The origin and evolution of breakouts in a cooling-limited rhyolite lava flow

Understanding lava flow processes is important for interpreting existing lavas and for hazard assessments. Although substantial progress has been made for basaltic lavas our understanding of silicic lava flows has seen limited recent advance. In particular, the formation of lava flow breakouts, which represent a characteristic process in cooling-limited basaltic lavas, but has not been described in established models of rhyolite emplacement. Using data from the 2011–2012 rhyolite eruption of Puyehue-Cordón Caulle, Chile, we develop the first conceptual framework to classify breakout types in silicic lavas, and to describe the processes involved in their progressive growth, inflation, and mo…

Halogen activation in the plume of Masaya volcano: field observations and box model investigations

Volcanic emissions are a source of halogens in the atmosphere. Rapid reactions convert the initially emitted hydrogen halides (HCl, HBr, and HI) into reactive species such as BrO, Br2, BrCl, ClO, OClO, and IO. The activation reaction mechanisms in the plume consume ozone (O3), which is entrained by ambient air that is mixed into the plume. In this study, we present observations of the oxidation of bromine, chlorine, and iodine during the first 11 min following emission, examining the plume from Santiago crater of the Masaya volcano in Nicaragua. Two field campaigns were conducted: one in July 2016 and one in September 2016. The sum of the reactive species of each halogen was determined by g…

Volatile dilution during magma injections and implications for volcano explosivity

Magma reservoirs underneath volcanoes grow through episodic emplacement of magma batches. These pulsed magma injections can substantially alter the physical state of the resident magma by changing its temperature, pressure, composition, and volatile content. Here we examine plagioclase phenocrysts in pumice from the 2014 Plinian eruption of Kelud (Indonesia) that record the progressive capture of small melt inclusions within concentric growth zones during crystallization inside a magma reservoir. High-spatial-resolution Raman spectroscopic measurements reveal the concentration of dissolved H2O within the melt inclusions, and provide insights into melt-volatile behavior at the single crystal…

Volcanic SiO2-cristobalite: A natural product of chemical vapor deposition

Abstract Cristobalite is a low-pressure, high-temperature SiO2 polymorph that occurs as a metastable phase in many geologic settings, including as crystals deposited from vapor within the pores of volcanic rocks. Such vapor-phase cristobalite (VPC) has been inferred to result from silica redistribution by acidic volcanic gases but a precise mechanism for its formation has not been established. We address this by investigating the composition and structure of VPC deposited on plagioclase substrates within a rhyolite lava flow, at the micrometer to nanometer scale. The VPC contains impurities of the form [AlO4/Na+]0—coupled substitution of Al3+ charge-balanced by interstitial Na+—which are ty…

3D spectral imaging with synchrotron Fourier transform infrared spectro-microtomography

We report Fourier transform infrared spectro-microtomography, a nondestructive three-dimensional imaging approach that reveals the distribution of distinctive chemical compositions throughout an intact biological or materials sample. The method combines mid-infrared absorption contrast with computed tomographic data acquisition and reconstruction to enhance chemical and morphological localization by determining a complete infrared spectrum for every voxel (millions of spectra determined per sample).

The role of melt-fracture degassing in defusing explosive rhyolite eruptions at volcán Chaitén

Explosive volcanic eruptions of silicic magma often evolve towards non-explosive emissions of lava. The mechanisms underlying this transition remain unclear, however, a widely cited idea holds that shear-induced magma fragmentation plays a critical role by fostering volatile loss from fragmentary magma and through ash-filled cracks termed tuffisite. We test this hypothesis by measuring H2O concentrations within glassy tuffisite from the 2008–2011 rhyolitic eruption at volcan Chaiten, Chile. We show that while H2O concentrations decrease next to tuffisite veins and at the margins of obsidian fragments, the depletions cannot account for the disparity in H2O between explosively and effusively …

Ash resuspension related to the 2011–2012 Cordón Caulle eruption, Chile, in a rural community of Patagonia, Argentina

