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The eruptive history and morphology of Azufral Volcano, Colombia, is explored and analyzed to provide a more complete picture of past eruptions, as well as to infer what eruption styles may occur in the future. Through the use of principal component analysis on Fe-Ti oxides, domes can be correlated to the pyroclastic deposits, enabling the identification of a full eruptive sequence. The findings suggest that eruptive activity at Azufral Volcano is largely explosive, experiencing long periods of quiescence, punctuated by short periods of pyroclastic activity and volcanic debris avalanches. Geomorphology of the dome complex is reinterpreted to better understand the sequence of dome growth. This reinterpretation, along with geochemical analysis and comparison via PCA, allows for reclassification of a major deposit, originally thought to be a juvenile block-and-ash flow, as a volcanic debris avalanche.

The relationships between silicic volcanic and plutonic rocks have long puzzled geologists because the rich set of observations from petrology, geochronology, thermal modeling, geophysical techniques, and geochemistry have led to contradictory interpretations. Although compositional evolutionary trends leading to granite and rhyolite are congruent, it is not clear if rhyolites are formed by the extraction of melt from shallow crystal mushes that otherwise solidify to form granite plutons, or are derived from a greater depth in parallel with granite plutons, or are formed by processes separate from those which form granite plutons. Finding a consistent explanation for the silicic volcanic–plutonic relationship bears on important Earth science questions, including, “How is silicic continental crust formed?” and, “Can we predict supereruptions?” * Dacite : Relatively high-silica volcanic rock containing ~65–70 wt% SiO2. Granite, granitoids : Plutonic rocks composed predominantly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase feldspar, typically in subequal amounts. Ignimbrite : A deposit formed from a pyroclastic flow. Magma : Although the definition of this fundamental geologic substance is disturbingly vague, the American Geosciences Institute Glossary of Geology definition is appropriate here: “naturally occurring molten or partially molten rock material, generated within the Earth and capable of intrusion and extrusion.” Plutonic : Referring to magma that crystallized at depth and is, therefore, relatively coarse-grained. Granite is a plutonic rock. Pyroclastic : Said of material ejected into the air during eruption, such as volcanic ash. Pyroclastic fall : Fine material from an explosive eruption that falls like snow. Pyroclastic fall material can circle the globe if fine enough and thrown high enough. Pyroclastic flow : A hot, fluidized, ground-hugging mass of fragmental material from an explosive eruption that moves across the ground surface at high speed. Pyroclastic flows are dominated by fine (~70 wt% SiO2. Silica : The chemical component SiO2. Silicic : Denoting a high concentration of silica (typically >66 wt%). Silicic melts are far more viscous than less-silicic ones.

The occurrence of pyroclastic flow deposits is not restricted to polygenetic and/or felsic volcanic systems, but can also occur at mafic monogenetic volcanic centres. At the c. 5 ka Mt Gambier Volcanic Complex, Australia, two small-volume pyroclastic flow deposits resulted from phreatomagmatic eruptive phases of the Blue Lake East and the Valley Lake maar craters. The facies descriptions of the two massive, poorly sorted lapilli tuff and tuff breccia deposits are given. Low-grade carbonized wood fragments in the deposits mark low emplacement temperatures (180–270°C) for these deposits with only c. 12–23% of the total thermal energy of the original magma preserved at the time of deposition. The Blue Lake East vent erupted by forming a short-lived vertical eruption column, which could not be sustained and collapsed. The Valley Lake pyroclastic flow deposit has a highly asymmetric dispersal to the west, indicating that this deposit was formed during an eruptive phase with a large westward-directed lateral component. Such massive, poorly sorted deposits outside the maar crater indicate that some similar deposits in diatremes may have originated from surface eruptions and not just from subsurface debris jets.

Earthquake-induced landslides of pyroclastic fall deposits are special because they occur on gentle slopes and are highly mobile with long runout distance; even one landslide could have hundreds of fatalities when it occurs in a populated area. We have been examining such landslides induced by 6 earthquakes in Japan and one in Indonesia with field surveys, and here summarize their geological features to establish a methodology of prediction. These case histories strongly suggest that pumice deposits and a clay mineral, halloysite, are very susceptible to earthquake shaking and those susceptible beds can be identified from the view point of volcanic stratigraphy. Landslides of pyroclastic fall deposits may occur repeatedly by earthquakes in a certain area until unstable beds are removed, so we need to consider the potential of earthquake-induced landslide is high in an area with buried pumice fall deposits at least where previous earthquakes induced such type of landslides.

Pyroclastic flow eruption large-scale experiment (PELE) is a large-scale facility for experimental studies of pyroclastic density currents (PDCs). It is used to generate high-energy currents involving 500–6500 m3 natural volcanic material and air that achieve velocities of 7–30 m s−1, flow thicknesses of 2–4.5 m, and runouts of >35 m. The experimental PDCs are synthesized by a controlled “eruption column collapse” of ash-lapilli suspensions onto an instrumented channel. The first set of experiments are documented here and used to elucidate the main flow regimes that influence PDC dynamic structure. Four phases are identified: (1) mixture acceleration during eruption column collapse, (2) column-slope impact, (3) PDC generation, and (4) ash cloud diffusion. The currents produced are fully turbulent flows and scale well to natural PDCs including small to large scales of turbulent transport. PELE is capable of generating short, pulsed, and sustained currents over periods of several tens of seconds, and dilute surge-like PDCs through to highly concentrated pyroclastic flow-like currents. The surge-like variants develop a basal

Gravity-driven, ground-hugging gas-pyroclast mixtures produced during explosive volcanic eruptions define a full spectrum of particle concentration, flow regime and particle support mechanisms. To describe these phenomena, the term “pyroclastic density current” (PDC) has become increasingly popular in the last few tens of years. Here, I question the general application of the term PDC to the whole flow spectrum and, instead, I propose the simpler term “pyroclastic current”.

In 2010, Gunung Merapi (Central Java, Indonesia) generated two violent eruption sequences on 26 October and 5 November culminating in widespread pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) associated with the destruction of lava domes. Tephra from PDC deposits were analysed to examine pre-dome collapse volatile behaviour and evidence of carbonate assimilation. Secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) depth profiles of plagioclase phenocrysts reveal that the 7 Li/ 30 Si ratios in 26 October products are higher in the glass compared to the crystal, indicating a build-up of Li in the groundmass not observed in the 5 November samples. Higher Li in the groundmass suggests gas accumulation and rapid development of conduit overpressure in the shallow plumbing system prior to the initial 26 October explosion, which was only captured through the behaviour of quickly diffusing Li and not H 2 O. Following the explosion-induced decompression, juvenile magma rapidly ascended in great volume to generate extremely destructive PDCs following subsequent dome collapses, particularly on 5 November. Additionally, 26 October tephras contain carbonate grains in the ash component and abundant CO 2 within the lava lapilli groundmass glass, which supports previous studies indicating assimilation of calc-silicate lithologies by the Merapi magma at depth in the plumbing system prior to the onset of 2010 activity.

