lavas from the Sete Cidades volcanic system indicate a variation in the mantle source composition with time. The oxygen fugacity increased from the pre-caldera to the post-caldera stage lavas, probably as a result of the assimilation of crustal rocks; this is supported by the presence of crustal xenoliths in the lavas of the flank vents. The lavas from the Sete Cidades volcano generally have low Sr isotope ratios; however, rocks from one post-caldera vent on the western flank indicate mixing with magmas resembling the lavas from the neighbouring Agua de Pau volcano, having higher Sr isotope ratios. The different magma sources at Sete Cidades and the adjacent Agua de Pau volcano imply that, despite their close proximity, there is only limited interaction between them.

Seismic vulnerability of dwellings at Sete Cidades Volcano (S. Miguel Island, Azores)

Abstract. Since the settlement of S. Miguel Island (Azores), in the XV century, several earthquakes caused important human losses and severe damages on the island. Sete Cidades Volcano area, located in the westernmost part of the island, was attained by strong seismic crises of tectonic and volcanic origin and major events reached a maximum historical intensity of IX (European Macroseismic Scale 1998) in this zone. Aiming to evaluate the impact of a future major earthquakes, a field survey was carried out in ten parishes of Ponta Delgada County, located on the flanks of Sete Cidades volcano and inside it is caldera. A total of 7019 buildings were identified, being 4351 recognized as dwellings. The total number of inhabitants in the studied area is 11429. In this work, dwellings were classified according to their vulnerability to earthquakes (Classes A to F), using the structure types table of the EMS-98, adapted to the types of constructions made in the Azores. It was concluded that 76% (3306) of the houses belong to Class A, and 17% (740) to Class B, which are the classes of higher vulnerability. If the area is affected by a seismic event with intensity IX it is estimated, that 57% (2480) to 77% (3350) of the dwellings will partially or totally collapse and 15% (652) to 25% (1088) will need to be rehabilitated. In this scenario, considering the average of inhabitants per house for each parish, 82% (9372) to 92% (10515) of the population will be affected. The number of deaths, injured and dislodged people will pose severe problems to the civil protection authorities and will cause social and economic disruption in the entire archipelago.

Evaluation of landslide susceptibility of Sete Cidades Volcano (S. Miguel Island, Azores)

Abstract. Sete Cidades is an active central volcano with a summit caldera located in the westernmost part of S. Miguel Island (Azores). Since the settlement of the Island, in the 15th century, many landslide events occurred in this volcano, causing extensive damages in buildings and infrastructures. The study of historical records and the observation of new occurrences showed that landslides in the region have been triggered by heavy rainfall periods, earthquakes and erosion. In order to assess landslide susceptibility at Sete Cidades Volcano, landslide scars and associated deposits were mapped through aerial photographs and field surveys. The obtained data were inserted in a GIS to produce a landslide distribution map. It was concluded that the high density landslide areas are related with (1) major scarp faults, (2) the margin of fluvial channels, (3) the sea cliffs and (4) volcanic landforms, namely the caldera wall. About 73% of the mapped events took place in areas where pyroclastic deposits are the dominant lithology and more than 77% occurred where slopes are equal or higher than 20°. These two parameters were integrated and used to generate a preliminary susceptibility map. The incorporation of vulnerability data into the GIS allowed concluding that 30% of dwellings and most of the roads on Sete Cidades Volcano are located in areas where landslide susceptibility is high to very high. Such conclusion should be taken into account for emergency and land use planning.

Two-stage fractionation history of the alkali basalt-trachyte series of Sete Cidades volcano (São Miguel Island, Azores).