Abstract The 2011–2012 Cordon Caulle eruption emitted about 1 km3 of rhyodacitic tephra. Dominant westerly winds in the region caused most of the primary tephra to deposit in neighboring Argentina. In addition to the impact of widespread dispersal and fallout of primary tephra during the eruption, Argentina was also significantly affected by remobilization of the primary ash even several years after the climactic phase of the eruption. In this mixed methods study, we combine aspects of natural and social sciences to characterize the ash resuspension events associated with the 2011–2012 Cordon Caulle deposits and assess the impacts on the Argentinian farming community of Ingeniero Jacobacci …

The Influence of Crystal Size Distributions on the Rheology of Magmas: New Insights From Analog Experiments

This study examines the influence of particle size distributions on the rheology of particle suspensions by using analogue experiments with spherical glass beads in silicone oil as magma equivalent. The analyses of 274 individual particle-bearing suspensions of varying modality (uni-, bi- tri- and tetramodality), as well as of polymodal suspensions with specific defined skewness and variance, are the first data set of its kind and provide important insights in the relationship between the solid particles of a suspension and its rheological behaviour. Since the relationship between the rheology of particle bearing suspensions and its maximum packing fraction ϕm is well established by several…

Supplementary material to "Halogen activation in the plume of Masaya volcano: field observations and box model investigations"

Extraordinary sediment delivery and rapid geomorphic response following the 2008-2009 eruption of Chaitén Volcano, Chile

U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Science Center SERNAGEOMIN's Programa de Riesgos Volcanicos Conicyt Fondecyt grants 1110609 1141064 11130671 Conicyt Fondap 15090013 Vamos Research Centre

Element variations in rhyolitic magma resulting from gas transport

Tuffisite veins are glass-filled fractures formed when magma fragments during degassing within the conduit. These veins form transient channels through which exsolved gases can escape from magma. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which chemical heterogeneity within the melt results from gas transport, and assess how this can be used to study magma degassing. Two tuffisite veins from contrasting rhyolitic eruptions at Torfajökull (Iceland) and Chaitén (Chile) were studied in detail. The tuffisite vein from Torfajökull is from a shallow dissected conduit (~70. ka) that fed a degassed lava flow, while the sample from Chaitén was a bomb ejected during the waning phases of …

Diffusion of F and Cl in dry rhyodacitic melt

Abstract Chemical diffusion of F and Cl has been experimentally determined in a rhyodacitic melt obtained from remelting a sample of Hekla pumice (Iceland). Diffusion couple experiments were conducted in a vertical tube furnace over a temperature range of 750–950 °C and in air for durations of 1 to 35 days. Concentration profiles of F and Cl were obtained for the quenched samples using an electron microprobe. Fluorine and chlorine exhibit Arrhenian behavior over the range of temperature investigated here. The pre-exponential factors of F and Cl are D0(F) = 4.3 × 10−4 and D0(Cl) = 1.6 × 10−5 m2/s. Fluorine diffusion coefficients vary in the order of 1 × 10−15 to 1 × 10−13 m2/s, whereas Cl di…

The Permeability Evolution of Tuffisites and Implications for Outgassing Through Dense Rhyolitic Magma

There is growing evidence that outgassing through transient fracture networks exerts an important control on conduit processes and explosive‐effusive activity during silicic eruptions. Indeed, the first modern observations of rhyolitic eruptions have revealed that degassed lava effusion may depend upon outgassing during simultaneous pyroclastic venting. The outgassing is thought to occur as gas and pyroclastic debris are discharged through shallow fracture networks within otherwise low‐permeability, conduit‐plugging lava domes. However, this discharge is only transient, as these fractures become clogged and eventually blocked by the accumulation and sintering of hot, melt‐rich pyroclastic d…