Sedimentological study of the southern slopes of Bibby Hill (relic of a Pliocene tuff cone) allows recognition of twelve lithofacies and three facies associations. Deposits of pyroclastic currents (both low- and high density pyroclastic currents) dominate over the deposits of pyroclastic flows. Products of suabaerial resedimented pyroclastic deposits play minor role. Vertical distribution of facies associations within the studied succession is not uniform. These differences in the distribution of facies associations are interpreted as response to variations in the intensity and type (Surtseyan, Taalian) of phreato-magmatic eruptions, water availability and morphology of the cone.

his study presents the first and detail field investigations of exposed deposits at proximal sections of the Barombi Mbo Maar (BMM), NE Mt Cameroon, with the aim of documenting its past activity, providing insight on the stratigraphic distribution, depositional process, and evolution of the eruptive sequences during its formation. Field evidence reveals that the BMM deposit is about 126m thick, of which about 20m is buried lowermost under the lake level and covered by vegetation. Based on variation in pyroclastic facies within the deposit, it can be divided into three main stratigraphic units: U1, U2 and U3. Interpretation of these features indicates that U1 consists of alternating lapilli-ash-lapilli beds series, in which fallout derived individual lapilli-rich beds are demarcated by surges deposits made up of thin, fine-grained and consolidated ash-beds that are well-defined, well-sorted and laterally continuous in outcrop scale. U2, a pyroclastic fall-derived unit, shows crudely lenticular stratified scoriaceous layers, in which many fluidal and spindle bombs-rich lapilli-beds are separated by very thin, coarse-vesiculatedash-beds, overlain by a mantle xenolith- and accidental lithic-rich explosive breccia, and massive lapilli tuff and lapillistone. U3 displays a series of surges and pyroclastic fall layers. Emplacement processes were largely controlled by fallout deposition and turbulent diluted pyroclastic density currents under “dry” and “wet” conditions. The eruptive activity evolved in a series of initial phreatic eruptions, which gradually became phreatomagmatic, followed by a phreato-Strombolian and a violent phreatomagmatic fragmentation. A relatively long-time break, demonstrated by a paleosol between U2 and U3, would have permitted the feeding of the root zone or the prominent crater by the water that sustained the next eruptive episode, dominated by subsequent phreatomagmatic eruptions. These preliminary results require complementary studies, such as geochemistry, for a better understanding of the changes in the eruptive styles, and to develop more constraints on the maar’s polygenetic origin.

Products of the eruption of Mt. Baekdusan are identified as volcanic materials at the estuaries of the Songhuagang river to north, the Dumangang river to east and the Amnokgang river to west. More speficially, pyroclastic flows, lahars and volcanic floods can affect an area of 400km in radius, centering around Lake Cheonji caldera. However, unlike the millenium eruption, the flow situation has been changed. Because multi-purpose dams and reserviors with a combined pondage of mora than 2 billion tons of water have been built in the rivers of which sources are originated from Lake Cheonji caldera. In addition, the flow of fluids expected to take place when the volcano has erupted is thought to be affected by artificial constructions in both direct and indirect ways. This study calculates the direction of fluids flow by using numerical analyses of pyroclastic flows, lahars and volcanic floods that can occur when the volcano of Mt. Baekdusan has erupted. We also estimate the scope of damages by pyroclastic flows, lahars, volcanic flooding caused by the pondage of the dams and water storages in and around Mt. Baekdusan. Pyroclastic flows transported over the steep slopes at the early times of eruptions move over the mountain slopes, affecting airplanes, and lahars due to leaks of Lake Cheonji could reach as far as major rivers and streams near Mt. Baekdusan. Unlike historical accounts, volcanic flood is expected to be limited in its scope of influence to reservoirs bigger than Lake Cheonji in pondage.

The 2010 eruption of Merapi was the second most deadly in the historic record of this volcano, claiming over 380 lives. By relating the observations of this eruption with detailed examination of deposit distribution, stratigraphy and sedimentology, a reconstruction of the properties of the pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) is presented, including the valley controlled block-and-ash flows (BAFs) and widespread, energetic pyroclastic surges. The distribution, volume and mobility characteristics of all types of PDC during the eruption sequence show evidence for levels of intensity unseen since the large-scale 1872 and 1930 eruption phases, especially during the climactic events of October 26 and November 5. Many tephra falls interbedded with PDC units show that most dome-collapse events occurred along with and between explosive vulcanian eruptions. The 2010 eruption produced very long-runout BAFs, reaching 16.1 km in the Kali Gendol on November 5. This runout could be explained by its large-volume (20 million m 3 ), around 10 times that of previous Merapi BAFs during the last 130 years. Major avulsion of these dense BAFs to form overbank deposits became more common through the eruptive sequence as the valley was progressively filled with successive PDC deposits. Spreading avulsed BAFs were a particular hazard downstream of ~ 10 km where the landscape is less dissected. Less clear, however, is why pyroclastic surges extended up to 10 km from the vent on November 5 and > 6.4 km on October 26. These expanded much farther from BAF margins (~ 2 km) than ever seen before at Merapi. In one location they were decoupled from valley-centered BAFs with high momentum, traveling initially laterally across steep valley systems, before draining downslope. At this site, on the western side of the upper Gendol at around 3 km from source, surge decoupling was apparently exacerbated by upstream collision and deflection of high-flux, hot and gas-rich BAFs against the cliffs of Gunung Kendil. The 1.4 km-long cliff face was impacted directly for the first time in 2010 events, and may have been responsible for the formation of larger than normal turbulent ash-rich clouds above BAFs. These results imply that future eruption events under the present summit and upper flow-path configuration are also highly likely to generate wide dispersal pyroclastic surges and extreme hazard, especially now that dense forest has been destroyed on the upper southern slopes of the volcano.

Two meter-scale pyroclastic levels are interbedded within the early Miocene succession of the Estancia 25 de Mayo (Patagoniense transgression) and Santa Cruz formations in the foreland Austral (or Magallanes) Basin, Argentina. The Lower Pyroclastic Level (LPL) is a tabular body interbedded within offshore marine deposits, laterally continuous for 30 km and varying in thickness from few centimeters to around 4 m. Grain-size grades from coarse to extremely fine ash with upward-fining along with a northeastern-fining trends. Structureless fine to very fine tuffs dominate and rare parallel laminations are the only tractive sedimentary structures. The Upper Pyroclastic Level (UPL) lies within low energy fluvial deposits and is laterally discontinuous, and it is composed by lenticular bodies reaching a maximum of 15 m thick and 100 m wide, with a concave-up base and a plane top. Grain-size range is similar to the LPL but it coarsens upward. The lower portion of the UPL shows parallel lamination, current ripple lamination and mud drapes with large pumice lapilli and plant debris, whereas the upper portion shows parallel lamination and trough cross-stratification. Both pyroclastic levels are composed mainly of pumice grains and glass shards with minor proportions of quartz and plagioclase crystals and lithic fragments. The LPL shows no mixing with epiclastic material whereas the UPL shows an upward increase in epiclastic material, and an upward increment in the scale of cross-bedding. The large thickness in relation to the possible emission center and the content of plant debris of the LPL does not suggest a direct, submarine, ash-fallout origin. The LPL is interpreted as a deposit of hyperpycnal-flows generated at the coastal zone when tephra-laden rivers plunged into the ocean. Large amounts of well preserved plant debris support the hypothesis of a terrestrial source of the sediments. The UPL is entirely composed of tractive deposits, so an ash fallout origin is disregarded. This, together with the lenticular shape and the alluvial plain origin of the encasing sediments, suggests accumulation within fluvial channels. Cycles of upper-flow-regime parallel lamination, current-ripple lamination and mud drapes at the lower portion, suggest short-lived turbulent flows that initially filled semi-abandoned channels. They were followed by sheet floods and channel reactivation, expressed by large-scale cross-bedding. The low degree of particle mixing observed in both levels is explained by the inability of streams to erode the substrate as they are suddenly over-saturated with pyroclastic sediments during and after the eruption. The grain-size distribution of the LPL and geochemical data indicate a contemporaneous volcanic source located to the west/southwest in the Andean ranges, where the South Patagonian Batholith is presently located. Fil: Cuitiño, José Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Basicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Basicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; Argentina Fil: Scasso, Roberto Adrian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Geociencias Basicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geociencias Basicas, Aplicadas y Ambientales de Buenos Aires; Argentina

During the current (1995–present) eruptive phase of the Soufriere Hills volcano on Montserrat, voluminous pyroclastic flows entered the sea off the eastern flank of the island, resulting in the deposition of well-defined submarine pyroclastic lobes. Previously reported bathymetric surveys documented the sequential construction of these deposits, but could not image their internal structure, the morphology or extent of their base, or interaction with the underlying sediments. We show, by combining these bathymetric data with new high-resolution three dimensional (3D) seismic data, that the sequence of previously detected pyroclastic deposits from different phases of the ongoing eruptive activity is still well preserved. A detailed interpretation of the 3D seismic data reveals the absence of significant (> 3 m) basal erosion in the distal extent of submarine pyroclastic deposits. We also identify a previously unrecognized seismic unit directly beneath the stack of recent lobes. We propose three hypotheses for the origin of this seismic unit, but prefer an interpretation that the deposit is the result of the subaerial flank collapse that formed the English's Crater scarp on the Soufriere Hills volcano. The 1995–recent volcanic activity on Montserrat accounts for a significant portion of the sediments on the southeast slope of Montserrat, in places forming deposits that are more than 60 m thick, which implies that the potential for pyroclastic flows to build volcanic island edifices is significant.

