Reconstructing Magma Degassing and Fragmentation: The 1060 CE Plinian Eruption of Medicine Lake Volcano, California

Abstract:

Magma fragmentation during explosive volcanic eruptions occurs when the bubble overpressure exceeds some threshold. Because bubble coalescence and ensuing permeable outgassing allow partial release of bubble overpressure, high magma permeabil
ity is thought to adversely affect magma fragmentation and the ability of magma to erupt explosively. We used the Plinian phase of the 1060 CE Glass Mountain eruption of Medicine Lake Volcano, California, to show that this is not necessarily the case. We performed numerical modeling of eruptive magma ascent and bubble growth to predict the development of magma porosity, permeability, and the built-up of gas pressure inside bubbles. We explicitly took into account permeable outgassing in the model. We used the measured porosity and permeability of the Plinian pyroclasts, together with percolation modeling, to reconstruct the conditions for magma degassing and fragmentation. Our results show that the porosity and permeability of pyroclasts coincide with the conditions required for fragmentation of the erupting magma. The onset of fragmentation occurs when the decompression rate reaches about 2 MPa.s⁻¹, corresponding to a constant melt viscosity of ∼10⁷ Pa.s and a magma porosity of approximately 0.75, conditions met for a mass discharge rate of about 10⁷ kg.s⁻¹, a cross sectional area of about 2,000 m², and at a depth of approximately 1 km. Pyroclasts formed from magma that fragmented over a depth range of several tens of meters, probably reflecting some degree of lateral variability in magma porosity in the conduit. The model also indicates that, even if the magma was highly permeable at the onset of fragmentation, permeable outgassing did not affect fragmentation. The transition to an effusive activity and the emission of obsidian after the Plinian phase of the Glass Mountain eruption is most probably due to a decrease in decompression rate.