279 research outputs found

    Reconstructing the complex history of a small-volume basaltic volcano (Ngatutura volcanic field, New Zealand) : The role of subsurface processes and implications for diatreme formation : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Earth Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

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    Monogenetic volcanism is very common on continents and often occur very close to civilisation. Limiting the ability of volcanologists to predict the location and extent of future eruptions at monogenetic volcanic fields is the lack of knowledge about subsurface processes at small basaltic volcanoes. This research aims to utilize exceptional exposures of subsurface volcanic structures at a coastal section in the upper North Island of New Zealand to investigate the role of subsurface processes in the development of a small basaltic volcano. Exposures include dykes, lava flows, peperite and hyaloclastite deposits, a lava pond, and diatreme. Along with detailed mapping, K-Ar age dates reveal the complex history of the Ngatutura Bay Volcanics as syn-sedimentary volcanism in a shallow marine environment. Volcanism at Ngatutura Bay is shown to have occurred in two phases, the first around 3.34-3.22 Ma, and the second at c. 1.81-1.72 Ma. Subsurface processes documented include magma-country rock interactions, the role of groundwater, magma ascent, and thermal alteration of country rock. The importance of tectonics and rock structure at small basaltic centres is also demonstrated. Moreover, deposits of the diatreme were analysed for grain size and lithic componentry. The local stratigraphy is composed of well-defined lithologies, each with unique textural and visual properties, enabling the identification of lithics in the diatreme. The diatreme deposits are described as five distinct lithofacies, and together with grain size and componentry data, the series of events by which the diatreme formed is constrained. A conceptual model is drawn for the formation of the diatreme, which is compared to current models and theories

    Stress controls of monogenetic volcanism: A review

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    The factors controlling the preparation of volcanic eruptions in monogenetic fields are still poorly understood. The fact that in monogenetic volcanism each eruption has a different vent suggests that volcanic susceptibility has a high degree of randomness, so that accurate forecasting is subjected to a very high uncertainty. Recent studies on monogenetic volcanism reveal how sensitive magma migration is to the existence of changes in the stress field caused by regional and/or local tectonics or rheological contrasts (stratigraphic discontinuities). These stress variations may induce changes in the pattern of further movements of magma, thus conditioning the location of future eruptions. This implies that a precise knowledge of the stress configuration and distribution of rheological and structural discontinuities at crustal level of such volcanic systems would aid in forecasting monogenetic volcanism. This contribution reviews several basic concepts relative to the stress controls of magma transport into the brittle lithosphere, and uses this information to explain how magma migrates inside monogenetic volcanic systems and how it prepares to trigger a new eruption. © 2016 Martí, López, Bartolini, Becerril and Geyer.This research was funded by the European Commission (FP7 Theme: NV.2011.1.3.3-1; Grant 282759: VUELCO and EC ECHO Grant SI2.695524: VeTOOLS). AG thanks the support provided by the Ramón y Cajal research program (RYC-2012-11024). We thank Gregg Valentine and Alessandro Tibaldi for their useful and constructive reviews.Peer reviewe

    Effusive Monogenetic Volcanism

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    The study of monogenetic volcanism around Earth is rapidly growing due to the increasing recognition of monogenetic volcanic edifices in different tectonic settings. Far from the idea that this type of volcanism is both typically mafic and characteristic from intraplate environments, it occurs in a wide spectrum of composition and geological settings. This volcanism is widely known by the distinctive pyroclastic cones that represent both magmatic and phreatomagmatic explosive activity; they are known as scoria or spatter cones, tuff cones, tuff rings, maars and maar-diatremes. These cones are commonly associated with lava domes and usually accompanied by lava flows as part of their effusive eruptive phases. In spite of this, isolated effusive monogenetic emissions also appear around Earth’s surface. However, these isolated emissions are not habitually considered within the classification scheme of monogenetic volcanoes. Along with this, many of these effusive volcanoes also contrast with the belief that this volcanism is indicative of rapidly magma ascent from the asthenosphere, as many of the products are strongly evolved reflecting differentiation linked to stagnation during ascent. This has led to the understanding that the asthenosphere is not always the place that directly gives rise to the magma batches and rather, they detach from a crustal melt storage. This chapter introduces four singular effusive monogenetic volcanoes as part of the volcanic geoforms, highlights the fact that monogenetic volcanic fields can also be associated with crustal reservoirs, and outlines the processes that should occur to differentiate the magma before it is released as intermediate and acidic in composition. This chapter also provides an overview of this particular volcanism worldwide and contributes to the monogenetic comprehension for future studies