A comprehensive data set of mineral and whole-rock major element compositions of the Na-alkaline lavas and pumices erupted by the Sete Cidades volcano (Sao Miguel Island, Azores) is here presented. Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Sete Cidades extrusives indicate a low-pressure fractional crystallization, at relatively high fO2, as the main magmatic process generating the volcanic suite, which is mostly made up of basaltic-hawaiitic and trachytic rocks; very few mugearites are known on Sete Cidades emphasizing the possibility that residual liquids were able to leave the hawaiitic crystal mush only when the density had been lowered by compositional change or volatile exsolution ( i.e. at the trachytic stage). We mainly show how compositional variations within each group of silicates (and non-silicate) and the major-trace element covariances in the mineral structures through the alkali basalt-trachyte series are highly dependent on the sequence of crystallization and the correspondent magmatic environment (temperature, pressure, fO 2 ). Relatively primitive, slightly ne - normative basalts with MgO up to 14 % were tapped through flank eruptions indicating they were not held at any crustal levels, with rapid ascent through the plumbing system. Some of these basalts were held close to the Moho where they evolved by wehrlite fractionation to produce slightly hy - normative hawaiites with less than 7 % MgO. Slightly evolved basalts or hawaiitic magmas leaving the deep crustal reservoir were either erupted or were trapped in high level magma chambers to fractionate through towards metaluminous, q - + an - normative two-feldspar trachytes and thence to slightly peralkaline, one-feldspar, q - + ac - normative trachytes. Evidence of this liquid line of descent is also constrained by the hornblendite-kaersutite gabbro-diorite shallow plutonic roots of the volcano. Geothermobarometric and fO 2 calculations, performed on equilibrated pair of minerals (or mineral/liquid) generally agree with the proposed two-stage fractionation history of the Sete Cidades Na-alkaline magmas occurred within the relatively thick Azorean oceanic crust.

Sub-volcanic crystallization at Sete Cidades volcano, S�o Miguel, Azores, inferred from mafic and ultramafic plutonic nodules

Suites of coarse-grained clasts (“plutonic nodules“) within the scoria of two separate mafic post-caldera parasitic vents, on Sete Cidades volcano, are described. These involve dunites, wehrlites, olivine clinopyroxenites, clinopyroxenites and olivine gabbros in the Eguas ankaramitic cone and pyroxene hornblendites, kaersutite gabbros and diorites in the Pico das Camarinhas basaltic-hawaiitic cone. The plutonic nodules are inferred to be cumulates, crystallised within the crust from magmas co-genetic with the post-caldera mafic lavas erupted on the flanks of Sete Cidades.

Technic for the Administration of Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen

The evolution of volcanic islands is generally marked by fast construction phases alternating with destruction by a variety of mass-wasting processes. More specifically, volcanic islands located in areas of intense regional deformation can be particularly prone to gravitational destabilisation. The island of S. Miguel (Azores) has developed during the last 1 Myr inside the active Terceira Rift, a major tectonic structure materializing the present boundary between the Eurasian and Nubian lithospheric plates. In this work, we depict the evolution of the island, based on high-resolution DEM data, stratigraphic and structural analyses, high-precision K–Ar dating on separated mineral phases, and offshore data (bathymetry and seismic profiles). The new results indicate that: (1) the oldest volcanic complex (Nordeste), composing the easternmost part of the island, was dominantly active between ca. 850 and 750 ka, and was subsequently affected by a major south-directed flank collapse. (2) Between at least 500 ka and 250 ka, the landslide depression was massively filled by a thick lava succession erupted from volcanic cones and domes distributed along the main E-W collapse scar. (3) Since 250 kyr, the western part of this succession (Furnas area) was affected by multiple vertical collapses; associated plinian eruptions produced large pyroclastic deposits, here dated at ca. 60 ka and less than 25 ka. (4) During the same period, the eastern part of the landslide scar was enlarged by retrogressive erosion, producing the large Povoação valley, which was gradually filled by sediments and young volcanic products. (5) The Fogo volcano, in the middle of S. Miguel, is here dated between ca. 270 and 17 ka, and was affected by, at least, one southwards flank collapse. (6) The Sete Cidades volcano, in the western end of the island, is here dated between ca. 91 and 13 ka, and experienced mutliple caldera collapses; a landslide to the North is also suspected from the presence of a subtle morphologic scar covered by recent lava flows erupted from alignments of basaltic strombolian cones. The predominance of the N150° and N75° trends in the island suggest that the tectonics of the Terceira Rift controlled the location and the distribution of the volcanism, and to some extent the various destruction events.