Felsic maar-diatreme volcanoes host major ore deposits but have been largely ignored in the volcanology literature, especially for the diatreme portion of the system. Here, we use two Mexican tuff rings as analogs for the maar ejecta ring, new observations from one diatreme, and the economic geology literature on four other mineralized felsic maar-diatremes to produce an integrated picture of this type of volcano. The ejecta rings are up to 50 m+ thick and extend laterally up to ∼1.5 km from the crater edge. In two Mexican examples, the lower part of the ejecta ring is dominated by pyroclastic surge deposits with abundant lithic clasts (up to 80% at Hoya de Estrada). These deposits display low-angle cross-bedding, dune bedforms, undulating beds, channels, bomb sags, and accretionary lapilli and are interpreted as phreatomagmatic. Rhyolitic juvenile clasts at Tepexitl have only 0–25% vesicles in this portion of the ring. The upper parts of the ejecta ring sequences in the Mexican examples have a different character: lithic clasts can be less abundant, the grain size is typically coarser, and the juvenile clasts can be different in character (with some more vesicular fragments). Fragmentation was probably shallower at this stage. The post-eruptive maar crater infill is known at Wau and consists of reworked pyroclastic deposits as well as lacustrine and other sediments. Underneath are bedded upper diatreme deposits, interpreted as pyroclastic surge and fall deposits. The upper diatreme and post-eruptive crater deposits have dips larger than 30° at Wau, with approximately centroclinal attitudes. At still lower structural levels, the diatreme pyroclastic infill is largely unbedded; Montana Tunnels and Kelian are good examples of this. At Cerro de Pasco, the pyroclastic infill seems bedded despite about 500 m of post-eruptive erosion relative to the pre-eruptive surface. The contact between the country rocks and the diatreme is sometimes characterized by country rock breccias (Kelian, Mt. Rawdon). Pyroclastic rocks in the diatreme are typically poorly sorted, and ash-rich. They contain a heterolithic mix of juvenile clasts and lithic clasts from various stratigraphic levels. Megablocks derived from the ejecta ring or the country rocks are often found in the diatremes. Evidence for multiple explosions is in the form of steep crosscutting pyroclastic bodies within some diatremes and fragments of pyroclastic rocks within other pyroclastic facies. Pyroclastic rocks are cut by coherent felsic dikes and plugs which may have been feeders to lava domes at the surface. Allowing for the difference in magma composition, felsic maar-diatreme volcanoes have many similarities with their ultramafic to mafic equivalents. Differences include a common association with felsic domes, inside the crater or just outside (Wau), although the domes within the crater may be destroyed during the eruption (Hoya de Estrada, Tepexitl); the dikes and plugs feeding and invading felsic diatremes seem larger; the processes of phreatomagmatic explosions involving felsic magmas may be different.

International audience; Turbulent volcanic jets are produced by highly-energetic explosive eruptions and may form buoyant plumes that rise many tens of kilometres into the atmosphere to form umbrella clouds or collapse to generate ground-hugging pyroclastic flows. Ash injected into the atmosphere can be transported for many hundreds of kilometres with the potential to affect climate, disrupt global air travel and cause respiratory health problems. Pyroclastic flows, by contrast, are potentially catastrophic to populations and infrastructure close to the volcano. Key to which of these two behaviours will occur is the extent to which the mechanical entrainment and mixing of ambient air into the jet by large (entraining) eddies forming the jet edge changes the density of the air–ash mixture: low entrainment rates lead to pyroclastic flows and high entrainment rates give rise to buoyant plumes. Recent experiments on particle-laden (multi-phase) volcanic jets from flared and straight-sided circular openings suggest that the likelihood for buoyant plumes will depend strongly on the shape and internal geometry of the vent region. This newly recognised sensitivity of the fate of volcanic jets to the structure of the vent is a consequence of a complex dynamic coupling between the jet and entrained solid particles, an effect that has generally been overlooked in previous studies. Building on this work, here we use an extensive series of experiments on multi-phase turbulent jets from analogue linear fissures and annular ring fractures to explore whether the restrictive vent geometry during cataclysmic caldera-forming (CCF) eruptions will ultimately lead a relatively greater frequency of pyroclastic flows than eruptions from circular vents on stratovolcanoes. Our results, understood through scaling analyses and a one-dimensional theoretical model, show that entrainment is enhanced where particle motions contribute angular momentum to entraining eddies. However, because the size of the entraining eddies scales approximately with vent width, the extent of entrainment is reduced as the vent width becomes small in comparison to its length. Consequently, our work shows that for specified mass eruption rates, the high length-to-width ratio vents typical of CCF events are more likely to produce pyroclastic flows. We suggest that the enigmatic trend in the geological record for the largest CCF eruptions to produce pyroclastic flows is an expected consequence of their being erupted through continuous or piece-wise continuous caldera ring fractures.

The Orapa Diamond Mine (Republic of Botswana) exposes a bi-lobate kimberlite pipe that erupted during the Late-Cretaceous epoch (~ 93 Ma) through Archaean basement and volcano-sedimentary rocks of the Karoo Supergroup. Geological mapping of the crater zone of the South Pipe has revealed a 15-25 m thick in-situ kimberlite pyroclastic flow deposit. The pyroclastic deposit fills in the crater and completely drapes lower units, indicating that the parent flow originated from an adjacent kimberlite pipe. The unit comprises a basal coarse lithic concentration layer exhibiting imbricated clasts, which grades upwards into massive poorly sorted lapilli tuff. The tuff contains abundant sub-vertical degassing structures defined by lithic enrichment and depletion in fine-grained material. Degassing structures commonly emanate from blocks in the basal layer. The presence of degassing structures and a coarse basal layer distinguishes this deposit from pipe-filling massive volcaniclastic kimberlite, which is typically homogeneous in terms of texture and clast size over distances on the order of 100s of metres. Studies of the thermal remanent magnetism in basalt clasts from the deposit, together with serpentine-diopside assemblages, indicate that it was emplaced at elevated temperatures on the order of 200-440 °C, consistent with deposition from a pyroclastic flow. The lithofacies characteristics can be explained by the interaction of the pyroclastic flow with the complex topography of a pre-existing crater. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multiple, highly erosive base surges of the Table Rock Complex tuff ring (TRC2), Oregon, produced dune-bedded deposits with crest to crest bedform wavelengths up to 200 m, which are amongst the largest ever recognized in the deposits of pyroclastic density currents. Here we use bedform wavelength, surmounted obstacles, and a large chute-and-pool feature to estimate near-source velocities (118–233 m s − 1 ), lower-bound velocities at radial distances of 1.6, 2 and 4.7 km from source (34, 29 and 20 m s − 1 , respectively), and corresponding column collapse heights (up to 2.8 km). This paper represents one of the few studies that attempt to quantify flow characteristics, such as emplacement velocities at different distances from source, eruption column collapse height, and eruptive energy, based on deposit characteristics.

