Establishing genetic relationships between the Takidani pluton and two large silicic eruptions in the Northern Japan Alps

The Takidani pluton (1.1-1.6 Ma) represents a shallow magmatic reservoir at the base of an exhumed caldera floor. The deposits of two large caldera-forming eruptions including the Nyukawa Pyroclastic Flow Deposit (1.76 Ma; crystal-rich dacite) and the Chayano Tuff and Ebisutoge Pyroclastic Deposits (1.75 Ma; a sequence of crystal-poor rhyolite) are distributed concentrically around the pluton. We use major and trace element chemistry of whole-rock, glass and minerals to show (1) that the crystal-rich dacite (>400 km3 DRE; dense rock equivalent) is the erupted portion of a shallow mush zone constituting the Takidani pluton and (2) that the crystal-poor rhyolite (>100 km3 DRE) was extracted from a deeper part of this vertically extended magmatic plumbing system. Whole-rock geochemistry indicates that the Nyukawa and Takidani compositions were produced dominantly through crystal fractionation of amphibole, pyroxene and plagioclase in the mid-to-lower crust and subsequently emplaced in the upper crust prior to eruption and solidification, respectively. The crystal-poor Chayano-Ebisutoge rhyolite (>100 km3 DRE) is compositionally distinct from the Nyukawa and Takidani magmas and its generation is associated with a substantial contribution of crustal melts. Yet, plagioclase and orthopyroxene textures and chemistry provide strong evidence that the ascending rhyolite percolated through the upper Takidani-Nyukawa mush zone prior to eruption. Overgrowth of “rhyolitic plagioclase” on “xenocrystic dacitic plagioclase” typical of the Takidani-Nyukawa magmas indicates that the extraction and accumulation of the rhyolitic melts could have occurred in less than 10 kyr (i.e. time between eruptions) prior to eruption providing maximum timescales for pre-eruption storage. Overall, our findings show a progressive growth and thermal maturation of a vertically extended magmatic plumbing system over hundreds of thousands of years and imply that large volcanic eruptions can occur in relatively short succession without dramatic changes in the plumbing system, thus, complicating the identification of signs of an impending large eruption.

Uniform “water” content in quartz phenocrysts from silicic pyroclastic fallout deposits – implications on pre-eruptive conditions

Structural hydroxyl content of volcanic quartz phenocrysts was investigated with unpolarized Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The phenocrysts originated from five pyroclastic fallout deposits from the Bükk Foreland Volcanic Area (BFVA), Hungary, and two from the AD 1314 Kaharoa eruption (KH eruption), Okataina Volcanic Complex (Taupo Volcanic Zone), New Zealand. All investigated quartz populations contain structural hydroxyl content in a narrow range with an average of 9.3 (±1.7) wt ppm. The earlier correlated horizons in the BFVA had the same average structural hydroxyl content (within uncertainty). Thus, it can be concluded that the structural hydroxyl content does not depend on the geographical distance of outcrops of the same units or the temperature or type of the covering deposit. The rare outlier values and similar structural hydroxyl contents show that the fallout horizons cooled fast enough to retain their original structural hydroxyl content. The similarity of the structural hydroxyl contents may be the result of similar P, T, and x (most importantly H2O and the availability of other monovalent cations) conditions in the magmatic plumbing system just before eruption. Therefore, we envisage common physical–chemical conditions, which set the structural hydroxyl content in the quartz phenocrysts and, consequently, the water content of the host magma (∼ 5.5 wt %–7 wt % H2O) in a relatively narrow range close to water saturation.

An abrupt switch in magmatic plumbing taps porphyry copper deposit-forming magmas

Porphyry-type deposits are a vital source of green technology metals such as copper and molybdenum. They typically form in subduction-related settings from large, long-lived magmatic systems. The most widely accepted model for their formation requires that mantle-derived magmas undergo a multi-million year timescale ramp-up in volatiles and ore-forming constituents in mid- to lower-crustal reservoirs, however this does not explain why porphyry deposits are absent from the vast majority of arc magmatic systems. To address this, we have carried out geochemical and geochronological studies on the tilted, ~8 km depth equivalent, cross-section through the classic Yerington magmatic system, Nevada. Here we show that the magmas underwent a major and abrupt change in chemistry over a period of 100 kyrs which is coincident with the initiation of ore formation. This is attributed to a wholesale switch in the magmatic plumbing system whereby volatile-rich granitic melts were extracted from an estimated ~30 km depth and transported to shallow levels (~3-8 km) where exsolving fluids were focussed through highly permeable pathways to form porphyry deposits. The change in magma chemistry is documented across the entire plutonic to volcanic record. Its rapidity suggests that the increase in a magma’s ore-forming potential is not solely driven by tectonic factors, that occur over multi-million year scales, but through internal processes within the melt evolution zone, operating at more than an order of magnitude faster than previously envisaged. This short timescale narrows the temporal-geochemical footprint of magmas associated with porphyry mineralisation which will aid in targeting the next generation of ore deposits.

