Experimental constraints on pre-eruptive water contents and changing magma storage prior to explosive eruptions of Mount St Helens volcano

1995 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Gardner ◽  
M. Rutherford ◽  
S. Carey ◽  
H. Sigurdsson
Geology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (11) ◽  
pp. 1011-1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lily L. Claiborne ◽  
Calvin F. Miller ◽  
Daniel M. Flanagan ◽  
Michael A. Clynne ◽  
Joseph L. Wooden

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thiebaut d'Augustin ◽  
Hélène Balcone-Boissard ◽  
Georges Boudon ◽  
Caroline Martel ◽  
Etienne Deloule ◽  
...  

<p>Dominica island experienced the largest explosive eruptions (ignimbrites) of the Lesser Antilles arc. The recent revised chronostratigraphy of the Morne Trois Pitons – Micotrin eruptive activity evidenced a series of plinian eruptions that occurred between 18 ka and 9 ka BP. Here we focus on these recent eruptions in order to determine the magma storage conditions at depth and volatile degassing budget. Volatile concentrations (H<sub>2</sub>O, CO<sub>2</sub>) in melt inclusions indicate storage conditions of 200 MPa (~6-8 km deep) and 860-880°C in agreement with experimental constraints from phase-equilibrium data. The magmas were thus stored shallower than those involved during the ignimbritic eruptions (~16 km deep). Magma composition and halogen ratios suggest a common magma origin for all eruptions of Morne Trois Pitons Micotrin volcano in the last 60 kyrs. In addition, for the first time, a complete degassing budget including H<sub>2</sub>O, CO<sub>2</sub>, SO<sub>2</sub>, F, Cl, and Br has been established for all these explosive eruptions. The estimation of their eruptive fluxes towards the atmosphere supports the potential important role of halogen elements in the modification of atmosphere chemistry. Br degassing budget was the same order of magnitude as S whereas F and Cl budgets were 1 and 2 orders of magnitude higher than these two species.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Colucci ◽  
Paolo Papale

Explosive eruptions are the surface manifestation of dynamics that involve transfer of magma from the underground regions of magma accumulation. Evidence of the involvement of compositionally different magmas from different reservoirs is continuously increasing to countless cases. Yet, models of eruption dynamics consider only the uppermost portion of the plumbing system, neglecting connections to deeper regions of magma storage. Here we show that the extent and efficiency of the interconnections between different magma storage regions largely control the size of the eruptions, their evolution, the causes of their termination, and ultimately their impact on the surrounding environment. Our numerical simulations first reproduce the magnitude-intensity relationship observed for explosive eruptions on Earth and explain the observed variable evolutions of eruption mass flow rates. Because deep magmatic interconnections are largely inaccessible to present-day imaging capabilities, our results motivate the need to better image and characterize extant magma bodies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Kiser ◽  
Alan Levander ◽  
Brandon Schmandt ◽  
Steven Hansen

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Levander ◽  
Eric Kiser

<p>We have developed a 3D model of the Mount St Helens (MSH) magmatic plumbing system extending from the upper magma storage zone (> 3.5 km bsl) to Moho depths (40-45 km) by combining results from 2D and 3D active source seismic tomography and reflection imaging, and autocorrelation reflectivity imaging. The data are from the ~6000 high frequency seismographs used in the 2014 iMUSH active seismic experiment.</p><p>We developed a 3D Vp tomography model of melt distribution in the upper-middle crust (Kiser et al, 2018). The model suggests the plumbing system is a complex sill structure consisting of several interconnected bodies that lie beneath MSH at 3.5-14 km depth and that extend ~25 km laterally. Bright reflections in 3D autocorrelation reflectivity depth migrations are strongly correlated with the melt model, illuminating its interior as well as a system of more geographically extensive thin sills that are invisible to the tomography. High amplitude reflectivity occurs near the top of the sill complex, suggesting the system grows by successive emplacement at the top of the complex. Inversion of the autocorrelation reflection volume for melt content suggests melt concentrations exceed 30% locally in the sill complex.  The highly reflective center of the sill complex is likely the magma storage zone that feeds dacitic composition MSH eruptions. We speculate that some of the more geographically widespread dikes feed the Indian Heaven basalt fields.</p><p>Deeper reflectivity trends to the northeast of MSH and intersects the Lower Crustal Conductor in Bedrosian et al’s (2018) MT interpretation. They interpret high conductivity values as indicative of 3-10% interconnected melt in the crust at depths > 20 km, which is consistent with our reflectivity images. We also observe asymmetric crustal thickening toward and thinning away from MSH along the strike of the Cascades. Moho reflectivity is weak directly beneath MSH, agreeing with previous studies (Kiser et al, 2016; Hansen et al, 2016). Zones of strong autocorrelation and wide-angle reflectivity cross the refraction Moho and extend some distance into the upper mantle. </p>


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