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Magma Envelopes, Enclaves and Rogue Crystals in the Atascosa Lookout Lava Flow: Magma Communication Across a Range of Crustal LevelsBurrill, Christine 25 October 2018 (has links)
The Atascosa Lookout lava flow is a mid-Tertiary trachyandesite flow that caps the rhyolitic to dacitic volcanic sequence exposed in the Atascosa Mountains of southern Arizona. The flow erupted near the beginning of extension in the southern Basin and Range following the floundering of the Farallon plate and during the development of the San Andreas fault. The flow hosts a variety of disequilibrium crystals and textures including resorbed and overgrown feldspar phenocrysts with inclusion-rich zones, quartz-bearing enclaves, and clusters of plagioclase +/- chromium diopside, magnesian augite, quartz, hornblende, and orthopyroxene crystals and envelopes of contrasting composition with both the groundmass and the enclaves.
Current evidence suggests that magma generation and differentiation commonly take place mainly in the lower crust and batches of magma are emplaced and equilibrate across a range of crustal levels. Crystallization depths and temperatures of various phases in the flow were obtained with new and revised geothermometers and geobarometers to examine the petrogenesis of the lava flow. Major elements of parental melts for most of the mineral phases were estimated using thermobarometry equilibrium tests and rare earth and trace element concentrations of parental melts of hornblendes and clinopyroxenes were calculated using known partition coefficients elements.
Thermobarometry shows distinct ranges of temperatures and pressures for each component of the flow and calculated parental melts of various phases are distinct from one another. Orthopyroxenes crystallized at depths greater than 25 km, at the highest temperatures from the most mafic parent, estimated to be a picro-basalt. Clinopyroxenes crystallized at 11.5 – 30 km, lower temperatures and a more evolved parent of basalt or trachybasalt composition. Plagioclase crystallized throughout the crust from a range of intermediate melts and hornblendes crystallized 12 – 13 km from a parental melt similar in composition to the groundmass. This study demonstrates the lava flow hosts minerals that crystallized from different parent melts at various crustal levels. Extension and previous magmatism provided a rapid path for magma to ascend, subduing crustal assimilation and enhancing the probability of a diverse crystal cargo that retains the record of the plumbing system beneath a volcanic complex.
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Investigating Magma Plumbing Beneath Anak Krakatau Volcano, Indonesia : Evidence for Multiple Magma Storage RegionsDahrén, Börje January 2010 (has links)
Improving our understanding of magma plumbing and storage remains one of the majorchallenges for petrologists and volcanologists today. This is especially true for explosivevolcanoes, where constraints on magma plumbing are essential for predicting dynamicchanges in future activity and thus for hazard mitigation. This study aims to investigate themagma plumbing system at Anak Krakatau; the post-collapse cone situated on the rim of the1883 Krakatau caldera. Since 1927, Anak Krakatau has been highly active, growing at a rateof ~8 cm/week. The methods employed are a.) clinopyroxene-melt thermo-barometry (Putirkaet al., 2003; Putirka, 2008), b.) plagioclase-melt thermo-barometry (Putirka, 2005), c.)clinopyroxene composition barometry (Nimis & and Ulmer, 1998; Nimis, 1999; Putirka,2008) and d.) olivine-melt thermometry (Putirka et al., 2007). Previously, both seismic(Harjono et al., 1989) and petrological studies (Camus et al., 1987; Mandeville et al., 1996a;Gardner et al., in review, J. Petrol.) have addressed the magma plumbing beneath AnakKrakatau. Interestingly, petrological studies indicate shallow magma storage in the region of2-8 km, while the seismic evidence points towards a mid-crustal and a deep storage, at 9 and22 km respectively.This study shows that clinopyroxene presently crystallizes in a mid-crustal storage region(8-12 km), a previously identified depth level for magma storage, using seismic methods(Harjono et al., 1989). Plagioclases, in turn, form at shallower depths (4-6 km), in concertwith previous petrological studies (Camus et al., 1987; Mandeville et al., 1996a; Gardner etal., in review, J. Petrol.). Pre-1981 clinopyroxenes record deeper levels of storage (8-22 km),indicating that there may have been an overall shallowing of the plumbing system over thelast ~40 years. The magma storage regions detected coincide with major lithologicalboundaries in the crust, implying that magma ascent and storage at Anak Krakatau is probablycontrolled by crustal discontinuities and/or density contrasts. Therefore, this study shows thatpetrology has the sensitivity to detect magma bodies in the crust where seismic surveys faildue to limited resolution. Combined geophysical and petrological surveys offer an increasedpotential for the thorough characterization of magma plumbing at active volcanic complexes.
