Description: Processes generating block and ash flows by gravitational dome collapse (Merapi-type pyroclastic flow) were observed in detail during the 1990–1995 eruption of Unzen volcano, Japan. Two different types were identified by analysis of video records and observations during helicopter flights. Most of the block and ash flows erupted during the 1991–1993 exogenous dome growth stage initially involved crack propagation due to cooling and flowage of the dome lava lobes. The mass around the crack became unstable, locally decreasing in tensile strength. Finally, a slab separated from the lobe front, fragmented progressively from the base to the top within a few seconds, and became a block and ash flow. Rock falls immediately followed, in response to local instability of the lobe front. Clasts in these rock falls fragmented and merged with the preceding flow. In contrast, block and ash flows during the endogenous dome growth stage in 1994 were generated due to local bulge of the dome. Unstable lava blocks collapsed and subsequently fragmented to produce block and ash flows.

Description: Fifteen Lateglacial to Holocene rhyolitic, dominantly primary tephra layers piston-cored and drilled (ICDP Paleovan drilling project) in western Lake Van (eastern Anatolia, Turkey) were precisely correlated to either of the two adjacent and active large volcanoes Nemrut and Süphan based on shard textures, mineralogy and mineral and glass compositions. The young peralkaline (comenditic to pantelleritic) primary rhyolitic Nemrut tephras are characterized by anorthoclase, hedenbergitic to augitic clinopyroxene, fayalitic olivine, minor quartz, and rare accessory chevkinite and zircon. Phenocrysts in subalkaline primary rhyolitic Süphan tephras are chiefly oligoclase-labradorite, with minor K-rich sanidine in some, biotite, amphibole, hypersthene, rare augitic clinopyroxene, relatively common allanite and rare zircon. Two contrasting explosive eruptive modes are distinguished from each other: episodic (Süphan) and periodic (Nemrut). The Lateglacial Süphan tephra swarm covers a short time interval of ca. 338 years between ca. 13,078 vy BP and 12,740 vy BP, eruptions having occurred statistically every ca. 42 years with especially short intervals between V-11 (reworked) and V-14. Causes for the strongly episodic Süphan explosive behavior might include seismic triggering of a volcano–magma system unable to erupt explosively without the benefit of external triggering, as reflected in pervasive faulting preceding the Süphan tephra swarm. Seismic triggering may have caused the rise of more mafic (“trachyandesitic”) parent magma, heating near-surface pockets of highly evolved magma – that might have formed silicic domes during this stage of volcano evolution – resulting in ascent and finally explosive fragmentation of magma essentially by external factors, probably significantly enhanced by magma–water/ice interaction. Explosive eruptions of the Nemrut volcano system, interpreted to be underlain by a large fractionating magma reservoir, follow a more periodic mode of (a) long-term relatively constant supply of parent magma, (b) evolution by low pressure crystal fractionation resulting in sporadic relatively low-volume eruption of trachytic and minor rhyolitic magmas, (c) evolution of a large magma reservoir to the point of highly explosive large-volume peralkaline rhyolitic Plinian eruptions at temporal intervals of ca. 20–40 ky, some accompanied by ignimbrites and inferred caldera collapse. A striking tephra gap between ca. 14 ka and ca. 30 ka, i.e. during glacial climate conditions, is postulated to be due to climate-forcing via lithosphere unloading following deglaciation.