Constraints on the pre-eruption thermal and fO2 conditions in the magma reservoir of Ciomadul (SE Carpathians, Romania) based on Fe-Ti oxide geochemistry

<p>Ciomadul is the southernmost eruptive centre of the post-collisional Călimani-Gurghiu-Harghita andesitic-dacitic volcanic chain (SE Carpathians, Romania) and represents the latest manifestation of the Neogene to Quaternary volcanism in the Carpathian-Pannonian Region. Ciomadul consists of older, peripheral shoshonitic to dacitic lava domes formed episodically between 1 Ma and 300 ka and a voluminous, central volcanic complex developed within the last 200 ka. Although several lines of evidence (based on petrology, geophysics and gas monitoring) suggest a long-lived magmatic plumbing system holding a potentially active magma storage (“PAMS” volcano) beneath Ciomadul, the pre-eruptive conditions of the upper crustal magma reservoir (including temperature, oxygen fugacity and TiO<sub>2</sub> activity) are not completely explored so far. In this study 23 rock samples, representing the whole volcanic activity of Ciomadul in time, were involved. Fe-Ti oxide (magnetite-ilmenite) grains were selected from magnetic heavy minerals, but only a few of the samples contained both magnetite and ilmenite crystals. Equilibrium between Ti-magnetite and ilmenite was tested by their chemical composition (Mg/Mn ratios).</p><p>Various geothermobarometer calibrations, including Andersen and Lindsley (1985, 1988) as well as Ghiorso and Evans (2008), were applied to calculate temperature and oxygen fugacity from Fe-Ti oxide compositions. Our results show that, in case of dacitic pyroclastic rocks, temperature values gained by the method of Ghiorso and Evans are significantly lower (640–780 °C) than those obtained by the geothermometers of Andersen and Lindsley (1985, 1988), showing 750–830 and 710–790°C temperatures, respectively. On the other hand, andesitic lava dome rocks of Dealul Mare show higher, 800–900 °C temperature according to all of these methods. The obtained temperature was compared with amphibole-plagioclase thermometry results and this shows a better agreement with the values yielded by the Andersen and Lindsley (1985) Fe-Ti oxide thermometry, particularly for the pumice samples.</p><p>In case of oxygen fugacity, the Ghiorso and Evans (2008) and Andersen and Lindsley (1985) methods showed fairly similar values (fO<sub>2</sub>=0.9–1.8) whereas the Andersen and Lindsley (1988) calculations gave higher oxygen fugacity (fO<sub>2</sub>=1.1–2.5). Nevertheless, these results, irrespective the applied calculation methods, suggest relatively oxidized conditions (ΔNNO>1) what is comparable with many other andesitic to dacitic volcanic systems (e.g. Mount St. Helens, Mount Unzen, Santorini). Values of TiO<sub>2</sub> activity was calculated and obtained a range between 0.76 and 0.98 what is consistent with the common presence of titanite.</p><p> </p><p>This study was financed by NKFIH K135179 project.</p><p> </p><p>Andersen, D.J. & Lindsley, D.H. (1985). EOS Transactions of the American Geophysical Union, 66, 416.</p><p>Andersen, D.J. & Lindsley, D.H. (1988). Amer Miner 73:714–726.</p><p>Ghiorso, M.S. & Evans, B.W. (2008). Amer J Sci 308:957–1039.</p>

Insights into timescales of magmatic processes during the 2013-17 eruption at Volcán de Colima, Mexico

