Undegassed Magma Research Articles

A carbon, nitrogen, and multi-isotope study of basalt glasses near 14°N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Part A: Degassing processes

14°N on the Mid-Atlantic ridge (MAR) is one of only a few locations worldwide where volatile-saturated, geochemically enriched mid-ocean ridge basalts (E-MORBs) have been recovered. These basaltic glasses are so gas-rich that CO2-filled bubbles may “pop” when brought to the surface, due to the pressure and temperature change. Although these “popping rocks” have long been regarded as representative samples of un-degassed magmas sourced from the upper mantle, uncertainties regarding both their generation mechanism(s) and the potential effects of gas loss/accumulation processes have hampered unambiguous quantification of the upper mantle volatile element (water, carbon, nitrogen, noble gas) inventory. Fortunately, the extent and consequences of gas loss/accumulation processes can be tested by studying characteristic changes in volatile elements compositions, including 4He/40Ar* (where 40Ar* is 40Ar corrected for atmospheric contamination). To document the mechanism of popping rock generation and potential effects of degassing and gas accumulation processes on MORB volatile systematics, we present a comprehensive volatile characterization (carbon, nitrogen and noble gas systematics) of popping rocks and associated MORBs (n = 19) recently sampled at 14°N on the MAR, including 2 normal MORBs (N-MORB) from an oceanic core complex (OCC) and 17 E-MORBs. In line with previous studies, we find that PR exhibit the lowest 4He/40Ar* (1.08 ± 0.04) among all MORB samples, lower than the conventional mantle production ratio of 3 ± 1. Such low 4He/40Ar* could either (i) derive from accumulation of first-generated bubbles originating from open-system degassing of underlying magmas, or (ii) represent the actual upper mantle production ratio. We summarize the arguments in favor of each of these two scenarios (including the required accumulation times for radiogenic noble gases accumulation, the K/U and 232Th/238U of the upper mantle, popping rock vesicle size distributions, and physical considerations for vesicle growth and upwelling through a basaltic magma), and discuss their implications for the volatile composition of un-degassed magmas from the upper mantle. We find homogenous N isotope compositions (average δ15N of −4.49 ± 1.40 ‰ at 14°N) but variable δ13C (from −11 ‰ to −3.4 ‰), potentially compatible with the expectations for residual dissolved gas after Rayleigh fractionation. However, explaining the light δ13C signatures of PR via this process appears incompatible with any of the two scenarios proposed for explaining their low 4He/40Ar*, which would predict (i) 13C-enrichements and (ii) no fractionation relative to an initial composition at δ13C ∼ -5‰, respectively. After correction for solubility-controlled degassing fractionation and potential gas accumulation processes using 4He/40Ar* systematics, we find relatively homogeneous C/3He ((2.65 ± 0.51) × 109) but variable C/N (from 125 up to 4578), whose potential origins are discussed as part of a companion paper (Part B: Source effects).

Petrogenesis of the Hoy lava field, a long-lived continental mafic volcanic province in eastern Australia

Small-scale continental basaltic fields can erupt with little warning and bring deep undegassed magmas to the surface rapidly. To explore the lifetime, petrogenesis and plumbing system architecture feeding such basaltic lava fields and compare them with large-scale shield volcanoes, we have focused on the Hoy lava field, central Queensland, Australia. 40Ar/39Ar geochronology, elemental and isotopic whole-rock geochemistry and mineral chemistry on selected Hoy samples reveal long-lived volcanism of ca 50 Ma and magma storage at mantle depths, notably different from the comparatively short duration (3–5 Myr) and crustal magma storage depths of shield volcanoes. In this study, four Hoy lava-field eruptive intervals spanning ca 50 Ma were investigated: 67.5 ± 0.3 Ma, 32.3 ± 0.6–31.6 ± 0.7 Ma, 21.9 ± 0.5 Ma and 18.1 ± 0.3 Ma. In all four eruptive events, samples are porphyritic alkali basalts and trachybasalts (11.41–6.45 wt% MgO) with incompatible element concentrations and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope ratios dominantly derived from a metasomatised sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) source with an enriched mantle I (EMI) signature. Complex crystal populations show major- and trace-element variations reflecting fractional crystallisation, magma recharge, magma mixing and mantle xenocryst entrainment. Clinopyroxene–melt thermobarometry indicates magma storage in SCLM reservoirs at ∼30–47 km depths. The nearby larger but shorter-lived (3–5 Myr) Buckland central volcano has similar source compositions; however, magma storage is limited and concentrated in the crust, resulting in increased crustal contamination. The results suggest that basaltic centres of contrasting scale and longevity are linked to distinct magma production mechanisms, fluxes, ascent and differentiation.