*Corresponding author The Permian pyroclastic deposits of the Levin Volcanic Field within the Krkonose Piedmont Basin were studied in terms of volcanology. Pyroclastic rocks are exposed in two quarries and the study was supported with a 30 m deep borehole K1 penetrating these rocks. The pyroclastic rocks are altered but preserved textures enable reconstruction of eruptive styles. The volcanic sequence exposed in the abandoned Hvězda quarry starts with a phreato-Strombolian pyroclastic rocks rich in basaltic scoria, cuspate glass shards, armoured- and accretionary lapilli overlain with mafic lava. Subsequent activity was phreatomagmatic in style and produced fall-out of accretionary lapilli and accumulation of base surge deposits. Overlying subhorizontally bedded matrix-supported pyroclastic deposits are rich in scoria and contain spindle-shaped bombs. These rocks are interpreted as mafic pyroclastic flow deposits related to Strombolian eruptions. A similar succession capped by scoriaceous fall-out deposit was documented in the K1 borehole. A coherent mafic volcanic rock (lava or sill) terminates the succession exposed in the Hvězda quarry. Agglutinates at the base of the Studenec quarry were produced during Hawaiian eruptions building up a spatter cone. The cone most probably dammed a stream and created an ephemeral lake. Increasing influence of water on eruptive styles is documented in overlying pyroclastic deposits of phreatomagmatic eruptions. Subsequent lava flowed into the lake. Quenching of the lava resulted in formation of pillows enclosed in hyaloclastite breccia. Further up in the exposure, transition of pillow to massive lava has been recognized. Overlaying pyroclastic deposits are matrix-supported and rich in scoria and spindle-shaped bombs. Similarly to the Hvězda quarry, these are interpreted as mafic pyro clastic flow deposits. Volcanic activity in the Levin Volcanic Field was characterized by Hawaiian, Strombolian, phreato-Strombolian and phreatomagmatic eruptions accompanying lava effusions and possibly sills emplacement. The lavas were emitted in both subaerial and subaquatic conditions. The character and distribution of volcaniclastic facies suggests existence of several monogenetic volcanoes.

We report the first results from a study of pyroclastic material discharged by Sarychev Peak in June 2009 (Matua I., Kuril Is.). We describe the deposits of pyroclastic flows and pyroclastic surges, the ash deposited from the plume of pyroclastic flows, and tephra.

Ilchulbong (Jeju Island, Korea) is a UNESCO World Heritage site that has outstanding coastal exposures of a tuff cone formed by a phreatomagmatic eruption of basaltic magma in a shallow sea. Wet fallout and subsequent resedimentation processes were predominant means of emplacement of the tuff cone. The marginal deposits of the tuff cone show, however, peculiar deposit features which resulted from the interaction of wet pyroclastic surges and a topographic obstacle, a ∼30 m-high dissected scoria cone. These features include steeply dipping, inversely graded strata, a breccia bed composed of thin-laminated fine tuff clasts, and isolated tuff clasts within some lapilli tuff beds. These features indicate that the depositional system (underflow or bedload layer) and the transport system (overlying suspension current) of the pyroclastic surges underwent different responses upon colliding with the topographic obstacle. The coarse-grained materials in the depositional system were mostly blocked by the obstacle, producing a scree-like wedge of deposits containing inversely graded grain-flow strata. In contrast, the transport system was not significantly affected by the obstacle, maintaining its momentum and original flow direction after passing over the dissected scoria cone. Some of the fine-grained load in the transport system was, however, plastered onto the cliff wall. The plastered tuffs were later detached and fell from the wall, resulting in an intraformational breccia bed and exotic tuff clasts within some lapilli tuff beds. The studied site, located within a scenic World Natural Heritage site, can be utilized as an important geosite for the education of the processes which occur during the collision of a pyroclastic density current with a topographic obstacle and the different fates of the depositional and transport systems of a pyroclastic density current.

Products of the latest eruptions from the Valles caldera, New Mexico, consist of the El Cajete Pyroclastic Beds and Battleship Rock Ignimbrite, a sequence of pyroclastic fall and density current deposits erupted at ~ 55 ka, capped by the later Banco Bonito Flow erupted at ~ 40 ka, and collectively named the East Fork Member of the Valles Rhyolite. The stratigraphy of the East Fork Member has been the subject of conflicting interpretations in the past; a long-running investigation of short-lived exposures over a period of many years enables us to present a more complete event stratigraphy for these eruptions than has hitherto been possible. The volume of rhyolitic magma erupted during the 55 ka event may have been more than 10 km3, and for the 40 ka event can be estimated with rather more confidence at 4 km3. During the earlier event, plinian eruptions dispersed fallout pumice over much of the Valles caldera, the southern Jemez Mountains, and the Rio Grande rift. We infer a fallout thickness of several decimeters at the site of the city of Santa Fe, and significant ash fall in eastern New Mexico. In contrast, pyroclastic density currents were channeled within the caldera moat and southwestward into the head of Canon de San Diego, the principal drainage from the caldera. Simultaneous (or rapidly alternating) pyroclastic fallout and density current activity characterized the ~ 55 ka event, with density currents becoming more frequent as the eruption progressed through two distinct stages separated by a brief hiatus. One early pyroclastic surge razed a forest in the southern caldera moat, in a similar manner to the initial blast of the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. Ignimbrite outflow from the caldera through the drainage notch may have been restricted in runout distance due to steep, rugged topography in this vicinity promoting mixing between flows and air, and the formation of phoenix clouds. Lavas erupted during both the ~ 55 and ~ 40 ka events were largely confined to the caldera moat. Any future rhyolitic eruptions of similar magnitude in the southern or western parts of the Valles caldera will likely affect similar areas.

Pyroclastic flows represent the most hazardous events of explosive volcanism, one striking example being the famous historical eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed Pompeii (AD 79). Much of our knowledge of the mechanics of pyroclastic flows comes from theoretical models and numerical simulations. Valuable data are also stored in the geological record of past eruptions, including the particles contained in pyroclastic deposits, but the deposit characteristics are rarely used for quantifying the destructive potential of pyroclastic flows. By means of experiments, we validate a model that is based on data from pyroclastic deposits. The model allows the reconstruction of the current's fluid-dynamic behaviour. Model results are consistent with measured values of dynamic pressure in the experiments, and allow the quantification of the damage potential of pyroclastic flows.

Based on the stratigraphic record of the deposits, analysis of previous works, historic archives, and eyewitness accounts the 1913 eruption of Volcan de Colima was reconstructed. The eruption started in 17 January and peaked in 20 January, 1913. It occurred in three main phases: 1) An opening phase with the generation of Merapi-type pyroclastic flows (units F1, F2, F3) and a pyroclastic surge (S1), 2) A vent-clearing phase with strong explosions that produced Vulcanian-Soufriere-type pyroclastic flows (F4) and a pyroclastic surge (S2) which destroyed the summit dome decompressing the magma system, and 3) a Plinian phase with the establishment of a ∼ 23 km high column dispersing a fallout (C1) to the NE followed by the collapse of the column that generated a pyroclastic surge (S3) and 15-km long pumice-rich pyroclastic flows (F5). After the eruption, remobilization of the pyroclastic material generated lahars in main gullies around the crater. Fallout C1 blanketed an area of ∼ 191,318 km2 covering the cities of Guzman, Guadalajara, and Saltillo (Coahuila) located at 725 km from the source. It had a volume of 1.4 km3 (0.57 km3 DRE = Dense Rock Equivalent). The total volume of pyroclastic flow and surge deposits was 0.26 km3 (0.07 km3 DRE) giving a total volume of the eruption of 1.66 km3 (0.64 km3 DRE). The Plinian column lasted 4.6 h with a total mass of 1.5 × 1012 kg and a mass eruption rate of 9.02 × 107 kg/s. The column height and the ejected magma volume indicate that the 1913 eruption had a VEI = 5 being the largest event in the historical record of Colima Volcano. Juvenile scoria and pumice consisted of Pl > Opx > Cpx > Hbl + accessory titanomagnetite + Ap and Ol with reaction rims. Chemistry of juvenile scoria and pumice samples is andesitic very homogeneous (58.3 ± 0.5 wt.% SiO2) and similar to the 1818 juvenile products (58.9 ± 0.2 wt.% SiO2). The presence of banded scoria, olivine phenocrysts with reaction rims, and trace element variations strongly suggest that the 1913 eruption was caused by a magma mixing event.