Rapid laccolith intrusion driven by explosive volcanic eruption

Magmatic intrusions and volcanic eruptions are intimately related phenomena. Shallow magma intrusion builds subsurface reservoirs that are drained by volcanic eruptions. Thus, the long-held view is that intrusions must precede and feed eruptions. Here we show that explosive eruptions can also cause magma intrusion. We provide an account of a rapidly emplaced laccolith during the 2011 rhyolite eruption of Cordón Caulle, Chile. Remote sensing indicates that an intrusion began after eruption onset and caused severe (>200 m) uplift over 1 month. Digital terrain models resolve a laccolith-shaped body ∼0.8 km3. Deformation and conduit flow models indicate laccolith depths of only ∼20–200 m and ov…

An expansion–coalescence model to track gas bubble populations in magmas

Abstract We propose a kinetic model that statistically describes the growth by decompression, exsolution and coalescence of a polydisperse population of gas bubbles in a silicate melt. The model is homogeneous in space and its main variable is a distribution function representing the probability to find a bubble of volume v and mass m at time t. The volume and mass growth rates are described by a simplification of the classical monodisperse bubble growth model. This simplification, which shortens computational time, removes the coupling between mass evolution and an advection–diffusion equation describing the behavior of the volatile concentration in the melt. We formulate three coalescence…

Lightning-induced weathering of Cascadian volcanic peaks

Abstract The process of meteorological lightning-induced modification of coherent volcanic rocks is examined by geochemical, textural, and experimental analysis of fulgurites from South Sister volcano, Oregon Cascades, USA. Lightning's effects on volcanic target rocks was simulated with an arc-welding device in order to reproduce the geochemical and textural features of natural fulgurites and to constrain temperatures of melting and devolatilization behavior during lightning strikes. Melting of volcanic target rocks produces melts of exceptional compositional diversity, ranging from those with pure mineral compositions (e.g., diopside and plagioclase), resulting from congruent melting react…

Explosive origin of silicic lava: Textural andδD–H 2 O evidence for pyroclastic degassing during rhyolite effusion

A long-standing challenge in volcanology is to explain why explosive eruptions of silicic magma give way to lava. A widely cited idea is that the explosive-to-effusive transition manifests a two-stage degassing history whereby lava is the product of non-explosive, open-system gas release following initial explosive, closed-system degassing. Direct observations of rhyolite eruptions indicate that effusive rhyolites are in fact highly explosive, as they erupt simultaneously with violent volcanic blasts and pyroclastic fountains for months from a common vent. This explosive and effusive overlap suggests that pyroclastic processes play a key role in rendering silicic magma sufficiently degassed…

Exceptional mobility of an advancing rhyolitic obsidian flow at Cordón Caulle volcano in Chile

The emplacement mechanisms of rhyolitic lava flows are enigmatic and, despite high lava viscosities and low inferred effusion rates, can result in remarkably, laterally extensive (30 km) flow fields. Here we present the first observations of an active, extensive rhyolitic lava flow field from the 2011-2012 eruption at Cordón Caulle, Chile. We combine high-resolution four-dimensional flow front models, created using automated photo reconstruction techniques, with sequential satellite imagery. Late-stage evolution greatly extended the compound lava flow field, with localized extrusion from stalled, ~35 m-thick flow margins creating80 breakout lobes. In January 2013, flow front advance continu…

Phase petrology reveals shallow magma storage prior to large explosive silicic eruptions at Hekla volcano, Iceland

Abstract Understanding the conditions that culminate in explosive eruptions of silicic magma is of great importance for volcanic hazard assessment and crisis mitigation. However, geological records of active volcanoes typically show a wide range of eruptive behavior and magnitude, which can vary dramatically for individual eruptive centers. In order to evaluate possible future scenarios of eruption precursors, magmatic system variables for different eruption types need to be constrained. Here we use petrological experiments and microanalysis of crystals to clarify the P – T – x state under which rhyodacitic melts accumulated prior to the H3 eruption; the largest Holocene Plinian eruption of…

Determination of water speciation in hydrous haplogranitic glasses with partial Raman spectra