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

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

Eruption style transition during the 2017–2018 eruptive activity at the Shinmoedake volcano, Kirishima, Japan: surface phenomena and eruptive products

Recent eruptions of the Shinmoedake volcano, Japan, have provided a valuable opportunity to investigate the transition between explosive and effusive eruptions. In October 2017, phreatic/phreatomagmatic explosions occurred. They were followed in March 2018 by a phase of hybrid activity with simultaneous explosions and lava flows and then a transition to intermittent, Vulcanian-style explosions. Evolution of surface phenomena, temporal variations of whole-rock chemical compositions from representative eruptive material samples, and rock microtextural properties, such as the crystallinity and crystal size distribution of juvenile products, are analyzed to characterize the eruption style transition, the conduit location, and the shallow magma conditions of the volcanic edifice. The 2017–2018 eruptive event is also compared with the preceding 2011 explosive–effusive eruption. The chemical and textural properties of the 2018 products (two types of pumice, ballistically ejected lava blocks, and massive lava) are representative of distinct cooling and magma ascent processes. The initial pumice, erupted during lava dome formation, has a groundmass crystallinity of up to 45% and the highest plagioclase number density of all products (1.9 × 106/mm3). Conversely, pumice that erupted later has the lowest plagioclase number density (1.2 × 105/mm3) and the highest nucleation density (23/mm4 in natural logarithm). This 2018 pumice is similar to the 2011 subplinian pumice. Therefore, it was likely produced by undegassed magma with a high discharge rate. Ballistics and massive lava in 2018 are comparable to the 2011 Vulcanian ballistics. Conversely, the high plagioclase number density pumice that occurred in 2018 was not observed during the 2011 eruption. Thus, such pumice might be specific to hybrid eruptions defined by small-scale explosions and lava dome formation with low magma discharge. The observed transitions and temporal variations of the activities and eruption style during the 2017–2018 Shinmoedake eruptions were primarily influenced by the ascent rate of andesitic magma and the geological structure beneath the summit crater.Graphical

The mantle source of basalts from Reunion Island is not more oxidized than the MORB source mantle

Glasses quenched from relatively undegassed ocean island magmas erupted from volcanoes at Iceland, Hawaii, the Canary Islands, and Erebus have elevated Fe3+/∑Fe ratios compared to glasses quenched from mid-ocean ridge basalts. This has been ascribed to elevated fO2 of their mantle sources, plausibly due to subducted, oxidized near-surface-derived components in their mantle sources. The basaltic magmas from Reunion Island in the Indian ocean have Sr–Nd-Hf-Pb-Os isotopic compositions suggesting that their mantle sources contain little or no subducted near-surface materials and contain the C/FOZO/PREMA mantle component. To constrain the fO2 of the C/FOZO/PREMA mantle component and test the link between oxidized OIB and recycled surface-derived materials in their sources, we measured major and volatile element abundances and Fe3+/∑Fe ratios of naturally glassy, olivine-hosted melt inclusions from Piton de La Fournaise volcano, La Reunion. We conclude that the fO2 of the mantle source of these Reunion lavas is lower than of the mantle sources of primitive, undegassed magmas from Hawaii, Iceland, the Canary Islands, and Mt. Erebus, and indistinguishable from that of the Indian-ocean upper mantle. This finding is consistent with previous suggestions that the source of Reunion lavas (and the C/FOZO/PREMA mantle component) contains little or no recycled materials and with the suggestion that recycled oxidized materials contribute to the high fO2 of some other OIBs, especially those from incompatible-element-enriched mantle sources. Simple mixing models between oxidized melts of EM1 and HIMU components and relatively reduced melts of DMM can explain the isotopic compositions and Fe3+/∑Fe ratios of lavas from Hawaii, Iceland, the Canary Islands, and Mount Erebus; this model can be tested by study of additional OIB magmas, including those rich in the EM2 component.

