Geology topics

J.M. Rhodes

Publications and source records attributed to J.M. Rhodes.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2019

SUSTAIN drilling at Surtsey volcano, Iceland, tracks hydrothermal and microbiological interactions in basalt 50 years after eruption

The 2017 Surtsey Underwater volcanic System for Thermophiles, Alteration processes and INnovative concretes (SUSTAIN) drilling project at Surtsey volcano, sponsored in part by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP), provides precise observations of the hydrothermal, geochemical, geomagnetic, and microbiological changes that have occurred in basaltic tephra and minor intrusions since explosive and effusive eruptions produced the oceanic island in 1963–1967. Two vertically cored boreholes, to 152 and 192 m below the surface, were drilled using filtered, UV-sterilized seawater circulating fluid to minimize microbial contamination. These cores parallel a 181 m core drilled in 1979. Introductory investigations indicate changes in material properties and whole-rock compositions over the past 38 years. A Surtsey subsurface observatory installed to 181 m in one vertical borehole holds incubation experiments that monitor in situ mineralogical and microbial alteration processes at 25–124 ∘C. A third cored borehole, inclined 55∘ in a 264∘ azimuthal direction to 354 m measured depth, provides further insights into eruption processes, including the presence of a diatreme that extends at least 100 m into the seafloor beneath the Surtur crater. The SUSTAIN project provides the first time-lapse drilling record into a very young oceanic basaltic volcano over a range of temperatures, 25–141 ∘C from 1979 to 2017, and subaerial and submarine hydrothermal fluid compositions. Rigorous procedures undertaken during the drilling operation protected the sensitive environment of the Surtsey Natural Preserve.

Scientific Drilling↗

USGS2006

Submarine radial vents on Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawai'i

A 2002 multibeam sonar survey of Mauna Loa's western flank revealed ten submarine radial vents and three submarine lava flows. Only one submarine radial vent was known previously. The ages of these vents are constrained by eyewitness accounts, geologic relationships, Mn-Fe coatings, and geochemical stratigraphy; they range from 128 years B.P. to possibly 47 ka. Eight of the radial vents produced degassed lavas despite eruption in water depths sufficient to inhibit sulfur degassing. These vents formed truncated cones and short lava flows. Two vents produced undegassed lavas that created “irregular” cones and longer lava flows. Compositionally and isotopically, the submarine radial vent lavas are typical of Mauna Loa lavas, except two cones that erupted alkalic lavas. He-Sr isotopes for the radial vent lavas follow Mauna Loa's evolutionary trend. The compositional and isotopic heterogeneity of these lavas indicates most had distinct parental magmas. Bathymetry and acoustic backscatter results, along with photography and sampling during four JASON2 dives, are used to produce a detailed geologic map to evaluate Mauna Loa's submarine geologic history. The new map shows that the 1877 submarine eruption was much larger than previously thought, resulting in a 10% increase for recent volcanism. Furthermore, although alkalic lavas were found at two radial vents, there is no systematic increase in alkalinity among these or other Mauna Loa lavas as expected for a dying volcano. These results refute an interpretation that Mauna Loa's volcanism is waning. The submarine radial vents and flows cover 29 km 2 of seafloor and comprise a total volume of ∼2×10 9 m 3 of lava, reinforcing the idea that submarine lava eruptions are important in the growth of oceanic island volcanoes even after they emerged above sea level.

Hawai'i↗

USGS1992

Petrology of lavas from episodes 2-47 of the Puu Oo eruption of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii: Evaluation of magmatic processes