Description: Thirty-two new single crystal ages document 400 000 years of widespread explosive volcanism of historically active Nemrut Volcano towering over huge alkaline Lake Van (Eastern Anatolia). The dated deposits were selected to monitor the volcanic and compositional evolution of Nemrut Volcano through time and thus to provide a rigorous temporal framework for the tephra record of the PaleoVan Drilling Project. Tephra samples were taken from large-volume deposits or those that occur in medial to distal localities, well-exposed stratigraphic sections or from the initial phase of an eruptive sequence. Mainly fallout deposits were chosen because most ignimbrites show more complex and corroded feldspar populations owing to compositional zoning and magma mixing. Moreover, fallout deposits held the promise to be more clearly identifiable with-and correlatable to-〉300 tephra layers in the PaleoVan drill cores, even though commonly in amounts marginal or insufficient in thickness to allow well-supported single crystal dating. The crystals dated are dominantly anorthoclase, the main phenoctyst phase in the trachytic to rhyolitic, slightly to strongly peralkaline Nemrut magmas. Ages obtained so far range from ca. 400 ka to ca. 30 ka for Nemrut Volcano. The causes of significant changes in the frequency, volume and composition of tephra layers per unit time are discussed in terms of external (erosion, climate changes, geodynamic factors) and internal forcing (changes in magma supply and composition and incubation periods preceding large volume rhyolitic eruptions). For example, the low frequency of tephra layers deposited prior to ca. 200 ka may be due to low explosive activity, severe erosion between MIS 9 and MIS 11, or both. Nevertheless, the overall frequency of explosive eruptions appears to have increased during the past ca. 200 ka. We also recognize a slight peak in explosive eruptions during warm periods (e.g. MIS 5 and MIS 7) and speculate on lithospheric unloading triggering increased partial melting or magma reservoir unloading following massive glacier melting. The ages of 5 dated ignimbrites span ca. 250 000 years suggesting that Nemrut Volcano went through a polycyclic evolution with multiple caldera collapses and major pyroclastic flow eruptions, the oldest dated so far as 265 ka. The widely held view of the impressive Nemrut Caldera now dated to have formed at ca. 30 ka, as the main paroxysmal event during the evolution of the volcano is no longer tenable. Distinct and coherent compositional characteristics, especially in trace element concentrations, characterize several groups of trachytic tephras. We speculate that the growth of Nemrut Volcano caused the isolation of the Lake Van basin. On account of their mineralogical (anorthoclase, hedenbergite, fayalite, aenigmatite) and alkalic chemical compositions and large volume, dated Nemrut fallout tephras are likely to represent excellent markers in lakes and other sites of paleoclimatological or archeological interest in neighboring countries to the northeast of Lake Van as far as the Caspian Sea in what may be called the East Anatolian Tephra Province

Description: More than 1500 km of multi-channel seismic reflection profiles combined with ICDP (International Continental Scientific Drilling Program) drilling data, provide important insights into the stratigraphic evolution of Lake Van, eastern Turkey. Three major basins (Tatvan, Northern and the Deveboynu basins) comprise the main lake basin and are separated by morphological highs (Ahlat ridge and Northern ridge). Moreover, NE–SW faults, parallel to the general tectonic lineament of the area, dominate the entire basin and are in charge of creating graben and half-graben structures. Well-developed prograding deltaic sequences on top of the basement were recognized by seismic stratigraphy analysis. Most likely, they formed during the initial flooding of Lake Van ∼600 ka. The Tatvan basin sediments are dominated by mass-flow deposits of various origins alternating with undisturbed lacustrine sediments including distinct tephra layers. Faulting along the Tatvan basin margins may have triggered margin-wide slope failures. Ahlat ridge started to form between ca 340 ka–290 ka. Since then, Ahlat ridge was sheltered from major mass-flows due to its elevation. Hence, slow lacustrine sedimentation has prevailed throughout lake history on Ahlat ridge, which was the location of the main drill site during the ICDP. Several lake level fluctuations are evident on the eastern slope area but the deep basins were permanently covered by water. A significant lake-level low stand (ca 600 ka BP) was found at ∼610 m below present lake level. The setting of the lake changed at about 30 ka. Tectonic activity appears to have waned significantly as the mass-transport deposition decreased across the Tatvan basin while normal undisturbed lacustrine sedimentation prevailed. A different setting is found in the Northern basin from ca 90 ka to Present, especially due to the strong influx of mostly volcaniclastic turbidites causing sedimentation rates to be about 3.5 times higher (drill Site 1), than at Site 2 (Ahlat ridge).

