Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characteristics of widespread pyroclastic deposits formed by the interaction of silicic magma and water

  • Published:
Bulletin Volcanologique Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We have recognized a type of pyroclastic deposit formed by the interaction of water and silicic magma during explosive eruptions. These deposits have a widespread dispersal, similar to plinian tephra, but the overall grain size is much tiner. Several deposits studied can be associated with caldera lakes or sea water and water/magma interaction is proposed to account for the fine grain size.

Several examples have been studied, including the Oruanui Formation, N.Z., and the Askja 1875 deposit. Both show little downwind decrease in median diameter, a downwind decrease in sorting (σφ) (more evident in the Askja deposit) and coarse tail grading. The Askja example has base surge deposits near source and some Oruanui members show multiple thin beds near source; both are common features of phreatomagmatic deposits. Isopachs of the Askja deposit indicate a source under Lake Oskjuvatn in Askja Caldera and those of the Oruanui indicate a source under the NW part of Lake Taupo.

In terms of dispersal area, volume and calculated eruption column heights, these deposits are similar to plinian. However, their extreme fragmentation due to magma/water interaction, superimposed on fragmentation imparted by carlier vesiculation, gives a much finer and more complex grain size distribution than plinian counterparts. The field of phreatomagmatic equivalents to plinian pumice deposits was unoccupied onWalker’s (1973) classification of explosive volcanic eruptions. Such deposits are the phreatomagmatic analogue of plinian deposits and the name « phreatoplinian » is proposed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aramaki, S., 1975,Classification and Mechanisms of Volcanic Eruptions. Bull. of Volc. Soc. Japan,20, p. 205–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, F. D., 1972,Shallow Submarine Volcanism. J. Geophys. Res.,77, p. 5755–5759.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackburns, E. A., Wlson, L. andSparks, R. S. J., 1976,Mechanisms and Dynamics of Strombolian Activity. J. Geol. Soc. Lond.,132, p. 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Booth, B. andWalker G. P. L., 1973,Ash Deposits from the New Explosion Crater, Etna 1971. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond.,274, p. 147–151.

    Google Scholar 

  • —————, andCroasdale, R., 1978,A Quantitative Study of Five Thousand Years of Volcanism on São Miguel. Azores. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond.,288, p. 271–319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colgate, S. A. andSigurgeisson, T., 1973,Dynamic Mixing of Water and Lava. Nature,244, p. 552–555.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crowe, B. M. andFisher, R. V., 1973,Sedimentary Structures in Base Surge Deposits with Special Reference to Cross-bedding, Ubehebe Craters, Death Valley, California. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull.,84, p. 663–682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Escher, B. G., 1933,On a Classification of Central Eruptions According to Gas Pressure of the Magma and Viscosity of the Lavas. Leids. Geol. Mededel.,6, p. 45–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, R. V., 1964,Maximum Size, Median Diameter, and Sorting of Tephra. J. Geophys. Res.,69, p. 341–355.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hahn, G., Rose W. I. andMeyers T.,Genetically Related Rhyolitic Ash Flow and Air Fall Tuffs, Gentral and Western Guatemala and the Equatorial Pacific. (in press).

  • Healy, J., 1964,Stratigraphy and Chronology of Late Quaternary Volcanic Ash in Taupo, Rotorua and Gisborne Districts. N.Z. Geol. Surv. Bull.,73, part I, p. 1–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heiken, G. H., 1971,Tuff Rings: Examples from the Fort Rock — Christmas Lake Valley Basin, South Central Oregon. J. Geophys. Res.,76, p. 5615–5626.

    Google Scholar 

  • —————, 1974,An Atlas of Volcanic Ash. Smithsonian Contrib. to Earth Sci. No. 12, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, 100 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, T. C., Watkins N. D. andShaw D. M., 1974,Atmospherically Transported Volcanic Glass in Deep-Sea Sediments: Development of Separation and Counting Technique. Deep-Sea Res.,79, p. 3057–3071.

    Google Scholar 

  • Inman, D. L., 1952,Measures for Describing the Size Distribution of Sediments. J. Sed. Petrol.,22, p. 125–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knox, J. B. andShort N. M., 1964,A Diagnostic Model Using Ash Fall Data to Determine Eruption Characteristics and Determine Eruption Characteristics and Atmospheric Conditions During a Major Volcanic Event. Bull. Volcanol.,27, p. 5–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohn, B. P., 1973,Some Studies of New Zealand Quaternary Pyroclastic Rocks. Unpub. Ph.D. Thesis, Victoria University, Weilington, New Zealand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, K. andKohn B. P., 1973,Ashes, Turbidites, and Rates of Sedimentation on the Continental Slope off Hawkes Bay. N.Z. J. of Geol. and Geophys.,6, p. 439–454.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lirer, L., Pescatore T., Booth, B. andWalker, G. P. L., 1973,Two Plinian Pumice-Fall Deposits from Somma-Vesuvius, Italy. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull.,84, p. 759–772.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lorenz, V., 1974,Vesiculated Tuffs and Associated Features. Sedimentology,21, p. 273–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Machado, F., Parsons, W. H., Richards, A. F. andMulford, J. W., 1962,Capelinhos Eruption of Fayal Volcano, Azores, 1957–1958. J. Geophys. Res.,67, p. 3519–3529.