Days to weeks of syn-eruptive magma interaction: High-resolution geochemistry of the 2002-03 branched eruption at Mount Etna

Eruption onset, style and duration are governed, in part, by the movement and interaction of distinct magma bodies at depth. High-resolution investigation of erupted products can retrospectively inform our understanding of such processes and improve future interpretation of real-time monitoring signals. In 2002-03, Mount Etna (Italy) erupted two elementally and isotopically distinct magmas simultaneously, providing a unique opportunity to explore magma transport and evolution through complex, well-documented and monitored volcanic activity. In this study, melt chemistry (groundmass fraction as opposed to whole-rock) and mineral zoning (X-ray fluorescence mapping and electron microprobe) are treated as separate recorders of magma history tracking syn- and pre-eruptive processes, respectively. Elemental mapping of entire thin sections revealed a largely antecrystic, hybrid crystal cargo hosting reverse-zoned clinopyroxene and olivine, supporting extensive magma mixing in southern flank conduits. Antecryst-free groundmass chemo-stratigraphies reveal melt compositional variations on timescales of days to weeks. In agreement with previous whole-rock studies, we find that during the early-middle stages of activity, melt erupted on the southern flank was rich in MgO, CaO, Cr, Ni, and radiogenic-Sr, and depleted in Al2O3, Na2O, La, Zr, relative to its north-eastern counterpart. In addition, high resolution tracking of melt composition reveals a progressive shift to increasingly evolved compositions over the course of the S-rift eruption. A corresponding shift in 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios (0.70366 to 0.70358) across the same period implies progressive mixing of isotopically distinct magmas as the main driver of the observed compositional change. In contrast, NE-rift products lack evidence of mixing in both melt and mineral records, in agreement with previous work suggesting geodynamically controlled draining of shallow, isolated magma pockets. Comparing recharge-to-eruption timescales derived from mineral zonation with real-time monitoring data and groundmass compositional data, we show that the onset of magma mixing in the S-rift coincided with a deep seismic event (8-18 km) and was followed by the ascent of undegassed magma approximately 2 months before eruption onset. Finally, we demonstrate that high-resolution temporal changes in melt composition, approached through melt geochemistry, are closely linked to eruption intensity and SO2 emission. We suggest that composition and explosivity on the southern rift fluctuated in response to multiple phases of recharge-mixing-hybridisation between undegassed ‘eccentric’ magma and a degassed resident magma at 3-5 km depth. Our results highlight that high-resolution geochemistry can improve our understanding of deep magmatic processes driving eruption onset, duration and intensity. Rapid analysis of melt composition integrated with traditional monitoring approaches could improve future hazard response at Mount Etna and active volcanoes globally.

Assessing magmatic volatile equilibria through FTIR spectroscopy of unexposed melt inclusions and their host quartz: a new technique and application to the Mesa Falls Tuff, Yellowstone

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a precise, non-destructive, and highly sensitive means of measuring volatile species in melt inclusions. Existing methods of applying FTIR to quartz-hosted melt inclusions, however, require challenging physical manipulation of the host quartz crystals, which can present a significant limitation. Here, we describe a technique for measuring the H2O and CO2 concentrations of melt inclusions fully enclosed in quartz crystals using transmission FTIR, where melt inclusion thickness is calculated using the host quartz silicate overtones. The greater thickness of quartz crystals permitted by this technique allows an additional assessment of volatile equilibrium by measuring structural OH− within the quartz host itself. To demonstrate the advantages of this technique, we applied it to quartz crystals from the Mesa Falls Tuff, Yellowstone. The majority of melt inclusions consist of transparent or brown glassy melt inclusions and record concentrations of 2.9–3.3 wt% H2O and 181–561 ppm CO2, with precision similar to that obtained by standard double-exposed FTIR. Based on volatile saturation models, such concentrations reflect a largely un-degassed magma body equilibrated at pre-eruptive pressures of 100–150 MPa. These H2O concentrations and equilibrium conditions are supported by independent assessments using mineral–mineral and mineral-melt thermohygrometry and thermodynamic modelling using rhyolite-MELTS. The preservation of pre-eruptive volatile concentrations is further corroborated by measurements of OH− in the quartz hosts. A clear decrease in hydroxyl concentrations from core to rim matches closely the zoning in Al, which, combined with the position of quartz infrared bands, most likely reflects variations in Al-moderated OH− solubility rather than diffusive loss. The outermost 200 µm rims, however, show a sharper decline in OH− and corresponding increase in Li+ which is interpreted to record minor diffusive H+ loss and incorporation of Li+ to maintain charge balance. Our FTIR-based technique is simple, effective, and widely applicable to other quartz-bearing magmatic systems, opening up new possibilities to trace pre- syn- and post-eruptive volatile behaviour.