    Electrical resistivity tomography revealing the internal structure of monogenetic volcanoes

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    Eruptive activity of individual monogenetic volcanoes usually lasts a few days or weeks. However, their short lifetime does not always mean that their dynamics and structure are simple. Monogenetic cones construction is rarely witnessed from the beginning to the end, and conditions for observing their internal structure are hardly reached. We provide high-resolution electrical resistivity sections (10m electrode spacing) of three monogenetic cones from northeastern Spain, comparing our results to geological observations to interpret their underground continuation. The 100m maximum depth of exploration provides information on almost the entire edifices, highlighting the relationships between Strombolian and hydromagmatic deposits in two multiphase edifices. A main observation is a column of distinct resistivity centered on the Puig d"Adri volcano, which we interpret as the eruptive conduit. This method can provide valuable information on the past volcanic dynamics of monogenetic volcanic fields, which has real implications for the forecast of future activity

    An Overview of the Mafic and Felsic Monogenetic Neogene to Quaternary Volcanism in the Central Andes, Northern Chile (18-28°Lat.S)

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    Monogenetic volcanism produces small eruptive volumes with short eruption history, different chemical compositions, and relatively simple conduit. The Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes is internationally known as a natural laboratory to study volcanism, where mafic and felsic products are present. In this contribution, the spectrum of architectures, range of eruptive styles, lithological features, and different magmatic processes of the mafic and felsic monogenetic Neogene to Quaternary volcanoes from the Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes in northern Chile (18°S-28°S) are described. The major volcanic activity occurred during the Pleistocene, where the most abundant activity corresponds to effusive and Strombolian eruptions. This volcanism is characterized by external (e.g., magma reservoirs or groundwater availability) and internal (e.g., magma ascent rate or interaction en-route to the surface) conditions, which determine the changes in eruptive style, lithofacies, and magmatic processes involved in the formation of monogenetic volcanoes

    The role of substrate hydrogeology and surface hydrology in the construction of phreatomagmatic volcanoes on an active monogenetic field (Auckland, New Zealand) : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Earth Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