The Pucn eruption was the largest Holocene explosive outburst of Volcan Villarrica, Chile. It discharged > 1.0 km(3) of basaltic-andesite magma and > 0.8 km(3) of pre-existing rock, forming a thin scoria-fall deposit overlain by voluminous ignimbrite intercalated with pyroclastic surge beds. The deposits are up to 70 m thick and are preserved up to 21 km from the present-day summit, post-eruptive lahar deposits extending farther. Two ignimbrite units are distinguished: a lower one (P1) in which all accidental lithic clasts are of volcanic origin and an upper unit (P2) in which basement granitoids also occur, both as free clasts and as xenoliths in scoria. P2 accounts for similar to 80% of the erupted products. Following the initial scoria fallout phase, P1 pyroclastic flows swept down the northern and western flanks of the volcano, magma fragmentation during this phase being confined to within the volcanic edifice. Following a pause of at least a couple of days sufficient for wood devolatilization, eruption recommenced, the fragmentation level dropped to within the granitoid basement, and the pyroclastic flows of P2 were erupted. The first P2 flow had a highly turbulent front, laid down ignimbrite with large-scale cross-stratification and regressive bedforms, and sheared the ground; flow then waned and became confined to the southeastern flank. Following emplacement of pyroclastic surge deposits all across the volcano, the eruption terminated with pyroclastic flows down the northern flank. Multiple lahars were generated prior to the onset of a new eruptive cycle. Charcoal samples yield a probable eruption age of 3,510 +/- 60 C-14 years BP.

Cerro Machin is a dacitic tuff ring located in the central part of the Colombian Andes. It lies at the southern end of the Cerro Bravo–Cerro Machin volcanic belt. This volcano has experienced at least six major explosive eruptions during the last 5000 years. These eruptions have generated pyroclastic flows associated with Plinian activity that have traveled up to 8 km from the crater, and pyroclastic flows associated with Vulcanian activity with shorter runouts of 5 km from the source. Today, some 21,000 people live within a 8 km radius of Cerro Machin. The volcano is active with fumaroles and has shown increasing seismic activity since 2004, and therefore represents a potentially increasing threat to the local population. To evaluate the possible effects of future eruptions that may generate pyroclastic density currents controlled by granular flow dynamics we performed flow simulations with the TITAN2D code. These simulations were run in all directions around the volcano, using the input parameters of the largest eruption reported. The results show that an eruption of 0.3 km 3 of pyroclastic flows from a collapsing Plinian column would travel up to 9 km from the vent, emplacing a deposit thicker than 60 m within the Toche River valley. Deposits >45 m thick can be expected in the valleys of San Juan, Santa Marta, and Azufral creeks, while 30 m thick deposits could accumulate within the drainages of the Tochecito, Bermellon, and Coello Rivers. A minimum area of 56 km 2 could be affected directly by this kind of eruption. In comparison, Vulcanian column-collapse pyroclastic flows of 0.1 km 3 would travel up to 6 km from the vent depositing >45 m thick debris inside the Toche River valley and more than 30 m inside the valleys of San Juan, Santa Marta, and Azufral creeks. The minimum area that could be affected directly by this kind of eruption is 33 km 2 . The distribution and thickness of the deposits obtained by these simulations are consistent with the hazard map presented by INGEOMINAS (Geological Survey of Colombia) in 2002. The composite map of the simulated flow deposits suggests that after major explosive events such as these, the generation of lahars is probable.

article i nfo Article history: Sedimentation and welding processes of the high temperature dilute pyroclastic densitycurrents and fallout erupted at 7.3 ka from the Kikai caldera are discussed based on the stratigraphy, texture, lithofacies characteristics, and components of the resulting deposits. The welded eruptive deposits, Unit B, were produced during the column collapse phase, following a large plinian eruption and preceding an ignimbrite eruption, and can be divided into two subunits, Units Bl and Bu. Unit Bl is primarily deposited in topographic depressions on proximal islands, and consists of multiple thin (b 1m )flow units with stratified and cross- stratified facies with various degrees of welding. Each thin unit appears as a single aggradational unit, composed of a lower lithic-rich layer or pod and an upper welded pumice-rich layer. Lithic-rich parts are fines-depleted and are composed of altered country rock, fresh andesite lava, obsidian clasts with chilled margins, and boulders. The overlying Unit Bu shows densely welded stratified facies, composed of alter- nating lithic-rich and pumice-rich layers. The layers mantle lower units and are sometimes viscously deformed by ballistics. The sedimentarycharacteristics of Unit Bl such as welded stratified orcross-stratified facies indicate that high temperature dilute pyroclastic density currents were repeatedly generated from limited magma-water interactions. It is thought that dense brittle particles were segregated in a turbulent current and were immediately buried by deposition of hot, lighter pumice-rich particles, and that this process repeated many times. It is also suggested that the depositional temperature of eruptive materials was high and the eruptive style changed from a normal plinian eruption, through surge-generating ex- plosions(UnitBl),intoanagglutinate-dominatedfallouteruption(UnitBu).Onthebasisof fielddata,welded

Images obtained by the MESSENGER spacecraft have revealed evidence for pyroclastic volcanism on Mercury. Because of the importance of this inference for understanding the interior volatile inventory of Mercury, we focus on one of the best examples determined to date: a shield-volcano-like feature just inside the southwestern rim of the Caloris impact basin characterized by a near-central, irregularly shaped depression surrounded by a bright deposit interpreted to have a pyroclastic origin. This candidate pyroclastic deposit has a mean radius of ~ 24 km, greater in size than the third largest lunar pyroclastic deposit when scaled to lunar gravity conditions. From the extent of the candidate pyroclastic deposit, we characterize the eruption parameters of the event that emplaced it, including vent speed and candidate volatile content. The minimum vent speed is ~ 300 m/s, and the volatile content required to emplace the pyroclasts to this distance is hundreds to several thousands of parts per million (ppm) of the volatiles typically associated with pyroclastic eruptions on other bodies (e.g., CO, CO2, H2O, SO2, H2S). For comparison, measurements of the exsolution of volatiles (H2O, CO2, S) from basaltic eruptive episodes at Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, indicate values of ~ 1300–6500 ppm for the terrestrial mantle source. Evidence for the presence of significant amounts of volatiles in partial melts derived from the interior of Mercury is an unexpected result and provides a new constraint on models for the planet's formation and early evolution.

The general characteristics of seismic signals produced by pyroclastic flows (generated by either the collapse of a lava dome or an eruptive column) and lahars at Volcan de Colima, Mexico are discussed. The paper concentrates on the 2004–2006 activity associated with and following the extrusion of andesitic block-lava in October–November 2004. It is shown that the duration of the broad-band seismic records of pyroclastic flows lasts a few minutes while the duration of seismic records of lahars continues for tens of minutes or hours. The spectra of seismic records produced by pyroclastic flows are characterized by lower peak frequencies (around 3–4 Hz) than for lahars (around 6–8 Hz). This difference in the frequency content together with the difference in the duration of seismic signals allows early diagnostic of the events in real time.

A large pyroclastic eruption occurred around 7.3 ka from the Kikai caldera about 30 km north of Yakushima Island. Its pyroclastic flow and fall deposits covered the entire area of Yakushima Island and may have influenced the evolution of unique floras and faunas of Yakushima Island. Detailed field survey revealed that the Koya pyroclastic flow deposit spread from NW to SE, covering almost the entire area of Yakushima. A part of the southern coastal area remained from the pyroclastic flow due to local alignment of topographic ridges and valleys, which acted as barriers to the pyroclastic flows. Possible tsunami deposits associated with the Kikai-Akahoya eruption were discovered in the area below ca. 50 m above sea level along the northern coasts of Yakushima and Kuchinoerabujima Islands.