New constraints on mantle carbon from Mid-Atlantic Ridge popping rocks

Despite the influence of mantle carbon on melt formation and migration, global volatile budgets, and volcanic eruption styles, the carbon concentration in Earth's upper mantle remains highly debated, with estimates varying by more than an order of magnitude. The relationship between carbon and incompatible trace element (e.g., Nb, Ba) concentrations in rare, undegassed mid-ocean ridge basalts and melt inclusions provide primary constraints on upper mantle carbon content. Here we investigate whether the most volatile rich mid-ocean ridge basalts, termed ‘popping rocks’, represent undegassed magmas from the upper mantle and provide insight into upper mantle carbon inventory. We show that fourteen new popping rocks, collected in situ from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rift valley near 14°N, contain highly variable CO2/Nb and CO2/Ba ratios despite similar mantle sources and extents of melting. We revise the original model for popping rock formation using seafloor observations, high-resolution bathymetry, vesicle size distributions, major and trace element geochemistry, and noble gas geochemistry. Highly variable volatile concentrations despite relatively homogeneous trace element ratios and low 4He/40Ar⁎ suggest that bubble accumulation affected these popping rocks. These results provide evidence for heterogeneity in the CO2/Ba ratio of the depleted mantle and indicate that mantle carbon concentrations are lower and less heterogeneous than previously estimated, which influences models for mantle melting and CO2 flux at mid-ocean ridges.

Long-term eruptive trends from space-based thermal and SO2 emissions: a comparative analysis of Stromboli, Batu Tara and Tinakula volcanoes

Batu Tara (Indonesia) and Tinakula (Solomon Island) are two poorly known volcanoes with morphologies and short-term eruptive activity similar to Stromboli (Italy). However, quantitative information about their long-term eruptive behaviour is limited, making the comparisons with Stromboli descriptive and based on short periods of observations. Here, we use over a decade of satellite data to measure and compare the radiant flux (2000–2017) and the SO2 mass (2004–2017) of all three volcanoes. The combined analysis of volcanic radiant power (from MODIS data) and SO2 flux (from OMI data) reveals different long-term eruptive trends and contrasting ratios of SO2/VRP. These data indicate that the eruptive mechanisms operating at each volcano are quite different. The persistent open-vent activity of Stromboli volcano is episodically interrupted by flank eruptions that drain degassed magma stored in the very shallow portion of the central conduit. In contrast, a long-lasting exponential decay of both VRP and SO2 flux observed at Batu Tara is consistent with the eruption of undegassed magma from a deep, closed magma chamber, whilst Tinakula displays multiple year-long eruptive phases, characterised by evolving gas/thermal ratios and an eruptive intensity increasing with time. Magma budget calculations for the latter volcano are consistent with eruption from a volatile-zoned magma chamber, coupled with periods of gas/magma accumulations at depth. Our results suggest that the combined analysis of satellite thermal/gas data provides a valuable tool for decrypting the long-term volcanic dynamics that could remain hidden over shorter timescales.

Space‐Time Evolution of Magma Storage and Transfer at Mt. Etna Volcano (Italy): The 2015–2016 Reawakening of Voragine Crater

AbstractThe eruptions of December 2015 and May 2016 at Voragine crater were among the most explosive recorded during the last two decades at Mt. Etna volcano. Here we present data coming from geophysics (infrasound, LP, VLP, volcanic tremor, VT earthquakes, and ground deformations) and petrology (textural and microanalytical data on plagioclase and olivine crystals) to investigate the preeruptive magma storage and transfer dynamics leading to these exceptional explosive eruptions. Integration of all the available data has led us to constrain chemically, physically, and kinetically the environments where magmas were stored before the eruption, and how they have interacted during the transfer en‐route to the surface. Although the evolution and behavior of volcanic phenomena at the surface was rather similar, some differences in storage and transfer dynamics were observed for 2015 and 2016 eruptions. Specifically, the 2015 eruptions have been fed by magmas stored at shallow levels that were pushed upward as a response of magma injections from deeper environments, whereas evidence of chemical interaction between shallow and deep magmatic environments becomes more prominent during the 2016 eruptions. Main findings evidence the activation of magmatic environments deeper than those generally observed for other recent Etnean eruptions, with involvement of deep basic magmas that were brought to shallow crustal levels in very short time scales (∼1 month). The fast transfer from the deepest levels of the plumbing system of basic, undegassed magmas might be viewed as the crucial triggering factor leading to development of exceptionally violent volcanic phenomena even with only basic magma involved.