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    Material removed for copyright reasons (appendices B, D and E): Agustín-Flores, J., Németh K., Cronin, S., Lindsay, J., Kereszturi, G., Brand, B., & Smith, I.E.M. (2014). Phreatomagmatic eruptions through unconsolidated coastal plain sequences, Maungataketake, Auckland Volcanic Field (New Zealand). Journalof Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 180, 203-224. doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2014.02.021 Agustín-Flores, J., Németh, K., Cronin, S., Lindsay, J., & Kereszturi, G. (2015). Shallow-seated explosions in the construction of the Motukorea tuff ring (Auckland, New Zealand): Evidence from lithic and sedimentary characteristics. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 304, 272-286. doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2015.09.013 Agustín-Flores, J., Németh, K., Cronin, S., Lindsay, J., & Kereszturi, G., 2015. Construction of the North Head (Maungauika) tuff cone: a product of Surtseyan volcanism, rare in the Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand. Bulletin of Volcanology, 77, 11. doi:10.1007/s00445-014-0892-9Phreatomagmatic activity is pervasive in the Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF) with more than two thirds of the erupted volcanoes showing this type of activity at different degrees, dominantly at the onset of their eruptive histories. In general, the volcanoes built in the northern AVF rest on Late Miocene Waitemata Group rocks (turbiditic siltstone and sandstone succession), whereas in the southern AVF the Waitemata rocks are overlain by tens of metres of Plio-Pleistocene, water-saturated sediments (Tauranga Group and Kaawa Formation). Identifying the control exerted by the type of substrate in the eruption dynamics of the phreatomagmatic phases of three volcanoes in the AVF is the objective of this study. The stratigraphic, sedimentary, and pyroclast characteristics of the phreatomagmatic sequences of Maungataketake, Motukorea, and North Head volcanoes, together with supplementary information on the geology and hydrogeology of the area, were investigated to solve the problem. Three phreatomagmatic eruptive scenarios were outlined. Scenario 1 (Maungataketake eruption) and Scenario 2 (Motukorea eruption) depict the formation of maar-diatreme volcanoes in the southern and northern AVF, respectively. The dominant presence of lithics from the upper part of the substrate in their tephra rings suggests the construction of their tephra rings from shallow-seated explosions. Due to the water-saturated sediments filling the diatreme in Scenario 1, the eruption appears to have remained relatively wet throughout. Conversely, the drier Waitemata rocks involved in Scenario 2 promoted a progressive drying of the eruption. Scenario 3 (North Head eruption) represents a Surtseyan eruption scenario in which the rising magma erupted to the shallow sea floor (a few metres-water depth), promoting rapid chilling and explosive fragmentation. This study shows that the characterization of lithics within the tephra ring and the geological and hydrogeological information provide valuable clues to envisage the degree of influence of the substrate in the phreatomagmatic eruption dynamics. Other studies in the AVF appear to confirm this view. It is proposed that any future phreatomagmatic eruption in the AVF will be strongly influenced by the substrate hydrogeology and geology, as well as the surface hydrological conditions

    A snapshot of the transition from monogenetic volcanoes to composite volcanoes: Case study on the Wulanhada Volcanic Field (northern China)

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    The transition processes from monogenetic volcanoes to composite volcanoes are poorly understood. The Late Pleistocene to Holocene intraplate monogenetic Wulanhada Volcanic Field (WVF) in northern China provides a snapshot of such a transition. Here we present petrographic observations, mineral chemistry, bulk rock major and trace element data, thermobarometry, and a partial melting model for the WVF to evaluate the lithology and partial melting degree of the mantle source, the crystallization conditions, and pre-eruptive magmatic processes occurring within the magma plumbing system. The far-field effect of India-Eurasia collision resulted in a relatively high degree (10 %-20 %) of partial melting of a carbonate-bearing eclogite (~ 3 wt % carbonate; Gt/Cpx ≈ 2 : 8, where Gt denotes garnet and Cpx denotes clinopyroxene) followed by interaction with ambient peridotite. The primary melts ascended to the depth of the Moho (~ 33-36 km depth), crystallized olivine, clinopyroxene and plagioclase at the temperature of 1100-1160 °C with the melt water contents of 1.1 wt %- 2.3 wt %. Part of the primary melt interacted with the lithospheric mantle during ascent, resulting in an increase in the MgO contents and a decrease in the alkaline contents. The modified magma was subsequently directly emplaced into the middle crust (~ 23-26 km depth) and crystallized olivine, clinopyroxene and plagioclase at the temperature of 1100-1160 °C. The primary melts from the same mantle sources migrated upward to the twolevel magma reservoirs to form minerals with complex textures (including reverse and oscillatory zoning and sieve texture). Magma erupted along the NE-SW-striking basement fault and the NW-SE-striking Wulanhada- Gaowusu fault in response to the combined effects of regional tectonic stress and magma replenishment. The crustal magma reservoir in the WVF may represent a snapshot of the transition from monogenetic volcanoes to composite volcanoes. It is possible to form a composite volcano with large magma volumes and complex compositions if the magma is continuously supplied from the source and experiences assimilation and fractional crystallization processes in the magma plumbing system at crustal depth
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