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Characterising volcanic magma plumbing systems : A tool to improve eruption forecasting at hazardous volcanoesBudd, David A. January 2015 (has links)
This thesis attempts to develop our understanding of volcanic magma plumbing systems and the magmatic processes that operate within them, such as fractional crystallisation, crustal partial melting, assimilation, and magma mixing. I utilise petrology, rock and mineral geochemistry, and isotope systematics to seek to improve our ability to forecast the eruptive frequency and style of active volcanoes, an aspect often lacking in current volcano monitoring efforts. In particular, magma reservoir dynamics are investigated from a mineral scale at Katla volcano in Iceland, to a sub-mineral scale at Merapi, Kelud, and Toba volcanoes in Indonesia. The magma plumbing architecture of Katla volcano on Iceland is explored in the first part of this thesis. Crystalline components within tephra and volcanic rock preserve a record of the physical and chemical evolution of a magma, and are analysed through oxygen isotopic and thermobarometric techniques to temporally constrain changes in reservoir depth and decode the petrogenesis of the lavas. We find both prolonged upper crustal magma storage and shallow level assimilation to be occurring at Katla. The results generated from combining these analytical strands reveal the potential for unpredictable explosive volcanism at this lively Icelandic volcano. The second part of this thesis examines the magma plumbing systems of Merapi, Kelud and Toba volcanoes of the Sunda arc in Indonesia at higher temporal and petrological resolution than possible for Katla (e.g., due to the crystal poor character of the rocks). For this part of the thesis, minerals were analysed in-situ to take advantage of sub-crystal scale isotopic variations in order to investigate processes of shallow-level assimilation in the build-up to particular eruptions. We find that intra-crystal analyses reveal an otherwise hidden differentiation history at these volcanoes, and establish a better understanding as to how they may have rapidly achieved a critical explosive state. The outcomes of this thesis therefore deepen our knowledge of evolutionary trends in magma plumbing system dynamics, and highlight the importance of understanding the geochemical processes that can prime a volcano for eruption. Lastly, I emphasise the vital contribution petrology can make in current volcano monitoring efforts.
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Magma plumbing architecture in Indonesia and the North Atlantic Igneous ProvinceDahrén, Börje January 2016 (has links)
Magma plumbing systems represent the physical framework of magma transport and storage from the source region in the mantle, through the crust, until reaching the surface in a volcanic eruption. Characterising the different aspects of magma plumbing, in particular the distribution of magma storage zones throughout the crust, is of key importance to better understand the behaviour of individual volcanoes. In particular, shallow crustal magma storage and associated magma-crust interaction processes could potentially explain some of the worlds most unpredictable and explosive volcanoes. This thesis studies magma plumbing architecture in the Sunda Arc (Indonesia), and the North Atlantic Igneous Province, based on elemental and isotope geochemistry, and derived petrological modelling. In this study, I have employed petrological models, so called geothermobarometers, to calculate pressures and temperatures (P-T) of crustal magma storage. Geothermobarometers are calibrated thermodynamic formulations based on the composition of magmatic minerals and their co-existing melt as a function of the P-T conditions of crystallisation. Using the calculated P-T estimates, I was able to derive the depth of magma storage, and thereby reconstruct the architecture of magma storage systems. A number of different geothermobarometers based on different mineral phases, including plagioclase, clinopyroxene and olivine, were used for this purpose, The geothermobarometric modelling was combined with additional elemental and isotope geochemical analyses, as well as collaborations with geophysical investigations. These additional approaches were used to corroborate the findings of the geothermobarometric modelling, and also to model and quantify magma-crust interaction processes that take place during crustal magma storage, such as assimilation of crustal lithologies into the magmatic system. The findings of this thesis build upon the growing body of evidence in support of the prevalence of shallow magma storage in different volcanic settings worldwide. This realisation is relevant to volcano monitoring and hazard mitigation worldwide.