<p>Volcán de Colima is an active stratovolcano in western Mexico. Its 2013-17 eruptive phase was characterised by transitions between effusive and explosive events. This persistent activity, comprising vulcanian explosions, pyroclastic flows, lava flows and ashfall present significant hazards to ~750,000 people near the volcano.</p><p>Tracing patterns of magma storage, recharge and mixing through volcanic systems is key to accurately interpreting monitoring data and understanding potential future hazards. However, at many volcanoes, including Colima, these patterns are poorly constrained and the link between monitoring data and magmatic processes is unclear. To better understand the magmatic plumbing system at Colima, mineral chemistry and textural studies were undertaken on representative 2013-17 samples to constrain different magmatic environments and mixing between them.</p><p>These samples contain plagioclase, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, Fe-Ti oxides, and rare resorbed olivine and amphibole, typical of Colima andesites. Pyroxene phenocrysts have varied core compositions (Mg#~69-88), zoning and textural patterns, reflecting crystallisation from melts within a heterogeneous magma mush. Whilst we interpret the bulk of the system to be relatively evolved, the presence of disequilibrium textures and high-Cr mafic bands and rims reflect periodic recharge of mafic melts and remobilisation of both evolved and mafic mush material prior to eruption.</p><p>The mineral chemistry and petrography indicate the presence of two broad magmatic environments crystallising these pyroxenes. An evolved end-member, crystallising Mg#69-75 pyroxene at between 980-1000°C, comprises the bulk of the system. By contrast, the mafic end-member crystallises high-Mg# pyroxene at a temperature typically between 1020-1080°C. Pressure estimates typically vary between 4-6 kbar or c. 12-20 km depth, in agreement with geophysical evidence suggesting a melt-rich mushy body at this depth.</p><p>Zoning patterns range from diffuse zoning in normal zoned pyroxenes to sharper core-rim boundaries in reverse zoned phenocrysts. We applied elemental diffusion modelling to constrain the timescales of pre-eruptive magmatic processes. The modelling indicates relative differences in residence times with long residence timescales typically of decades to centuries for diffuse, normally zoned phenocrysts versus shorter residence timescales of weeks to months in reverse-zoned phenocrysts.</p><p>Most notably, an increased frequency of reverse zoned pyroxenes was recorded in lavas erupted after an intense VEI 3 eruption in July 2015. Timescale estimates suggest a recharge and mixing event occurred at approximately this time and estimates from 2016 lavas indicate multiple injection events leading up to the eruption. This suggests that the July 2015 eruption may have been directly linked to this mafic injection.</p><p>Despite both eruptions being associated with mafic recharge, the difference in the style of activity between the explosive 2015 and effusive 2016 eruptions suggest other controls on activity. These may include the volume of magmatic recharge, the frequency of injections, ascent rate, or the supply of volatiles from the mafic magmas. Further refinement of the storage timescales and recharge events, and comparison of timescales to monitoring data, also will help clarify the effect of these processes on the eruption timing and style.</p>

Petrology and Nd-Sr isotopic composition of alkaline lamprophyres from the Early to Late Cretaceous Mundwara alkaline complex, NW India: Evidence of crystal fractionation, accumulation and corrosion in a complex magma chamber plumbing system

The Early to Late Cretaceous Mundwara alkaline complex (comprising the Musala, Mer and Toa plugs) displays a broad spectrum of alkaline rocks closely associated in space and time with the Deccan Large Igneous Province (DLIP) in NW India. Petrology and Nd-Sr isotopic data on two youngest and altogether compositionally different lamprophyre dykes of the Mundwara alkaline complex are presented in this paper to understand their petrogenesis and also to constrain the magmatic processes responsible for generation of the rock spectrum in the complex (pyroxenite, picrite ankaramite, carbonatite, shonkinite, olivine gabbro, feldspathoidal and foid-free syenite). The two lamprophyre dykes occurring in the Mer and the Musala hills are referred to as basaltic camptonite I and camptonite II, respectively. The basaltic camptonite-I is highly porphyritic and contains olivine, clinopyroxene and magnetite macrocrysts embedded within the groundmass of microphenocyrsts composed of clinopyroxene, phlogopite, magnetite and feldspar. Whereas camptonite-II, with more or less similar texture, contains amphibole, biotite, magnetite and clinopyroxene within the microphenocrystic groundmass of amphibole, biotite, apatite and feldspar. Pyroxenes are chemically zoned and display corrosion of the cores revealing that they are antecrysts developed during early stages of magma evolution and later on inherited by more evolved magmas. Mineral chemistry and trace element composition of the lamprophyres reveal that fractional crystallisation was a dominant process. Early segregation of olivine + Cr-rich clinopyroxene + Cr-spinel from a primary hydrous alkali basalt within a magmatic plumbing system is inferred which led to the generation of basaltic camptonitic magma (M1) forming the Mer hill lamprophyre. Subsequently, progressive fractionation of pyroxene and Fe-Ti oxides from the basaltic camptonitic (M1) magma generated camptonitic (M2) magma forming the Musala hill lamprophyre. Both lamprophyre dykes on the Sr-Nd isotopic array reflect plume type asthenospheric derivation which largely corresponds to the Réunion plume and other alkaline rocks of the Deccan LIP. Our study brings out a complex sequence of processes such as crystal fractionation, accumulation and corrosion in the magmatic plumbing system involved in the generation of the Mundwara alkaline complex.Supplementary material at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5277073