Timescales of magma ascent and degassing and the role of crustal assimilation at Merapi volcano (2006–2010), Indonesia: Constraints from uranium-series and radiogenic isotopic compositions

We present new 238U-230Th-226Ra-210Pb-210Po, 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd isotopic data of whole-rock samples and plagioclase separates from volcanic deposits of the 2006 and 2010 eruptions at Merapi volcano, Java, Indonesia. These data are combined with available eruption monitoring, petrographic, mineralogical and Pb isotopic data to assess current theories on the cause of a recent transition from effusive dome-building (2006) to explosive (2010) activity at the volcano, as well as to further investigate the petrogenetic components involved in magma genesis and evolution. Despite the significant difference in eruption style, the 2006 and 2010 volcanic rocks show no significant difference in (238U/232Th), (230Th/232Th) and (226Ra/230Th) activity ratios, with all samples displaying U and Ra excesses. The 226Ra and 210Pb excesses observed in plagioclase separates from the 2006 and 2010 eruptions indicate that a proportion of the plagioclase grew within the decades preceding eruption. The 2006 and 2010 samples were depleted in 210Po relative to 210Pb ((210Po/210Pb)i < 1) at the time of eruption but were variably degassed (69%–100%), with the degree of 210Pb degassing strongly related to sample texture and eruption phase. In good agreement with several activity monitoring parameters, 210Po ingrowth calculations suggest that initial intrusion into the shallow magma plumbing system occurred several weeks to a few months prior to the initial 2010 eruption. The 2006 and 2010 samples show a wide range in (210Pb/226Ra) activity ratio within a single eruption at Merapi and are largely characterised by 210Pb deficits ((210Pb/226Ra) < 1). Assuming a model of complete radon degassing, the 210Pb deficits in the 2006 volcanic rocks indicate relatively longer degassing timescales of ∼2–4 years than those given by the 2010 samples of ∼0–3 years. The uranium-series and radiogenic isotopic data do not support greater crustal assimilation of carbonate material as the explanation for the more explosive behaviour of Merapi in 2010 (as has been previously suggested) and instead indicate that relatively rapid ascent of a more undegassed magma was the primary difference responsible for the transition in explosive behaviour. This interpretation is in good agreement with gas monitoring data, previous petrological studies (mineral, microlite and melt inclusion work) and maximum calculated timescale estimates using Fe-Mg compositional gradients in clinopyroxene, that also suggest more rapid movement of relatively undegassed magma in 2010 relative to 2006.

Evidences of volcanic unrest on high-temperature fumaroles by satellite thermal monitoring: The case of Santa Ana volcano, El Salvador

On October 1st, 2005, Santa Ana volcano (El Salvador) underwent a VEI 3 phreatomagmatic eruption after approximately one century of rest. Casualties and damages to some of the local infrastructures and surrounding plantations were followed by the evacuation of the nearby communities. The analysis of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) infrared data reveals that the main explosion was preceded by a one-year-long thermal unrest, associated to the development of a fumaroles field, located at the western rim of the summit crater lake. By combining space-based thermal flux and ground-based measurements (seismicity, sulfur emissions and lake temperatures), we suggest that the activity observed at Santa Ana between 2004 and 2005 was driven by the gradual intrusion of an undegassed magma body at a very shallow depth. Magma injection induced thermal anomalies associated with sustained degassing from the fumaroles field and promoted the interaction between the magmatic-hydrothermal system and the overlying water table. This process culminated into the VEI 3 phreatomagmatic eruption of October 2005 that strongly modified the shallow structure of the crater area. The subsequent three-years-long activity resulted from self-sealing of the fracture system and by the opening of a new fracture network directly connecting the deeper hydrothermal system with the crater lake. Our results show that satellite-based thermal data allow us to detect the expansion of the high-temperature fumarolic field. This may precede an explosive eruption and/or a lava dome extrusion. In particular, we show that thermal records can be analyzed with other geochemical (i.e. SO2 emissions) and geophysical (seismicity) data to track a shallow magmatic intrusion interacting with the surrounding hydrothermal system. This provides a remarkable support for volcano monitoring and eruption forecasting, particularly in remote areas where permanent ground data acquisition is hazardous, expensive and difficult.