El Chichon volcano consists of a 2-km wide Somma crater compound cone 0.2 Ma old with peripheral domes with a central crater reactivated several times during the Holocene. The most recent eruption at El Chichon occurred from March 28 to April 4, 1982, resulting in the worst volcanic disaster during historical times in Mexico, killing more than 2000 people and destroying nine towns and small communities. The volcanic hazard map of El Chichon is based on detailed field work that documented twelve eruptions during the last 8000 years, and computer simulations. To validate the results, computer simulations were first performed over pre-1982 topography mimicking the extent of the actual deposits produced and afterwards run over post-1982 topography. These eruptions have produced pyroclastic fall, surge, flow and lahar deposits. Pyroclastic flows have different volumes and Heim coefficients varying from 0.2 (pumice flows), to 0.15 (block-and-ash flows) and 0.10 (ash flows). Simulations using FLOW3D and TITAN2D indicate that pumice flows and block-and-ash flows can fill the moat area and follow main ravines up to distances of ca. 3 km from the crater, with no effect on populations around the volcano. On the other hand, more mobile ash flows related to column-collapse events can reach up to 4 km from the vent, but will always follow the same paths and still not affect surrounding populations. The energy-cone model was used to simulate the outflow of pyroclastic surges based on the 1982 event ( H / L = 0.1 and 0.2), and shows that surges may reach some towns around the volcano. Explosive activity also produced Plinian columns higher than 27 km that were dispersed towards the NE by prevailing winds. Future fallout will seriously disturb the lives of more than 70,000 inhabitants of cities and towns located in a radius of 35 km from the volcano. Lahar events in the past originated from unconsolidated pyroclastic deposits with volumes varying from 1 to 4 × 10 6 m 3 for single pulses, to a large one from dam-breakout with a volume of 40 × 10 6 m 3 . We used the LAHARZ code to model future events with volumes of 1, 2, and 3 × 10 6 m 3 that will reach as far as 10, 14, and 16 km from the crater, posing some danger to the communities of Nicapa, Volcan, and Ostuacan, even some time after the climax of the eruption.

The discovery of unexpectedly young tephra, with K-Ar dates of 1.50 ± 0.18 and 1.38 ± 0.13 Ma BP, in the Lake Egirdir area sheds new light on the time-span and magnitude of explosive volcanism in west-central Anatolia and on the physical behaviour of pyroclastic currents. The Golcuk maar near Isparta, widely thought to have ceased its activity in Pliocene time, was apparently still erupting with strong explosions in the Early Pleistocene. The Egirdir tephra, 34 km NE from the volcano, indicate deposition from powerful pyroclastic surges directed by the topography. The depositing currents were fully turbulent and carried unusually large lithic clasts, up to 2–3 cm in diameter, in suspension, which is incompatible with the existing physical model for pyroclastic currents. Based on the tephra characteristics, a conceptual model of the pyroclastic current's segmentation, or lateral dynamic partition, is suggested and used further to explain the current's specific response to an encountered topographic barrier. The widely held concept of a pyroclastic current's vertical separation, or sharp rheological decoupling, is thought to describe a common secondary phenomenon.

The ad 79 Plinian eruption of Vesuvius that buried Pompeii and Herculaneum began with pumice falls deposited towards the SE of the volcano followed by pyroclastic currents directed towards the SW. These currents reached Herculaneum and rapidly entered the sea, forming a fan. The interpretation of seismic reflection profiles and gravity cores collected off Herculaneum documents a submarine fan-shaped pyroclastic body at 10–140 m water depth that we interpret as the submarine counterpart of the onshore pyroclastic current deposits. This fan, c . 0.3 km 3 in volume, displays a chaotic seismic facies that changes seaward to parallel reflectors and then to wavy reflectors. Gravity cores reveal a succession consisting of centimetre-thick sand- or silt-sized ash couplets followed by a graded gravelly sand-sized bed up to 180 cm thick, containing shell fragments and beach-derived pebbles, overlain by centimetre-thick graded and laminated sandy ash layers. The depositional textures and sedimentary structures of the submarine pyroclastic fan have been interpreted as the product of the interactions between pyroclasts, water waves and tsunamis induced by the ad 79 pyroclastic density currents into the Bay of Naples.

The emplacement temperature of the AD915 Towada pyroclastic flow (To-a pyroclastic surge) is estimated from the emplacement temperature of crusts (pumices and a lithic fragment) within the surge deposits. The measured emplacement temperature of the pyroclastic surge varies vertically in the surge deposits. The lower part of the deposits shows low temperatures (300-500°C) because due to cooling by the cold ground surface. The middle part of the surge deposits, which was sandwiched by the lower and upper parts of the surge, shows high temperatures (350-680°C, mostly 620-650°C). The upper part of the surge deposits which was probably cooled by the atmosphere, shows moderate temperatures (less than 620°C, mostly 500-620°C).

During 1997 and 2001 two lahars took place in the Tenenepanco and Huiloac gorges on the northeastern sector of the Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico. These lahars were the result of volcanic activity characterized by a pyroclastic fall and flow. The lahars were triggered by the mass failures produced hours after the eruption. The well-known superelevation technique commonly used in this kind of study was applied to infer the lahar's mean velocity. Estimations show a broad flow velocity range of 1.3– 13.8 m/s depending on the following geomorphological parameters: channel depth and slope, peak discharge and distance from the initial source. These results were compared with lahar velocities from Mount St Helens (1980) and Nevado del Ruiz (1985), which were obtained by the same superelevation technique. According to the data, the lahars from Nevado del Ruiz and Popocatepetl were triggered by similar conditions, while at Mount St Helens they were the result of the conversion of a pyroclastic surge cloud. Actually, the Mount St Helens lahars were almost twice as fast as the ones at Nevado del Ruiz and Popocatepetl. This observation shows the importance of the lahars' genesis in that the pyroclastic surge clouds produce faster lahars than do pyroclastic falls. Such results should be taken into account in lahar risk assessment studies for communities located near active volcanoes. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recognition that the Fisher Tuff (Unimak Island, Alaska) was deposited on the leeside of an ∼500–700‐m‐high mountain range (Tugamak Range) more than 10 km away from its source played a major role in defining pyroclastic flows as momentum‐driven currents. We reexamined the Fisher Tuff to evaluate whether deposition from expanded turbulent clouds can better explain its depositional features. We studied the tuff at 89 sites and sieved bulk samples from 27 of those sites. We find that the tuff consists of a complex sequence of deposits that record the evolution of the eruption from a buoyant plume (22 km) that deposited ∼0.2 km3 of dacite magma as a pyroclastic fall layer to erupting ∼10–100 km3 of andesitic magma as Scoria‐rich pyroclastic falls and flows that were mainly deposited to the north and northwest of the caldera, including those in valleys within the Tugamak Range. The distribution of the flow deposits and their welding, internal stratification, and the occurrence of lithic breccia all su...

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is used to image and characterize fall and pyroclastic flow deposits from the 1815 eruption of Tambora volcano in Indonesia. Analysis of GPR common-mid-point (CMP) data indicate that the velocity of radar in the sub-surface is 0.1 m/ns, and this is used to establish a preliminary traveltime to-depth conversion for common-offset reflection profiles. Common-offset radar profiles were collected along the edge of an erosional gully that exposed approximately 1–2 m of volcanic stratigraphy. Additional trenching at select locations in the gully exposed the contact between the pre-1815 eruption surface and overlying pyroclastic deposit from the 1815 eruption. The deepest continuous, prominent reflection is shown to correspond to the interface between pre-eruption clay-rich soil and pyroclastics that reach a maximum thickness of 4 m along our profiles. This soil surface is distinctly terraced and is interpreted as the ground surface augmented for agriculture and buildings by people from the kingdom of Tambora. The correlation of volcanic stratigraphy and radar data at this location indicates that reflections are produced by the soil-pyroclastic deposit interface and the interface between pyroclastic flows (including pyroclastic surge) and the pumice-rich fall deposits. In the thickest deposits an additional reflection marks the interface between two pyroclastic flow units.

Pyroclastic flow deposits recently found within a pre-existing lava tube at Tianchi Volcano represent, to the best of our knowledge, the only such reported occurrence worldwide. In this case, pyroclastic flow of Tianchi’s “Millennium eruption” (~1 ka) traveled about 18 km from the summit eruptive source and poured successively into the ~560-m-long accessible segment of Silidong lava tube. Mapping of tube morphology, combined with detailed characterization of the features associated with the pumice flow deposits (e.g., adhering of pyroclastic materials on tube walls, fumarole pipes, rootless vents, and flow fronts of the deposit surface) has enabled plausible inferences regarding the original within-tube conditions and dynamic flow regime during emplacement. We propose a model of an aggrading pyroclastic flow which locally varies its sedimentation rate. The pyroclastic deposit is thicker in locations of reduced flow mobility, and the resultant variations in deposit thickness appear to control the distribution of fumarole pipes and rootless vents.