Description: Résumé Quatre sites ont été forés dans le talus volcanoclastique sous-marin de l'île volcanique de Gran Canaria au cours du Leg ODP 157. La sédimentation du talus enregistre l'évolution volcanique de l'île. Les grandes phases éruptives s'expriment clairement par d'importants apports clastiques contemporains au niveau du talus. En revanche, les périodes d'inactivité volcanique se traduisent par des taux de sédimentation très faibles. II est possible ainsi d'établir un découpage volcanostratigraphique à partir des sédiments marins. Abstract Four sites have been drilled in the submarine volcaniclastic apron of the volcanic island of Gran Canaria during the ODP Leg 157. The volcaniclastic submarine apron reflects the volcanological evolution of the island. The main volcanic phases are recorded in the sedimentation by an important contemporaneous clastic influx on the apron. However, periods of volcanic quiescence are characterized by very weak sedimentation rates. Consequently, it is possible to establish a volcanostratigraphy from the sedimentary record of the apron.

Description: The 20–25 m thick trachyphonolitic Ayagaures ignimbrite cooling unit [(AY); 11.8 Ma] exposed over 250 km2 (onshore volume ca. 4.5 km3 DRE) is the uppermost and most voluminous cooling unit of the Middle Fataga Formation (MFF), part of the Fataga Group (ca. 13.3–ca. 9 Ma) on Gran Canaria (GC), Canary Islands (28°00′ N, 15°35′ W). Up to 19 flow units (named b–t) subdividing the AY have been identified throughout most of the area from proximally to the caldera wall to distally as far as 14 km away. Individual flow units were distinguished from each other and logged using mainly chemical criteria. Single and/or packages of flow units (A, B and C) are tentatively interpreted to correspond to compositionally distinct magma bodies erupted from the same magma reservoir. These source-controlled flow units are interpreted to reflect successive eruptive pulses during incremental subsidence of Tejeda caldera. We subdivided AY cooling unit into four welding facies. Tentative correlation with a major syn-ignimbrite turbidite drilled during ODP Leg 157 suggests a total DRE volume of 〉 50 km3. The cooling unit as a whole becomes less evolved upwards as shown by major elements, trace elements and REE of bulk rock and phenocrysts. All phenocryst phases, dominantly sanidine–anorthoclase (up to 20 vol.%), with minor biotite, augite, titanite, haüyne and apatite, are unzoned and show an incremental compositional zoning in the stratigraphy. The shallow level parent magma reservoir is interpreted to have undergone strong mixing prior to starting its final compositional zoning in a thermodynamically equilibrated reservoir. Compositional zoning resulted in three main bodies. This compositional and physical layering may have been triggered by rapid growth of alkali feldspar and biotite throughout the erupted part of the magma chamber. Abundant titanite and haüyne phenocrysts in basal flow units and in a locally preserved, highly evolved fallout tephra are interpreted to reflect initial evacuation of a small volume, highly fractionated cupola. AY represents the most evolved part of a large, partially evacuated magma reservoir. Progressive downward tapping of the reservoir is interpreted to have been controlled by incremental caldera collapse. Absence of less evolved magmas suggests that the magma chamber was only partially evacuated. Incremental compositional zoning of the cooling unit, but unzoned phenocrysts and evacuation reversals show that mixing did not occur following initiation of alkali feldspar growth.

Description: 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 (MdΦ 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. Ash-cloud 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 × 106 m3 (9.4 ± 2.0 × 106 m3 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 dozen described for the previous 50 ka. Therefore, the adequate recognizers of the blast facies in the cone-building lithofacies, especially for small stratocones as described here, can help in understanding other historic and prehistoric cases, and their related hazards.