Abstract We use a mathematical approach to decompose the Raman water band at 3000 cm−1 to 3750 cm−1 into two partial Raman spectra corresponding to the individual Raman activity of the two water species, i.e., molecular water (H2Om) and OH-groups, present in hydrous rhyolitic glasses. The approach is based on a least-squares optimization algorithm and the assumption that the water band can be expressed as a linear combination of two partial Raman spectra. Our model makes no assumptions regarding the shape of the partial Raman spectra. The model input consists of about 700 Raman spectra from hydrous haplogranitic (HPG8) compositions with total water contents from 0.6 to 3.1 wt% and with know…

VolcDeGas: A program for modelling hydrogen isotope fractionation during degassing of rhyolitic melts

Magma degassing mechanisms are key determinants of explosive and effusive eruption styles. Paired measurements of H2O content and hydrogen isotopic ratios (e.g., dD) in pyroclastic and effusive products can elucidate end-member degassing mechanisms (e.g. closed and open system) during eruption.  Here we present VolcDeGas, a MatLab program that models dD-H2O degassing trajectories of rhyolitic magma.  Operating within an intuitive GUI, VolcDeGas calculates degassing paths based on: initial dD (in ‰), the H2O content of the melt (wt.%), degassing step size, and temperature.  VolcDeGas also calculates hydrous speciation based on either empirical models or analytical data, and incorporates this…

Advances in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of natural glasses: From sample preparation to data analysis

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is an analytical technique utilized to measure the concentrations of H and C species in volcanic glasses. Water and CO2 are the most abundant volatile species in volcanic systems. Water is present in magmas in higher concentrations than CO2 and is also more soluble at lower pressures, and, therefore it is the dominant volatile forming bubbles during volcanic eruptions. Dissolved water affects both phase equilibria and melt physical properties such as density and viscosity, therefore, water is important for understanding magmatic processes. Additionally, quantitative measurements of different volatile species using FTIR can be achieved at high s…

The viscous-brittle transition of crystal-bearing slilic melt: direct observation of magma rupture and healing

Magmas may fl ow or break depending on their deformation rate. The transition between such viscous and brittle behavior controls the style of volcanic eruptions. While the brittle failure of silicate melts is reasonably well characterized, the effect of crystals on the viscous-brittle transition has not yet been constrained. Here we examine the effect of suspended crystals on the mechanical failure of magmas using torsion experiments performed at temperatures (600‐ 900 °C), strain rates (10 ‐4 ‐10 ‐1 s ‐1 ), and confi ning pressures (200‐300 MPa) relevant for volcanic systems. We present a relationship that predicts the critical stress and associated strain rate at which magmas fail as a fu…

Plume composition and volatile flux of Nyamulagira volcano, Democratic Republic of Congo, during birth and evolution of the lava lake, 2014-2015

Very little is known about the volatile element makeup of the gaseous emissions of Nyamulagira volcano. This paper tries to fill this gap by reporting the first gas composition measurements of Nyamulagira’s volcanic plume since the onset of its lava lake activity at the end of 2014. Two field surveys were carried out on 1 November 2014, and 13–15 October 2015. We applied a broad toolbox of volcanic gas composition measurement techniques in order to geochemically characterize Nyamulagira’s plume. Nyamulagira is a significant emitter of SO2, and our measurements confirm this, as we recorded SO2 emissions of up to ~ 14 kt/d during the studied period. In contrast to neighbouring Nyiragongo volc…

An expanded model and application of the combined effect of crystal-size distribution and crystal shape on the relative viscosity of magmas

International audience; This study examines the combined effect of crystal-size distributions (CSD) and crystal shape on the rheology of vesicle free magmatic suspensions and provides the first practical application of an empirical model to estimate the relative effect of crystal content and CSD's on the viscosity of magma directly from textural image analysis of natural rock samples in the form of a user-friendly texture-rheology spreadsheet calculator. We extend and apply established relationships between the maximum packing fraction ϕm of a crystal bearing suspension and both its rheological properties and the polydispersity γ of a CSD. By using analogue rotational rheometric experiments…