Geochemical evidence of different sources of long-period seismic events at Deception volcano, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

AbstractThis is the first detailed analysis of a CO2diffuse degassing time series from Deception volcano, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, performed during an episode of anomalously high long-period (LP) seismicity. Diffuse CO2emissions measured by an automatic geochemical station between 7 December 2009 and 13 February 2010 showed an excellent temporal agreement with the LP seismicity in December 2009. The absence of such a temporal correlation with the second burst of seismicity that occurred in late January 2010 suggests a different source for this LP activity. This was confirmed by analysis of seismic array data. The LP seismicity observed during December 2009 was caused by fluid-driven cracks that originated from pressure fluctuations in the volcano-hydrothermal systems beneath Deception volcano that were probably caused by a deep injection of undegassed magma before December 2009. The diffuse CO2degassing data have provided evidence of the activation of at least two different sources of seismicity during the study period at Deception volcano.

Temporal variations in fumarole gas chemistry at Poás volcano, Costa Rica

We report the chemical and isotopic composition of fumarole gas discharges collected at Poás Volcano, Costa Rica from 2001 to 2014, covering a period during which the volcano experienced a series of phreatic eruptions (March 2006 to October 2014). The relative abundances of Poás C–S–H–O gas species are controlled by reactions involving the SO2–H2S and So–SO2 gas buffers indicating magmatic temperatures of up to 800°C. Although fumarole outlet temperatures are <120°C for most samples, SO2 is the dominant sulfur gas and HCl contents are relatively high. Gas compositional changes within the magma-lake-hydrothermal system likely result from a combination of several processes, including: 1) The injection of new and undegassed magma in late 2000–early 2001, 2) the heating of the hydrothermal system, accompanied by gas pressure build-up, and 3) hydrofracturing through 2006. These processes culminated in the phreatic eruptions of 2006 and 2008. Since 2005 the lake level has declined and is now (January 2014) at the lowest level (10m) since the last periods that it dried out completely (April 1984 and April 1994). The most recent data of 2014 show high level of degassing from the dome fumaroles and the release of HCl-rich and CO2-poor gases implies that the magma injected in late 2000 continues to supply volatiles. Our data show that time series sampling of fumarole gases provides important insights to better understand magmatic and hydrothermal processes at active volcanoes and also to potentially forecast phreatic eruptions.

Sulfur in olivine‐hosted melt inclusions from the Emeishan picrites: Implications for S degassing and its impact on environment

Large‐volume (&gt;0.3 × 106 km3) basaltic lavas that erupted ~260 Ma ago in southwest China form the Emeishan large igneous province. The relationship between the Emeishan volcanism and the end‐Guadalupian mass extinction is still unresolved. In order to evaluate the impact of Emeishan flood volcanism on the climate and environment, we have measured sulfur contents in olivine‐hosted melt inclusions from Dali picrites. The highest S content of melt inclusions is up to 1311 ppm, which represents that of the undegassed magmas. Comparing the S contents in the undegassed magma and in the degassed posteruptive basaltic lavas, we calculate that eruptions of the Emeishan lavas could have released at least ~900 ppm of S, which equates to 5 Mt of SO2 per cubic kilometer of basaltic lavas. During an individual eruption, SO2 could have been added to the atmosphere at a rate of 1.5 × 102–103 Mt/yr, creating 3.1 × 102–103 Mt of H2SO4 aerosols. The quick release of such a huge amount of volatiles into the atmosphere may have absorbed and reflected solar radiation, causing a temperature decrease and eventually leading to a “volcanic winter”. This scenario demonstrates that the Emeishan flood volcanism was responsible for the end‐Guadalupian mass extinction.