Description: Critical to the survival of island-based human societies is their resilience and adaptation to volcanic hazards. We here evaluate pre-Hispanic (before 15th century AD) land use patterns on the volcanic island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain using obsidian hydration dating (OHD). The samples studied include archaeological artifacts and natural rock chips from multiple sites of different elevation and micro-climate settings. We systematically collected samples from the southern dry area around Barranco de las Monjas in the Bandas del Sur. These include a total of 28 isolated artifact scatters (here, a scatter is defined as a minimum spatial unit of artifacts distributed spatially limited range on the surveyed surface), one dwelling, and several pyroclastic deposits containing obsidian clasts. We also collected several artifacts adjacent to a large obsidian flow of Tabonal Negro in the Las Cañadas Caldera. Unsystematic surveys in north of Mt. Teide identified large obsidian outcrops located at Tabonal de los Guanches and Charco del Viento. Size differences among surface-derived obsidian artifacts (i.e., Bandas del Sur, Las Cañadas Caldera, Icod Valley) suggest that pre-Hispanic groups utilized obsidian from multiple outcrops over wide areas. Hydration analysis on 136 obsidian flakes collected from both surface and buried contexts showed only minor obsidian hydration rims (5% of total samples) and varied mean rim thicknesses (0.6–3.5μ). The low percentage of hydration rim formation may be caused by environmental factors such as wind erosion, thermal effects from volcanic or natural ground fires, or due to obsidian geochemistry (low SiO2 and water content of phonolitic obsidian). Surface-collected obsidian flakes from the southern dry area do contain hydration rims along internal fissure. The estimated hydration rates from these samples can provide an approximate age when compared to buried obsidian artifacts with associated radiocarbon dates.

Description: Highlights • Loess in Northern Iran sensitively reacted on Pleistocene climate change. • Dust accumulation and soil formation followed climate cycles of the Northern Hemisphere. • Pedostratigraphic correlation provides link within Southern Eurasian loess belt. • Southern Caspian Lowlands provide key area for climate reconstruction in West Asia. The southern Caspian Lowland sensitively reacted to Pleistocene climate change and is a key area for reconstructing climate dynamics and landscape evolution in Southern Eurasia. Loess-paleosol sequences (LPS) of the northern foothills of Alborz Mountains provide detailed records of climate-induced changes of dust accumulation and soil formation correlating with relatively dry or moist conditions of the past. The LPS at Neka-Abelou (NA) was studied in detail in order to understand these dynamics and provide a base for regional pedostratigraphic correlation. We have carried out high-resolution analyses of grain-size, sediment color, mass specific and frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility and carbonate content and established a temporal framework as based on luminescence dating using a post-IR infrared stimulated luminescence (pIRIR) protocol and fading corrections. The LPS of NA is composed of finely textured loess, which is subdivided by at least eleven paleosols. Moreover, it contains a thin loess layer with lenses of trachytic tephra which most likely originated from the Damavand volcano and was deposited during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4. The lower part of the LPS at NA consists of four strongly-developed reddish-brown paleosols (Bt, Btg horizons) separated by thin layers of pedogenically-altered loess indicating moist climate conditions and low dust accumulation rates during the Middle Pleistocene or earlier. The central part contains a pedocomplex of clay-rich paleosols composed of well developed Bt, ABk and Bw horizons formed under strongly reduced dust accumulation rates and intercalated by loess layers. Pedostratigraphic reasoning suggests that this pedocomplex formed during MIS 5, which is corroborated by luminescence dating. The pedocomplex reflects precession time scale climate change and represents an excellent pedostratigraphic marker recognized in numerous exposures along the northern foothills of the Alborz Mountains. The upper part of the LPS accumulated during the Last Pleniglacial and contains probably six weakly developed synsedimentary paleosols (CBk horizons) as well as the modern soil (Bt horizon). Magnetic susceptibility records show very close similarity with the pleniglacial sequence of the LPS at Toshan located about 100 km farther to the east of the Caspian Lowlands suggesting that the weak paleosols at both locations have formed synchronously, which is supported by luminescence dating. Their presence thus reflects at least a regional-scale climate change between dry phases and those of slightly increased edaphic moisture with ongoing dust supply. The LPS of the Caspian Lowlands document a multitude of changes between dominance of dust accumulation or pedogenesis controlled by moisture availability in the context of Pleistocene climate change. The proposed regional pedostratigraphy for the Late Quaternary provides a scheme for large-scale stratigraphic correlation and reconstruction of climate change in Southern Eurasia.