Two Pleistocene eruptions are studied, linked to an increment in the tectonic activity of an extensive system related to Calama–Olacapato–El Toro Fault (COT Fault). The first one, consisting of dense pyroclastic flows and pyroclastic surges interbedded with fall deposits, was caused by a phreatoplinian eruption. The second one, consisting of a succession of pyroclastic surges, derived from a phreatic eruption. Both eruption vents have been located in en echelon normal faults with an NNE trend, and conjugated to strike faults following an NNW trend. In both episodes pyroclastic deposits and ballistic blocks follow an E–SSE trend, the direction to which the fault planes and topographical slope lean. The obsidianic deposit filling the first eruption vent has the same trend and dip as the main fault plane and provides (preliminary) evidences of syntectonic emplacement. On the other hand, pyroclastic surge deposits linked to the second episode offer evidences of syndepositional faulting with listric growth faults. It is concluded that this local horizontal area linked to the COT fault was intensely active during the Pleistocene and triggered both eruptions.

The magmatic andesitic eruption of Arenal volcano on July 29‐31, 1968, after centuries of dormancy, produced three new fissural craters (A, B and C) on its western flank and a multilayered pyroclastic deposit emplaced by complex transport mechanisms. The explosions were initially triggered by a volatile oversaturated (4‐7 wt.% H2O) magma. Several lines of evidences suggest a small blast surge, where a wood-rich pyroclastic deposit was emplaced as a ground layer, followed by several units of coarse-grained (Md! between ! 0.65 and ! 5.40) tephra deposits (LU: lapilli units, DAU: double ash units). LU-1, -2, -3, DAU-1 and -2 consist of unconsolidated and well- to poorly sorted vesiculated bombs and lapilli of andesite, some blocks, ash and shredded wood. The individual units are possibly correlated with the major explosions of July 29. The thickness of the deposits decreases with the distance from the volcano from 5.6 m to a few centimeters. On average, 90% of the components are juvenile (10% dense andesite and 90% vesicular). These coarse-grained beds were deposited in rapid succession by a complex transport process, involving normal fallout, strong ballistic trajectories with a lateral hot (" 400 °C) blast surge (LU, equivalent to A1). Ballistic and coarse tephra sprayed in a narrow (85°) area within about 5.5 km from the lowest crater, and a high (ca. 10 km) eruption column dispersed airfall fine lapilli-ash >100 km from the volcano. Ashcloud forming explosions, producing thin pyroclastic surge and muddy phreatomagmatic fallout deposits (FLAU, equivalent to A2 and A3), closed the blast surge sequence. The successive explosions on July 30‐31 mainly produced block and ash flows, and widely dispersed ash fall. The total volume of pyroclastic material is calculated as 25.8±5.5! 10 6 m 3 (9.4± 2.0! 10 6 m 3 DRE). A model is proposed to explain the peculiarities of the formation, transportation and emplacement of the blast deposits. The intrusion of the presumed andesitic cryptodome possibly happened through an active thrust fault, favoring not only the formation of the lowest crater A, but also the low-angle explosive events. Prior to the eruption, several minerals were settling to the bottom of the magma chamber as is suggested by the increase of incompatible elements towards the bottom of the stratigraphic section. The major elements indicate that some crystal redistribution occurred and the maximum concentration of Al2O3, and Eu, and Sr support plagioclase enrichment in early phases of the eruption (top of LU-1 and DAU-1). From the about 20 recognized prehistoric and historic blast deposits in the world, approximately half were produced by sector collapse of the volcano and the other half by sudden decompression of cryptodomes or lava-dome collapses. The recent blasts (1888‐1990s) elsewhere have an apparent recurrence of one event/decade, compared to just a

Tyrrhena Patera (22°S, 104°E), Mars, is a low-relief (1800 m maximum relief), central-vent volcano whose flanks are dissected with broad (∼5 km wide), flat-floored channels. The easily eroded nature of the shield materials, combined with extremely low flank slopes (≤ 2.0°), suggest that Tyrrhena Patera is composed of pyroclastic materials. These shield deposits are observed to crop out ≥ 600 km from the volcano's summit with measured thicknesses of 100–150 m at these distances. Such dimensions strongly suggest emplacement via pyroclastic flows. Currently available data indicate that these deposits have a mafic composition. Application of models derived for terrestrial pyroclastic flow emplacement reveals that, aside from environmental parameters (atmospheric density, gravity), if all else is held equal, a pyroclastic flow should travel a factor of 3 to 4 times farther on Mars than on Earth. The observed Tyrrhena Patera deposits extend even farther, suggesting that some emplacement mechanism may be enhancing pyroclastic flow runout distances on Mars.

A bomb-rich basaltic pyroclastic flow deposit, the Izumikawa pyroclastic flow deposit, occurs at the northeastern foot of Nakadake Volcano, which is the only active central cone of Aso caldera, southwestern Japan. The pyroclastic flow deposit covers a fan-shaped area of about 1.9 km2, and the bulk volume is estimated at 9.4 × 106 m3. The deposit is poorly sorted, and consists of subangular faceted clasts and spherical cauliflower bombs set in a sandy non-cohesive matrix. The deposit forms two different facies: a black reversely graded lower unit; and a reddish-gray reversely graded upper unit. The cauliflower bombs, which have slightly vesiculated crusts (1.0–1.5 cm thick) and denser interiors, are more abundant in the lower unit than in the upper unit. The presence of cauliflower bombs suggests that the Izumikawa pyroclastic flow was generated by an explosion at the source lava lake or conduit, which was filled with mixture of solidified and molten lavas. We propose the term “bomb-and-ash flow deposit” to describe this type of deposit. The age of the Izumikawa pyroclastic flow deposit was estimated at ca. 19 cal ka, based on a 14C age obtained from charred wood fragments in the deposit. Although all recent activity of Nakadake has been ash eruptions, strombolian eruptions and phreatomagmatic explosions, the Izumikawa pyroclastic flow deposit underscores the hazard of bomb-rich pyroclastic flows that rush down the flanks of the volcano.

This study shows the stratigraphy, petrography, whole-rock chemistry and paleomagnetic polarity of pyroclastic flow deposits during the latest Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene in the southeastern foot area of the Hakkoda Caldera, Northeast Japan. Six pyroclastic flow deposits are identified in this area : Kumanosawa Pyroclastic Flow Deposits (Ks), Takatoge Pyroclastic Flow Deposits (Tk), Osegawa Pyroclastic Flow Deposits (Os), Hakkoda-Ose Pyroclastic Flow Deposits (Hto), Hakkoda 1st-stage Pyroclastic Flow Deposits (Ht1) and Hakkoda 2nd-stage Pyroclastic Flow Deposits (Ht2), in order of decreasing age. These pyroclastic flow deposits have dacitic to rhyolitic compositions, and show distinct modal compositions and whole-rock major element chemistry in each. Based on stratigraphy, topography and paleomagnetic polarity, eruptive ages of the pyroclastic flow deposits are estimated to be as follows : Ks, 1.95-1.77 Ma; Tk, 1.77-1.07 Ma ; Os and Hto, 0.99-0.78 Ma ; Ht1, 0.76 Ma ; Ht2, 0.40 Ma. The source calderas of the Ks, Tk, Os, and Hto can be estimated from petrological features. The source of the Ks is neither the Hakkoda Caldera nor Okiura Caldera, and is probably an unidentified caldera. The source of the Tk may be a low gravity anomaly area “Nenokuchi Caldera” located northeast of Towada Caldera. The source of the Os is not the Okiura Caldera. The source of the Hto is the Hakkoda Caldera. This study suggests that the two large-scale pyroclastic flow deposits during 1-2 Ma erupted from previously unidentified calderas (one is possibly Nenokuchi Caldera). This proposes a revised volcanic history in which the activities of caldera volcanoes overlap each other in the Hakkoda-Towada Volcanic Region.