    Google Scholar 

  • McBirney, A. R., 1963,Factors Governing the Nature of Submarine Volcanism. Bull. Volcanol.,26, p. 455–469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milne, D. J., 1975,Quaternary Geology of the Rangitikei River Valley, New Zealand. Unpub. PhD. Thesis, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. G., 1967,Base Surge in Recent Eruptions. Bull. Volcanol.,30, p. 337–363.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —————, 1975,Mechanism of Formation of Pillow Lava. Am. Sci.,63, p. 269–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peckover, R. S., Buchanan, D. J. andAsilley, D. E. T. F., 1973,Fuel-Coolant Interactions in Submarine Volcanism. Nature,245, p. 307.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pullar, W. A., 1973,Maps of Isopachs and Volumes of Tephra, Central North Island, New Zealand, 1:1,000,000. New Zealand Soil Bureau Maps 133/8–14, to accompany New Zealand Soil Survey Report 1.

  • Schmincke, H.-U., Fisher, R. V. andWaters, A. C., 1973,Antidune and Chute and Pool Structures in the Base Surge Deposits of the Lacher See area, Germany. Sedimentology,20, p. 553–574.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmincke, H.-U., Fisher, R. V. andWaters, G. P. L., 1974,The 1973 Heimaey Strombolian Scoria Deposit, Iceland. Geol. Mag.,111, p. 539–548.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, D. M., Watkins, N. D. andHuang T. C., 1974,Atmospherically Transported Volcanic Glass in Deep-Sea Sediments: Theoretical Considerations. J. Geophys. Res.,79, p. 3087–3094.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheridan, M. F. andUpdike, R. G., 1975,Sugarloaf Mountain Tephra — A Pleistocene Rhyolitic Deposit of Base Surge Origin in Northern Arizona. Gcol. Soc. Am. Bull.,86, p. 571–581.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sigurdsson, H. andSparks, R. S. J.,Lateral Flow of Magma in Rifted Icelandic Crust. Nature (in press).

  • Sparks, R. S. J. andWalker, G. P. L., 1978,The Significance of Vitric-Enriched Air-Fall Ashes Associated with Crystal-Enriched Ignimbrites. J. Volcanol. and Geothermal Res.,2, p. 329–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Susuki, T., Katsui Y. andNakamura T., 1973,Size Distribution of the Tarumai Ta-b Pumice Fall Deposit. Bull. of Volc. Soc. Japan,18, p. 47–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Symons, G. J., ed., 1888,The Eruption of Krakatoa and Subsequent Phenomena. Krakatoa Committee, Roval Society, London, 494 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tazieff, H., 1968,Sur le mécanisme des éruptions basaltiques sous-marines à faibles profundeurs et la genèse d’hyaloclastites associées. Geol. Rundschau.57, p. 955–966.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thorarinsson, S., 1963,Askja on Fire. Reykjavik, Iceland.

  • —————, 1968,On the Rate of Lava and Tephra Production and the Upward Migration of Magma in Four Icelandic Eruptions. Geol. Rundschau,57, p. 705–718.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ————— andEllison, G., 1964,The Submarine Eruption off the Vestmann Islands, 1963–64, Bull. Volcanol.,27, p. 435–445.

    Google Scholar 

  • Topping, W. W., 1974,Some Aspects of the Quaternary History of Tongariro Volcanic Centre. Unpub. PhD. Thesis, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verbeek, R. D. M., 1884,The Krakatoa Eruption. Nature,30, p. 10–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vucetich, C. G. andHoworth, R., 1976,Proposed Definition of the Kawakawa Tephra, the 20,000-Years-B.P. Marker Horizon in the New Zealand Region. N. Z. J. of Geol. and Geophys.,19, p. 43–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • ————— andPullar, W. A., 1969,Stratigraphy and Chronology of Late Pleistocene Volcanic Ash Beds in Central North Island, New Zealand, N.Z. J. Geol. and Geophys.,12, p. 784–837.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, G. P. L., 1971,Grain Size Characteristics of Pyroclastic Deposits. J. Geol.,79, p. 696–714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • —————, 1973,Explosive Volcanic Eruptions — A New Classification Scheme. Geol. Rundschau,62, p. 431–446.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ————— andCroasdale, R., 1971,Two Plinian-type Eruptions in the Azores. J. Geol. Soc. Lond.,127, p. 17–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • ————— and —————, 1972,Characteristics of Some Basaltic Pyroclastics. Bull. Volcanol.,35, p. 303–317.

    Google Scholar 

  • ————— andBowell E. L. G., 1971,Explosive Volcanic Eruptions — I: The Rate of Fall of Pyroclastics. Geophys. J. R. Astr. Soc.,22, p. 377–383.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, L., Sparks R. S. J., Huang T. C. andWatkins, N. D., 1978,The Control of Volcanic Column Heights by Eruption Energetics and Dynamics. J. Geophys. Res.,83, p. 1829–1836.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. R. S. J. Sparks

    Present address: Department of Mineralogy & Petrology, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, CB2 3EW, Cambridge, England

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, 03755, Hanover, NH, USA

    S. Self

  2. Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 02881, Kingston, RI, USA

    R. S. J. Sparks

Authors
  1. S. Self
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. S. J. Sparks
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Self, S., Sparks, R.S.J. Characteristics of widespread pyroclastic deposits formed by the interaction of silicic magma and water. Bull Volcanol 41, 196–212 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02597223

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02597223

Keywords

Search

Navigation