The Puu Oo eruption of Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii is one of its largest and most compositionally varied historical eruptions. The mineral and whole-rock compositions of the Puu Oo lavas indicate that there were three compositionally distinct magmas involved in the eruption. Two of these magmas were differentiated (<6.8 wt% MgO) and were apparently stored in the rift zone prior to the eruption. A third, more mafic magma (9-10 wt% MgO) was probably intruded as a dike from Kilauea's summit reservoir just before the start of the eruption. Its intrusion forced the other two magmas to mix, forming a hybrid that erupted during the first three eruptive episodes from a fissure system of vents. A new hybrid was erupted during episode 3 from the vent where Puu Oo later formed. The composition of the lava erupted from this vent became progressively more mafic over the next 21 months, although significant compositional variation occurred within some eruptive episodes. The intra-episode compositional variation was probably due to crystal fractionation in the shallow (0.0-2.9 km), dike-shaped (i.e. high surface area/volume ratio) and open-topped Puu Oo magma reservoir. The long-term compositional variation was controlled largely by mixing the early hybrid with the later, more mafic magma. The percentage of mafic magma in the erupted lava increased progressively to 100% by episode 30 (about two years after the eruption started). Three separate magma reservoirs were involved in the Puu Oo eruption. The two deeper reservoirs (3-4 km) recharged the shallow (0.4-2.9 km) Puu Oo reservoir. Recharge of the shallow reservoir occurred rapidly during an eruption indicating that these reservoirs were well connected. The connection with the early hybrid magma body was cut off before episode 30. Subsequently, only mafic magma from the summit reservoir has recharged the Puu Oo reservoir. ?? 1992 Springer-Verlag.

Bulletin of Volcanology↗

USGS1989

Geochemical evidence for invasion of Kilauea's plumbing system by Mauna Loa magma

From the beginning of the study of Hawaiian volcanism there has been controversy over possible relationships between the neighbouring active volcanoes Mauna Loa and Kilauea 1–5 . Seismic activity, thought to reflect upward migration of magma, reveals that the magmatic plumbing systems apparently converge at depth to form a broad funnel within the mantle 6 . Although on rare occasions they have erupted concurrently, the brief historical eruptive record appears to show that when Kilauea is most active, Mauna Loa is in repose and vice versa, suggesting that they may be competing for the same magma supply 5,7 . Petrological, geochemical and isotope data, however, require a diametrically opposite conclusion. Distinct differences in major-element, trace-element and isotope compositions of lavas are regarded as compelling evidence that the two volcanoes have separate magmatic plumbing systems, supplied by parental magmas from physically and geochemically distinct mantle sources 8–13 . Here we present preliminary geochemical data which show that in the past 2,000 years Kilauea has erupted a spectrum of lava compositions resembling historical Kilauea lavas at one end and Mauna Loa lavas at the other. We discuss the cause of this diversity, and speculate that magma from Mauna Loa may have invaded Kilauea's 'high-level' magmatic plumbing system.

Hawaii↗

USGS1985

Degassing-induced crystallization of basaltic magma and effects on lava rheology

During the north-east rift eruption of Mauna Loa volcano, Hawaii, on 25 March-14 April 1984 (Fig. 1), microphenocryst contents of erupted lava increased from 0.5 to 30% without concurrent change in either bulk magma composition or eruption temperature (1,140 ?? 3 ??C). The crystallization of the microphenocrysts is interpreted here as being due to undercooling of the magma 20-30 ??C below its liquidas; the undercooling probably resulted from separation and release of volatiles as the magma migrated 12 km from the primary summit reservoir to the eruption site on the north-east rift zone. Such crystallization of magma during an eruption has not been documented previously. The undercooling and crystallization increased the effective viscosity of the magma, leading to decreased eruption rates and stagnation of the lava flow. ?? 1985 Nature Publishing Group.

Nature↗

USGS1972

The apollo 15 lunar samples: A preliminary description

Samples returned from the Apollo 15 site consist of mare basalts and breccias with a variety of premare igneous rocks. The mare basalts are from at least two different lava flows. The bulk chemical compositions and textures of these rocks confirm the previous conclusion that the lunar maria consist of a series of extrusive volcanic rocks that are rich in iron and poor in sodium. The breccias contain abundant clasts of anorthositic fragments along with clasts of basaltic rocks much richer in plagioclase than the mare basalts. These two rock types also occur as common components in soil samples from this site. The rocks and soils from both the front and mare region exhibit a variety of shock characteristics that can best be ascribed to ray material from the craters Aristillus or Autolycus.

Science↗