The Middle-Upper Miocene Bodrum magmatic complex of the Aegean region, southwestern Turkey, is mainly represented by intermediate stocks, lavas, pyroclastic and volcaniclastic deposits. Monzonitic stocks and connected porphyry intrusions and extrusions are the first products of the magmatism. These are followed by a volcanic succession consisting of andesitic-latitic lavas, autobrecciated lavas, pyroclastic and volcaniclastic deposits. The final stage is represented by basaltic and basaltic andesitic flows and dykes intruded into previous units. The volcanic succession crops out in the northern part of the Bodrum peninsula. In the lower part of this succession are widespread pyroclastic deposits, composed of pyroclastic fall and flow units, alternating with epiclastic deposits. Grain size, volume and thickness of the pyroclastic deposits were mainly controlled by the type, magnitude and intensity of the eruption. Further up the section, there are two horizons of debris avalanche deposits forming the coarsest and thickest deposits of the volcaniclastic succession. The debris avalanche deposits indicate at least two different flank collapses coeval with the volcanism. The stratigraphy and map pattern of these volcanic units imply that the northern part of the Bodrum peninsula was the north-facing flank of a stratovolcano during the mid-Late Miocene. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The lava dome collapse of 12–13 July 2003 was the largest of the Soufriere Hills Volcano eruption thus far (1995–2005) and the largest recorded in historical times from any volcano; 210 million m3 of dome material collapsed over 18 h and formed large pyroclastic flows, which reached the sea. The evolution of the collapse can be interpreted with reference to the complex structure of the lava dome, which comprised discrete spines and shear lobes and an apron of talus. Progressive slumping of talus for 10 h at the beginning of the collapse generated low-volume pyroclastic flows. It undermined the massive part of the lava dome and eventually prompted catastrophic failure. From 02:00 to 04:40 13 July 2003 large pyroclastic flows were generated; these reached their largest magnitude at 03:35, when the volume flux of material lost from the lava dome probably approached 16 million m3 over two minutes. The high flux of pyroclastic flows into the sea caused a tsunami and a hydrovolcanic explosion with an associated pyroclastic surge, which flowed inland. A vulcanian explosion occurred during or immediately after the largest pyroclastic flows at 03:35 13 July and four further explosions occurred at progressively longer intervals during 13–15 July 2003. The dome collapse lasted approximately 18 h, but 170 of the total 210 million m3 was removed in only 2.6 h during the most intense stage of the collapse.

A new stratigraphy for bimodal Oligocene flood volcanism that forms the volcanic plateau of northern Yemen is presented based on detailed field observations, petrography and geochemical correlations. The >1 km thick volcanic pile is divided into three phases of volcanism: a main basaltic stage (31 to 29.7 Ma), a main silicic stage (29.7 to 29.5 Ma), and a stage of upper bimodal volcanism (29.5 to 27.7 Ma). Eight large-volume silicic pyroclastic eruptive units are traceable throughout northern Yemen, and some units can be correlated with silicic eruptive units in the Ethiopian Traps and to tephra layers in the Indian Ocean. The silicic units comprise pyroclastic density current and fall deposits and a caldera-collapse breccia, and they display textures that unequivocally identify them as primary pyroclastic deposits: basal vitrophyres, eutaxitic fabrics, glass shards, vitroclastic ash matrices and accretionary lapilli. Individual pyroclastic eruptions have preserved on-land volumes of up to ∼850 km3. The largest units have associated co-ignimbrite plume ash fall deposits with dispersal areas >1×107 km2 and estimated maximum total volumes of up to 5,000 km3, which provide accurate and precisely dated marker horizons that can be used to link litho-, bio- and magnetostratigraphy studies. There is a marked change in eruption style of silicic units with time, from initial large-volume explosive pyroclastic eruptions producing ignimbrites and near-globally distributed tuffs, to smaller volume (

The c. 5600 cal. yrBP Whakatane eruption episode consisted of a sequence of intracaldera rhyolite eruptions from at least five vents spread over 11 km of the Haroharo linear vent zone within Okataina Volcanic Centre. Initial vent‐opening eruptions from the Haroharo vent produced coarse lithic clast “blast beds” and pyroclastic density currents (surges). These were immediately followed by eruption of very mobile pumiceous pyroclastic surges from the Makatiti vent 6 km to the southwest. Major plinian eruptions from the Makatiti vent then dispersed Whakatane Tephra pumice fall deposits (bulk volume c. 6 km3) across the northeastern North Island while smaller explosive eruptions produced pyroclastic flows and falls from the Haroharo‐Rotokohu vents and at the Pararoa vent on the caldera rim 11 km northeast from Makatiti. The pyroclastic eruptions at all vents were followed by the extrusion of lava flows and domes; extruded lava volumes ranged from 0.03 km3 for the Pararoa dome to 7.5 km3 for the Makat...

Fuji volcano is the largest active volcano in Japan, and consists of Ko-Fuji and Shin-Fuji volcanoes. Although basaltic in composition, small-volume pyroclastic flows have been repeatedly generated during the Younger stage of Shin-Fuji volcano. Deposits of those pyroclastic flows have been identified along multiple drainage valleys on the western flanks between 1,300 and 2,000 m a.s.l., and have been stratigraphically divided into the Shin-Fuji Younger pyroclastic flows (SYP) 1 to 4. Downstream debris flow deposits are found which contain abundant material derived from the pyroclastic flow deposits. The new14C ages for SYP1 to SYP4 are 3.2, 3.0, 2.9, and 2.5 ka, respectively, and correspond to a period where explosive summit eruptions generated many scoria fall deposits mostly toward the east. The SYP1 to SYP4 deposits consist of two facies: the massive facies is about 2 m thick and contains basaltic bombs of less than 50 cm in size, scoria lapilli, and fresh lithic basalt fragments supported in an ash matrix; the surge facies is represented by beds 1 to 15 cm thick, consisting mainly of ash with minor amount of fine lapilli. The bombs and scoria are 15 to 30% in volume within the massive facies. The ashes within the SYP deposits consist largely of comminuted basalt lithics and crystals that are derived from the Middle-stage lava flows exposed at the western flanks. SYP1 to SYP4 were only dispersed down the western flanks. The reason for this one-sided distribution is the asymmetric topography of the edifice; the western slopes of the volcano are the steepest (over 34 degrees). Most pyroclastic materials cannot rest stably on the slopes steeper than 33 degrees. Therefore, ejecta from the explosive summit eruptions that fell on the steep slopes tumbled down the slopes and were remobilized as high-temperature granular flows. These flows consisted of large pyroclastics and moved as granular avalanches along the valley bottom. Furthermore, the avalanching flows increased in volume by abrasion from the edifice and generated abundant ashes by the collision of clasts. The large amount of the fine material was presumably available within the transport system as the basal avalanches propagated below the angle of repose. Taking the typical kinetic friction coefficient of small pyroclastic flows, such flows could descend the western flanks where scattered houses are below 1,000 m a.s.l. A similar type of pyroclastic flow could result if explosive summit eruptions occur in the future.

Explosive activity at Arenal and associated tephra fall that has occurred over the 14-year period from 1987–2001 is described. Explosions have been notably variable in both frequency and size. A marked decrease in both frequency and quantity of tephra fallout occurred in early 1998 until the end of 2001. Grainsize distributions of cumulative tephra samples collected once a month are typically bimodal. Aggregation causing premature fallout of fine ash and possibly fallout from ash plumes produced by pyroclastic flows are considered responsible for the bimodality of fallout. Scanning electron microscopy of the glass component of tephra from single explosions show predominantly blocky and blocky/fluidal clast types, interpreted as being the product of vulcanian type explosions. Fragmentation of a mainly rigid, degassed magma body, and a minor molten component is inferred for these explosions. Pyroclastic flows were produced either associated with the larger explosions by a mechanism of column collapse (1987–1990), or unrelated to explosions by partial collapse of the crater wall (1993, 1998, 2000, 2001). Pyroclastic flow activity has migrated from west to north during the period reported. Pyroclastic flow deposits are variable in the quantity of juvenile material and any associated surge component. Large juvenile blocks were partially molten on emplacement and many have a typical cauliform texture. Blocks with both juvenile and lithic textures indicate that at the summit magma was in intimate contact with the pre-existing edifice, rather than as a simple open crater or lava pool. Crater wall collapse may have been promoted by the reduction in explosive activity, which has increased the lava accumulation at the summit and in turn increased instability of the summit region. Thus although explosive activity has waned, if the lava output is maintained, the hazard of pyroclastic flows is likely to continue.