Evidence for a recent change in the shallow plumbing system of Mt. Etna (Italy): Gas geochemistry and structural data during 2001–2005

We analyzed crater SO2 fluxes from Mt Etna, together with soil CO2 effluxes from the volcano's flanks, in the period from 2001 to 2005. Between the 2001 and 2002–2003 eruptions, persistently low values of both parameters suggest that no new gas-rich magma was accumulating at shallow depth (<5km) within Etna's central conduit, whereas very high SO2 sin-eruptive fluxes during the two eruptions indicated sudden decompression of an un-degassed magma rising along newly-formed eccentric conduits. In November 2003, soil CO2 data indicate migration of gas-rich magma from deep (>10km) to shallow (<5km) portions of the feeding conduits, preceded by an increase in crater SO2 fluxes. A similar behavior was observed also during and after the following 2004–2005 eruption. This degassing style matches a period of increased structural instability of the volcanic edifice caused by acceleration of spreading that affected both its eastern and southern flanks. Spreading could have triggered progressively deeper depressurization in the central conduit, inducing release of the more soluble gas (SO2) first, and then of CO2, contrary to what was observed before the 2001 eruption. This suggests that the edifice has depressurized, promoting ascent of fresh-magma and increasing permeability favouring release of CO2 flux. By integrating geochemical and structural data, previous degassing models developed at Mt. Etna have been updated to advance the understanding of eruptive events that occurred in recent years.

Regimes of magma recharge and their control on the eruptive behaviour during the period 2001–2005 at Mt. Etna volcano

Mount Etna volcano (Italy) during the period 2001–2005 has undergone a period of intense eruptive activity marked by three large eruptions (2001, 2002–2003 and 2004–2005). These eruptions encompassed diverse eruptive styles and regimes: from intensely explosive, during 2001 and 2002–2003 eruptions, to exclusively effusive in the 2004–2005 event. In this work, we put forward the idea that these three eruptions are the response of the progressive arrival into the uppermost segment of the open-conduit system of a new magma, which was geochemically distinct in terms of trace element and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope signature from the products previously emitted by the Etnean volcano. The magma migrated upwards mainly through a peripheral tectonic system, which can be considered as eccentric in spite of its relative proximity to the main system. The ingress of the new magma and its gradual displacement from the eccentric system into the uppermost sector of the open-conduit gave rise to different eruptive behaviours. At the beginning, the ascent of the undegassed magma, able to exsolve a gas phase at depth, and its interaction with closed-system magma reservoirs less than 10 km deep gave rise to the explosive events of 2001 and 2002–2003. Later, when the same magma entered into the open-conduit system, it took part in the steady-state degassing and partially lost its volatile load, leading to a totally effusive eruption during the 2004–2005 event. One further consideration highlighted here is that in 2001–2005, migration of the feeding axis from an eccentric and peripheral position towards the main open-conduit has led to the development of a new vent (South East Crater 2) located at the eastern base of the South East Crater through which most of the subsequent Etnean activity occurred.

Dynamics of magma supply at Mt. Etna volcano (Southern Italy) as revealed by textural and compositional features of plagioclase phenocrysts

