Petrological evidence for non-linear increase of magmatic intrusion rates before eruption at open vent mafic volcanoe

Abstract:

The most active volcanoes on earth erupt in a yearly to decadal time scales, typically erupt mafic magmas and are open-vent systems with prominent degassing plumes (e.g. Mayon, Arenal, Llaima, Etna). Here we investigate the plumbing systems, dynamics, and processes that drive eruptions at these systems. These are key questions for improving hazard evaluation, and better understanding the unrest associated with these types of volcanoes. The petrology and geochemistry from six historical eruptions (1947-2006) of Mayon volcano (Philippines) shows that all lavas are basaltic andesite with phenocrysts of plagioclase + orthopyroxene (Opx) + clinopyroxene. Opx crystals show a variety of compositions and zoning patterns (reverse, normal or complex) with Mg# (= 100 *Mg/[Mg+Fe]) varying from 67 to 81. The simplest interpretation is that the low Mg# parts of the crystals resided on an upper crustal and crystal rich reservoir that was intruded by more primitive magmas from which the high Mg# parts of the crystals grew. Modelling Mg-Fe diffusion in Opx shows that times since magma injection and eruption range from a few days up to 3.5 years in all of the investigated eruptions. The longest diffusion times are shorter than the repose times between the eruptions, which implies that crystal recycling between eruptive events is negligible. This is a surprising result that shows that for each eruption a different part of the evolved crystal-rich plumbing system is activated. This can be due to random intrusion location or an irreversibility of the plumbing system that prevents multiple eruptions from the same crystal-rich part. Moreover, we find that the number of intrusions markedly increases before each eruption in a non-linear manner. Such an increased rate of intrusions with time might reflect non-linear rheological properties of the crystal-rich system, of the enclosing rocks, or the non-linear evolution of crystal-melt reaction-dissolution fronts during magma intrusions.