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Phreatomagmatic plioquaternary volcanism in the Middle Atlas: Analysis of the eruptive sequence of the Lechmine n’Aït El Haj maar

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Abstract

Lechmine n’Aït El Haj (LNH) is a monogenetic plioquaternary maar, lying in the volcanic province of the MiddleAtlas. It is a 110-m-deep crater located in the Liassic limestones. The tephra deposits surrounding the crater are mainly made up of depositional units (surges and projectas) interpreted as deposits of phreatomagmatic origin. They are topped by a small unit of massive breccia tuff reflecting magmatic deposits. The maar is a result of the interaction between the ascending magma and karstic water, in an intraplate volcanism context.

Water, causing this eruption, is drained by an open system of fractures in the limestone. The explosion started by phreatomagmatic dynamism, producing a big stack of pyroclastic deposits and pyroclastic falls. During the eruption, the crater grows progressively from the eruptive center to the Northwest. The upper part of the phreatomagmatic deposits is characterized by a typical mud crack structure. A transition to a strombolian dynamism occurred throughout the end of volcanic activity. Meanwhile, a lava flow, coming from the volcanic plateau, discharged in the crater’s center. With the eruption resumption, the lava is strongly fragmented; therefore, a small cone is created especially in the northern flank of the maar. Towards the end of the volcanic activity, a supply of karstic water causes another transition of the eruptive style from strombolian to phreatomagmatic dynamism. A significant karst collapse in the southern flank of the LNH maar has occurred, leading to its current morphology.

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Acknowledgments

This study belongs to the multidisciplinary research project on the Geomaterials and Volcanic Geosites of Morocco: need for their valorization and exploitation in the prospects for a sustainable development, sponsored by Hassan II Academy of Sciences and Techniques. Many thanks to the research team, professors and Ph.D. students, in Faculty of Sciences of Hassan II University-Casablanca, the Scientific Institute in Rabat and the Faculty of Sciences and Techniques of Hassan II University—Mohammadia. Special thanks to Domenico M Doronzo for his relevant comments and questions that allowed me to improve the quality of this paper.

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  1. University Hassan II-Faculty of Sciences of Casablanca, Km 8 Route El Jadida, B. P 5366 Maarif, 20100, Casablanca, Morocco

    Sara Mountaj, Toufik Remmal, Samira Makhoukhi & Kawtar Lakroud

  2. Scientific Institute of Rabat, Avenue Ibn Batouta, B. P 703, 10106, Rabat, Morocco

    Iz-Eddine El Hassani El Amrani

  3. Laboratoire Magma et volcan, Université Blaise Pascal Clérment-Ferrand, 6 Avenue Blaise Pascal, 63170, Aubière, France

    Benjamin Van Week de Vries

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  1. Sara Mountaj
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Correspondence to Sara Mountaj.

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Mountaj, S., Remmal, T., El Hassani El Amrani, IE. et al. Phreatomagmatic plioquaternary volcanism in the Middle Atlas: Analysis of the eruptive sequence of the Lechmine n’Aït El Haj maar. Arab J Geosci 13, 559 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05554-w

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