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Investigating Volcano-Tectonic Interactions in the Natron Rift, East Africa with Implications for Understanding Volcanic Eruptive ProcessesMasungulwa, Ntambila Simon Daud 07 January 2025 (has links)
An early phase continental rift is an emerging plate boundary where tectonic forces stretch and thin the continental lithosphere, shaping the Earth's surface. Continental breakup and its progression are typically driven by the interplay between repeated magmatic and tectonic activities, which have been explored through both tectonic and magma-assisted rifting models. Understanding volcano-tectonic interactions is key for evaluating the role of magmatic fluids in facilitating the initiation of continental breakup during early phase rifting. This study applies the magma-assisted rifting model to the Natron Rift and investigates volcano-tectonic interactions during early phases of continental breakup associated with observed changes in the volcanic plumbing system of the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai. The Natron Rift is a magma-rich rift in the southern segment of the Eastern Branch in northern Tanzania providing an ideal setting to explore the interactions between tectonic and magmatic processes in the early stages of rifting.
To investigate tectonic and magmatic interactions, we began by characterizing the magmatic plumbing system of Ol Doinyo Lengai using Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS) data from our TZVOLCANO network and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) observations. We inverted the GNSS and InSAR data independently to identify potential deformation sources using the software dMODELS. We then conducted a joint inversion of both datasets and found results that were consistent with the independent inversions within 2-sigma uncertainty. Our findings suggest that Ol Doinyo Lengai is fed by an offset multi-tiered reservoir system, consisting of a shallow magma reservoir located east of the volcano connected to a deeper reservoir through a network of fractures. This magmatic system likely influences the nature, style, and magnitude of volcanic activity at the edifice. We also assessed temporal and spatial changes in surface motion observed with GNSS stations associated with magmatic activity to help mitigate risks to nearby communities, tourism, and air traffic. Detecting transient deformation is essential for forecasting eruptions since these signals often precede eruptive events. To detect transient signals using GNSS data from the TZVOLCANO network, we employed the Targeted Projection Operator (TPO) program which projects GNSS time-series data onto a target spatial pattern. We analyzed seven years of continuous GNSS data and divided the observations into three-year intervals. The TPO method detected rapid uplift between March 2022 and December 2022 followed by steady-state uplift through August 2023. The method also identified quiescent periods and non-eruptive inflation signals that enhance our understanding of the dynamic magma plumbing system of Ol Doinyo Lengai. When integrated with the TZVOLCANO network, which streams real-time GNSS data, this approach enables continuous monitoring and early detection of potential volcanic hazards. Ongoing monitoring is crucial for assessing volcanic risks and improving emergency response plans.
Finally, we examined the role of interactions between tectonic and magmatic processes in the Natron Rift during the early stages of continental breakup, focusing on the evolution of the magma plumbing system beneath Ol Doinyo Lengai. Using the code PyLith, we developed a 3D model of the region. The modeling experiments test both homogeneous and heterogeneous medium, with and without topography to estimate surface deformation and stress changes on the Natron fault due to geodetically constrained magma source inflation and deflation. Our analysis focused on stress transfer from the magma sources to assess the likelihood of fault slip, considering the typical 0.1 MPa threshold for triggering slip in magmatic rift settings. Results indicate that during the inflation period from 2016 to 2023, slip on the Natron fault is inhibited adjacent to the volcano under all scenarios. During the magma source deflation phase that occurred from 2007 to 2008 due to explosive eruptions, slip on the Natron fault was promoted adjacent to the volcano under all scenarios. Shear stress change analyses reveal that during the magma deflation scenario, slip of the Natron fault is consistent with oblique normal fault movement that is dominated by normal faulting and has components of strike-slip motion. Finite numerical modeling results demonstrate that topography considerably influences stress changes caused by dynamic magma sources as compared to material heterogeneity highlighting the importance of incorporating topography in volcano-tectonic settings. This work suggests that the potential ongoing magmatic activity at Ol Doinyo Lengai and its proximity to the Natron Fault influence the development of the youthful Natron Rift during early phase rifting. However, this influence likely inhibits fault slip at present on the adjacent section of the Natron fault due to magma source inflation. / Doctor of Philosophy / Continental rifts in their early phases mark the initial stage of plate boundary formation, characterized by the stretching and thinning of the Earth's outer, rigid shell under tectonic forces. Rifts are a significant agent in shaping the Earth's rigid, outer shell, ultimately leading to the formation of oceanic basins and volcanoes. Rifting occurs when tectonic plates break apart, creating faults and allowing magma that formed deep in the Earth to rise to shallower depths. This process not only contributes to the geological evolution of our planet, but it also poses significant hazards in the form of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Understanding the interaction between tectonic activity, like slip on faults, and magmatic processes, like volcanic deformation, is essential for assessing rift behavior, particularly in the early, immature stages of rifting when volcanic and tectonic activities are closely linked. This research focuses on the Natron Rift, a magma-rich segment of the southern part of the Eastern Branch of the East African Rift System located in Northern Tanzania. This region includes the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai, which is known for its unique magma composition and a history of explosive eruptions. The Natron Rift is an ideal setting to study the interactions between volcanic and faulting processes since it is still in the early stages of rifting.
We examined the volcanic structure beneath the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai and its surroundings to assess the sources of magma supplying the volcano. We analyzed the geometry and location of a magma source using Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS) data from our TZVOLCANO monitoring network and satellite images. We used the software dMODELS to independently model the surface displacements and identify potential magma sources. We also combined both datasets and jointly modeled them to test the independent results, which suggested a shallow, deflating magma source located to the east of Ol Doinyo Lengai. The magma source we found is likely connected to a deeper one through fractures that feed Ol Doinyo Lengai. The magmatic system determined from this study influences the nature and intensity of volcanic activity. We further assessed how the surface of Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano changes over time in response to magmatic activity to better understand and reduce the risks posed by eruptions. Volcanic eruptions at Ol Doinyo Lengai pose a risk to nearby communities, tourism, and air traffic, making it crucial to detect surface changes that could indicate an impending eruption. We developed computer models that identified potential non-eruptive volcanic signals due to magma source changes using seven years of continuous GNSS data from our monitoring network. The detected transient signals include a period of rapid uplift from March 2022 to December 2022 followed by steady uplift through August 2023. When the difference between the observed data and the expected pattern three times larger, this difference indicates transient surface motion that could signal an eruption in the near future. This information provides valuable context for eruption forecasting and serves as an early-warning system for the surrounding communities. Continuous monitoring using real-time data from the GNSS network is essential for the early detection of volcanic hazards and improving emergency response efforts.
Finally, we investigate the roles played by the interactions between tectonic and magmatic processes in developing the Natron Rift during early stages of continental breakup. We use advanced modeling software called PyLith to create a 3D model of the region that incorporates known magma sources and the Natron fault. We estimate the surface motions and stress changes on the Natron fault due to changes in the known magma sources (inflation or deflation). Our stress transfer analysis indicates that during magma source inflation from 2016 to 2023 the Natron fault near the volcano section is clamped and prevents fault slip. For the deflating magma source associated with 2007-2008 explosive eruptions, stress changes on the Natron fault adjacent to the volcano section indicated fault slip likely occurred with dominantly normal faulting that includes a small component of strike-slip motion. The incorporation of topography significantly affects the amount of stress transferred on the fault under all scenarios. This study suggests that current magmatic activity at Ol Doinyo Lengai along with its closeness to the Natron Fault affects how the early stage Natron Rift develops. However, this influence likely prevents fault slip currently on the volcanic section of the Natron fault because of magma source inflation inhibiting slip the fault.
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