A systematic study of textural and compositional zoning (An% and FeO variation) in plagioclase phenocrysts of historic (pre-1971) and recent (post-1971) lavas at Mount Etna was made through back-scattered electron (BSE) images and electron microprobe analyses (EMP). The textures considered include oscillatory zoning and several types of dissolution, resorption and growth textures at the phenocryst cores and/or rims. Two patterns of oscillation were recognized from the combined An–FeO variation: 1) Low Amplitude–High Frequency (LAHF) and 2) High Amplitude–Low Frequency (HALF). The first pattern is interpreted here as due to kinetic effects at the plagioclase/melt interface which developed during crystallization in closed reservoirs. The second, which sometimes involves thin dissolution surfaces marked by irregular edges, angular unconformities and complex dissolution–regrowth patterns, might imply crystallization in a more dynamic regime, probably driven by chemical and physical gradients of the system (e.g., convection in a steadily degassing open-conduit). Dissolution and resorption textures at the core vary from patchy (exclusive to plagioclases within pre-1971 lavas) to strongly sieved, and can be related to increasing rates of decompression under H 2O-undersaturated conditions. Thick sieve-textured envelopes at the phenocryst rims, generally coupled with marked An–FeO increase, result from mixing with more primitive and volatile-rich magmas. In the same crystals from recent activity, An and, to a lesser extent, FeO increase, consistent with the mixing of H 2O-rich magmas similar in their mafic character to the resident magma (cryptic mixing). Two types of growth textures were also recognized at the crystal rims: 1) stripes of regularly-shaped melt inclusions and 2) swallow-tailed, skeletal crystals. In the first instance, the concordant An–FeO decrease suggests crystallization caused by fast ascent-related decompression accompanied by volatile loss. In the second, An decrease at effectively constant FeO contents may indicate crystallization at a high level of undercooling from already degassed magma, followed by rapid quenching; such a feature might be acquired during syn- or post-eruptive conditions. Although textures found in historic lavas are rather similar to those in the recent ones, some differences occur, such as lack of crystals with patchy cores in recent products and lower An contents in crystals of historic ones. The available data allowed us to obtain information on the dynamics of the feeding system, highlighting their possible modifications over time. In particular, historically erupted magmas, generally acknowledged to be volatile-poor, may have ascended through the deep portions of the plumbing system under H 2O-undersaturated conditions at lower rates than the recent ones, recognized as more volatile-rich. Eruption triggering mechanisms from closed reservoirs in the shallow portions of the feeding system are similar for both historic and recent events, and may be generally favoured by a recharging phase of more primitive, undegassed magma or by a few episodes of important fracture opening (e.g., in response to an earthquake swarm).

Continuous monitoring of soil CO2 flux on Mt. Etna: The 2004–2005 eruption and the role of regional tectonics and volcano tectonics

The soil CO2 flux on Mt. Etna as recorded by the ETNAGAS network (an automatic system for measuring soil CO2 flux and meteorological parameters) started to increase strongly about 5 months prior to the onset of the 2004–2005 eruption and decreased a few months before the end of the eruption. Time delays in the occurrences of anomalies in soil CO2 flux at different sites in the geochemical network constrain the relationship between soil CO2 flux distributions and the tectonic framework of Etna volcano. The anomalies observed before the 2004–2005 eruption support the intrusion of new undegassed magma into the upper feeding system of the volcano (&lt;20 km below sea level). Magma subsequently rose slowly in the volcano conduits, thereby triggering the onset of the 2004–2005 eruption. The time delays in the occurrences of anomalies in combination with spectral analysis indicate the importance of tectonic and volcanotectonic structures in driving the ascent of deep gases within the crust. Moreover, greatest amplitude pulsations of the low‐frequency components of the CO2 flux signals were correlated with the paroxystic activities of the 2004–2005 eruption. This study confirms that CO2 flux variation is a useful indicator for volcanic activity in the surveillance of the Mt. Etna and similar basaltic volcanoes.

Elemental and isotope covariation of noble gases in mineral phases from Etnean volcanics erupted during 2001–2005, and genetic relation with peripheral gas discharges

During 2001–2005, Mount Etna was characterized by intense eruptive activity involving the emission of petrologically different products from several vents, which involved at least two types of magma with different degrees of evolution. We investigated the ratios and abundances for noble-gas isotopes in fluid inclusions trapped in olivines and pyroxenes in the erupted products. We confirm that olivine has the most efficient crystalline structure for preserving the pristine composition of entrapped gases, while pyroxene can suffer diffusive He loss. Both the minerals also experience noble gas air contamination after eruption. Helium isotopes of the products genetically linked to the two different magmas fall in the isotopic range typical of the Etnean volcanism. This result is compatible with the metasomatic process that the Etnean mantle is undergoing by fluids from the Ionian slab during the last ten kyr, as previously inferred by isotope and trace element geochemistry. Significant differences were also observed among olivines of the same parental magma that erupted throughout 2001–2005, with 3He/ 4He ratios moving from about 7.0 Ra in 2001 volcanites, to 6.6 Ra in 2004–2005 products. Changes in He abundances and isotope ratios were attributed to variations in protracted degassing of the same magma bodies from the 2001 to the 2004–2005 events, with the latter lacking any contribution of undegassed magma. The decrease in 3He/ 4He is similar to that found from measurements carried out every fifteen days during the same period in gases discharged at the periphery of the volcano. To our knowledge this is the first time that such a comparison has been performed so in detail, and provides strong evidence of the real-time feeding of peripheral emissions by magmatic degassing.