Mineralogical and Sulfur Isotopic Study on Volcanic Ash of the 2014 Eruption at Ontake Volcano, Central Honshu, Japan

Abstract:

Ontake volcano erupted on 27th September 2014. Components in fallout samples were analyzed with microscope, XRD, and SEM-EDS. Pyrophyllite, smectite, muscovite, kaoline group minerals, quartz, cristobalite, tridymite, pyrite, alunite, gypsum and anhydrite were identified from bulk samples. Coarse ash fraction (> 125 µm) consists mainly of siliceous fragments that are intensely altered and contain pyrite and rutile. Weakly-altered dark-gray volcanic rock fragments are also contained. Fine fraction is abundant in euhedral free crystals of alunite and gypsum and aggregates of silica minerals. The ³⁴S/³²S ratios of bulk ash samples were analyzed for sulfur leached by water (water-soluble sulfate), gastric (HCl-soluble sulfate), and HNO₃ (sulfide). Gastric and HNO₃ leaching methods were applied to coarse fraction too. The bulk δ³⁴S_CDT compositions of water-soluble sulfate, HCl-soluble sulfate and sulfide were +14.7 ‰, +15.7 ‰, and -4.7 ‰, respectively. Those of HCl-soluble sulfate and sulfide in coarse fraction were +9.1 ‰ and -4.3 ‰, respectively. Paragenesis of quartz and pyrophyllite in single grain implies hydrothermal alteration by hot (> 230 °C), acidic fluid in the sub-volcanic system. The sulfur isotope geothermometry (Ohmoto and Rye, 1979) applied to the pair of water-soluble sulfate and bulk sulfide resulted in 306 °C. Similar temperature (ca. 296 °C) was estimated for the pair of HCl-soluble sulfate and sulfide in bulk ash. The mineralogy and sulfur isotopic study indicate that the 2014 Ontake eruption was derived from an acidic high-temperature (ca. 300 °C) sub-volcanic hydrothermal fluid. However, the estimated temperature for the pair of HCl-soluble sulfate and sulfide from coarse fraction resulted in higher temperature (ca. 482 °C). The coarse fraction preserved the past temperature record of the hydrothermal fluid, because the coarse lithic fragments were derived from pre-existing altered rocks.