The percolation threshold and permeability evolution of ascending magmas

Abstract The development of gas permeability in magmas is a complex phenomenon that directly influences the style of a volcanic eruption. The emergence of permeability is linked to the concept of percolation threshold, which is the point beyond which gas bubbles are connected in a continuous network that allows gas escape. Measurements of the percolation threshold, however, range from ∼30 to 78 vol%. No known combination of parameters can explain such a wide range of threshold values, which affects our understanding of the relationship between percolation and permeability. We present permeability calculations on bubble-bearing rhyolitic melts that underwent experimental decompression. Sampl…

H2O-content and temperature limit the explosive potential of rhyolite magma during Plinian eruptions

Abstract Recent rhyolite eruptions on Earth have demonstrated their capacity to produce a multitude of hazards, including ash formation lasting months and impacting the large reaches of the southern hemisphere. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms driving these eruptions are not yet fully understood. Magmatic volatiles, especially H2O, dictate whether volcanic eruptions proceed explosively or effusively. Experimental evidence for the role played by H2O in driving explosive fragmentation is rare, in particular in the eruption of rhyolitic magma. Here we show that when hydrous rhyolitic obsidians from Chaiten Volcano (Chile) are experimentally heated above their glass transition temperatur…

Halogen (Cl, F) release during explosive, effusive, and intrusive phases of the 2011 rhyolitic eruption at Cordón Caulle volcano (Chile)

We investigate sulphur, chlorine and fluorine release during explosive, effusive and intrusive phases of the 2011 Cordon Caulle eruption, with a focus on halogen devolatilization. Petrological analysis shows halogen release to have been promoted by isobaric crystallization in slowly-cooled magma that was emplaced in a lava flow and sub-vent intrusion. Fluorine in particular mobilized only after extensive groundmass crystallization and incipient devitrification. By 2017, the gas emitted from vent-proximal fumaroles had hydrothermal compositions, with HCl/HF ratios decreasing with decreasing temperature. We estimate that the eruption could eventually emit up to 0.84 Mt of SO2, 6.3 Mt of HCl, …

Shallow vent architecture during hybrid explosive-effusive activity at Cordón Caulle (Chile, 2011-12): Evidence from direct observations and pyroclast textures

International audience; In June 2011, an eruption of rhyolite magma began at the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex, southern Chile. By January 2012, explosive activity had declined from sustained pyroclastic (Plinian to sub-Plinian) fountaining to mixed gas and ash jetting punctuated by Vulcanian blasts. This explosive activity was accompanied by synchronous effusion of obsidian lava in a hybrid explosive-effusive eruption. Fortuitous climatic conditions permitted ground-based observation and video recording of transient vent dynamics as well as real-time collection of proximal juvenile ash as it sedimented from the active plume. The main eruptive vent complex and site of lava effusion…

Post-fragmentation vesiculation timescales in hydrous rhyolitic bombs from Chaitén volcano

Abstract Bubble nucleation and growth dynamics exert a primary control on the explosivity of volcanic eruptions. Numerous theoretical and experimental studies aim to capture the complex process of melt vesiculation, whereas textural studies use vesicle populations to reconstruct magma behaviour. However, post-fragmentation vesiculation in rhyolitic bombs can create final quenched bubble (vesicle) textures that are not representative of the nature of fragmenting magma within the conduit. To examine bubble growth in hydrous rhyolitic bombs, we have used heated stage microscopy to directly observe vesiculation of a Chaiten rhyolite melt (with an initial dissolved water content of ~0.95 wt %) a…

Explosive eruptions with little warning: Experimental petrology and volcano monitoring observations from the 2014 eruption of Kelud, Indonesia

Explosive eruptions that occur with little or no precursory unrest (less than a month) pose the greatest hazards from volcanoes to nearby populations. Here we focus on the preeruptive conditions for these explosive events, their triggers and how these eruptions evolve. We concentrate on Kelud volcano, where we have conducted a set of petrological experiments to understand preeruptive storage conditions for several recent eruptions. For the 2014 explosive eruption, we combine this with an analysis of interferometric synthetic aperture radar measured deformation. Our data suggest that both explosive and effusive eruptions at Kelud are sourced from a magma storage system at 2-4 km. However, ex…