Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 764-774 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Gondwana research |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 25 Nov 2013 |
Abstract
The Marsili Seamount (MS) is an about 3200m high volcanic complex measuring 70×30km with the top at ~500mb.s.l. MS is interpreted as the ridge of the 2Ma old Marsili back-arc basin belonging to the Calabrian Arc-Ionian Sea subduction system (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Previous studies indicate that the MS activity developed between 1 and 0.1Ma through effusions of lava flows. Here, new stratigraphic, textural, geochemical, and 14C geochronological data from a 95cm long gravity core (COR02) recovered at 839mbsl in the MS central sector are presented. COR02 contains mud and two tephras consisting of 98 to 100 area% of volcanic ash. The thickness of the upper tephra (TEPH01) is 15cm, and that of the lower tephra (TEPH02) is 60cm. The tephras have poor to moderate sorting, loose to partly welded levels, and erosive contacts, which imply a short distance source of the pyroclastics. 14C dating on fossils above and below TEPH01 gives an age of 3kaBP. Calculations of the sedimentation rates from the mud sediments above and between the tephras suggest that a formation of TEPH02 at 5kaBP MS ashes has a high-K calcalkaline affinity with 53wt.%<SiO2<68wt.%, and their composition overlaps that of the MS lava flows. The trace element pattern is consistent with fractional crystallization from a common, OIB-like basalt. The source area of ashes is the central sector of MS and not a subaerial volcano of the Campanian and/or Aeolian Quaternary volcanic districts. Submarine, explosive eruptions occurred at MS in historical times: this is the first evidence of explosive volcanic activity at a significant (500-800mbsl) water depth in the Mediterranean Sea. MS is still active, the monitoring and an evaluation of the different types of hazards are highly recommended.
Keywords
- Back-arc, Explosive eruption, Hazard, Holocene tephra, Submarine active volcanism
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
- Geology
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In: Gondwana research, Vol. 25, No. 2, 25.11.2013, p. 764-774.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - First documented deep submarine explosive eruptions at the marsili seamount (tyrrhenian sea, italy)
T2 - A case of historical volcanism in the mediterranean sea
AU - Iezzi, Gianluca
AU - Caso, Carlo
AU - Ventura, Guido
AU - Vallefuoco, Mattia
AU - Cavallo, Andrea
AU - Behrens, Harald
AU - Mollo, Silvio
AU - Paltrinieri, Diego
AU - Signanini, Patrizio
AU - Vetere, Francesco
N1 - Funding Information: We dedicate this study to Bruno Di Sabatino, who passed away some years ago at the beginning of the research activities on the Marsili Seamount. We thank the three anonymous GR reviewers and the associated editor Inna Safonova for the useful, constructive comments. The authors thank Carmine Lubritto for 14 C AMS analyses. This study was supported by the Eurobuilding Spa , the University G. d'Annunzio , the MIUR via the PRIN project “Experimental determination of the glass-forming ability (GFA), nucleation and crystallization of natural silicate melts” awarded to G. Iezzi. F. Vetere is supported by a Marie Curie fellowship SolVoM #297880 . S. Mollo is supported by ERC 611 Starting Grant GLASS (#259256 ). This study has been carried out within the IYPE-UNESCO accredited ‘Creep’ project awarded to G. Ventura.
PY - 2013/11/25
Y1 - 2013/11/25
N2 - The Marsili Seamount (MS) is an about 3200m high volcanic complex measuring 70×30km with the top at ~500mb.s.l. MS is interpreted as the ridge of the 2Ma old Marsili back-arc basin belonging to the Calabrian Arc-Ionian Sea subduction system (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Previous studies indicate that the MS activity developed between 1 and 0.1Ma through effusions of lava flows. Here, new stratigraphic, textural, geochemical, and 14C geochronological data from a 95cm long gravity core (COR02) recovered at 839mbsl in the MS central sector are presented. COR02 contains mud and two tephras consisting of 98 to 100 area% of volcanic ash. The thickness of the upper tephra (TEPH01) is 15cm, and that of the lower tephra (TEPH02) is 60cm. The tephras have poor to moderate sorting, loose to partly welded levels, and erosive contacts, which imply a short distance source of the pyroclastics. 14C dating on fossils above and below TEPH01 gives an age of 3kaBP. Calculations of the sedimentation rates from the mud sediments above and between the tephras suggest that a formation of TEPH02 at 5kaBP MS ashes has a high-K calcalkaline affinity with 53wt.%2<68wt.%, and their composition overlaps that of the MS lava flows. The trace element pattern is consistent with fractional crystallization from a common, OIB-like basalt. The source area of ashes is the central sector of MS and not a subaerial volcano of the Campanian and/or Aeolian Quaternary volcanic districts. Submarine, explosive eruptions occurred at MS in historical times: this is the first evidence of explosive volcanic activity at a significant (500-800mbsl) water depth in the Mediterranean Sea. MS is still active, the monitoring and an evaluation of the different types of hazards are highly recommended.
AB - The Marsili Seamount (MS) is an about 3200m high volcanic complex measuring 70×30km with the top at ~500mb.s.l. MS is interpreted as the ridge of the 2Ma old Marsili back-arc basin belonging to the Calabrian Arc-Ionian Sea subduction system (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Previous studies indicate that the MS activity developed between 1 and 0.1Ma through effusions of lava flows. Here, new stratigraphic, textural, geochemical, and 14C geochronological data from a 95cm long gravity core (COR02) recovered at 839mbsl in the MS central sector are presented. COR02 contains mud and two tephras consisting of 98 to 100 area% of volcanic ash. The thickness of the upper tephra (TEPH01) is 15cm, and that of the lower tephra (TEPH02) is 60cm. The tephras have poor to moderate sorting, loose to partly welded levels, and erosive contacts, which imply a short distance source of the pyroclastics. 14C dating on fossils above and below TEPH01 gives an age of 3kaBP. Calculations of the sedimentation rates from the mud sediments above and between the tephras suggest that a formation of TEPH02 at 5kaBP MS ashes has a high-K calcalkaline affinity with 53wt.%2<68wt.%, and their composition overlaps that of the MS lava flows. The trace element pattern is consistent with fractional crystallization from a common, OIB-like basalt. The source area of ashes is the central sector of MS and not a subaerial volcano of the Campanian and/or Aeolian Quaternary volcanic districts. Submarine, explosive eruptions occurred at MS in historical times: this is the first evidence of explosive volcanic activity at a significant (500-800mbsl) water depth in the Mediterranean Sea. MS is still active, the monitoring and an evaluation of the different types of hazards are highly recommended.
KW - Back-arc
KW - Explosive eruption
KW - Hazard
KW - Holocene tephra
KW - Submarine active volcanism
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84891748250&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.gr.2013.11.001
DO - 10.1016/j.gr.2013.11.001
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84891748250
VL - 25
SP - 764
EP - 774
JO - Gondwana research
JF - Gondwana research
SN - 1342-937X
IS - 2
ER -