Garnet petrochronology reveals the lifetime and dynamics of phonolitic magma chambers at Somma-Vesuvius.

ABSTRACT: Somma-Vesuvius is one of the most iconic active volcanoes with historic and archeological records of numerous hazardous eruptions. Petrologic studies of eruptive products provide insights into the evolution of the magma reservoir before eruption. Here, we quantify the duration of shallow crustal storage and document the evolution of phonolitic magmas before major eruptions of Somma-Vesuvius. Garnet uranium-thorium petrochronology suggests progressively shorter pre-eruption residence times throughout the lifetime of the volcano. Residence times mirror the repose intervals between eruptions, implying that distinct phonolite magma batches were present throughout most of the volcano’s evolution, thereby controlling the eruption dynamics by preventing the ascent of mafic magmas from longer-live

SUBMITTER: Wotzlaw JF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8754404 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature