scholarly journals Deformation of feldspar at greenschist facies conditions – the record of mylonitic pegmatites from the Pfunderer Mountains, Eastern Alps

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Hentschel ◽  
Claudia A. Trepmann ◽  
Emilie Janots
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Granular Flow ◽  
Size Reduction ◽  
Greenschist Facies ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Dislocation Creep ◽  
Crystallographic Preferred Orientation ◽  
Dislocation Glide ◽  
Fine Grained

Abstract. Deformation microstructures of albitic plagioclase and K-feldspar were investigated in mylonitic pegmatites from the Austroalpine basement south of the western Tauern Window by polarized light microscopy, electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction to evaluate the rheologically dominant feldspar deformation mechanisms at greenschist facies conditions. The main mylonitic characteristics are alternating almost monophase quartz and albite layers, surrounding porphyroclasts of deformed feldspar and tourmaline. The dominant deformation microstructures of K-feldspar porphyroclasts are intragranular fractures parallel to the main shortening direction indicated by the foliation. The fractures are healed or sealed by polyphase aggregates of albite, K-feldspar, quartz and mica, which also occur along intragranular fractures of tourmaline and strain shadows around other porphyroclasts. Polyphase aggregates at sites of dilation indicate dissolution-precipitation creep. K-feldspar porphyroclasts are partly replaced by albite characterized by a sawtooth-shaped interface. This replacement is interpreted to be by interface-coupled dissolution-precipitation driven by a solubility difference between K-feldspar and albite and is not controlled by strain. In contrast, albite porphyroclasts are replaced at sites of shortening by fine-grained monophase albite aggregates of small strain-free new grains mixed with deformed fragments. Dislocation glide is indicated by bent, kinked and twinned albite. No indication of effective dislocation climb with dynamic recovery, for example by the presence of subgrains, a crystallographic preferred orientation or sutured grain boundaries was observed. We interpret the grain size reduction of albite at sites of shortening to be the result of coupled fracturing, dislocation glide and strain-induced grain boundary migration. This strain-induced replacement by nucleation and growth leads, together with granular flow, to the monophase albite layers. The associated quartz layers in contrast, show characteristics of dislocation creep by the presence of subgrains, undulatory extinction and sutured grain boundaries. We identified two endmember matrix microstructures that correlate with strain. Samples with lower strain are characterized by layers of a few hundreds of µm width, with coarse-grained quartz and layers with isometric, fine-grained feldspar. Higher strained samples are characterized by narrow alternating layers of some tens of µm width composed of fine-grained quartz and coarse albite grains elongated parallel to the stretching lineation, respectively. These observations indicate that grain size reduction by strain-induced replacement of albite, granular flow assisted by fracturing and dissolution-precipitation together with dislocation creep of quartz are rheologically dominant.

scholarly journals Deformation of feldspar at greenschist facies conditions – the record of mylonitic pegmatites from the Pfunderer Mountains, Eastern Alps

Solid Earth ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Hentschel ◽  
Claudia A. Trepmann ◽  
Emilie Janots
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Granular Flow ◽  
Thin Layers ◽  
Size Reduction ◽  
Greenschist Facies ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Dislocation Creep ◽  
Subsequent Growth ◽  
Dislocation Glide ◽  
Fine Grained

Abstract. Deformation microstructures of albitic plagioclase and K-feldspar were investigated in mylonitic pegmatites from the Austroalpine basement south of the western Tauern Window by polarized light microscopy, electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction to evaluate feldspar deformation mechanisms at greenschist facies conditions. The main mylonitic characteristics are alternating almost monophase quartz and albite layers, surrounding porphyroclasts of deformed feldspar and tourmaline. The dominant deformation microstructures of K-feldspar porphyroclasts are intragranular fractures at a high angle to the stretching lineation. The fractures are healed or sealed by polyphase aggregates of albite, K-feldspar, quartz and mica, which also occur along intragranular fractures of tourmaline and strain shadows around other porphyroclasts. These polyphase aggregates indicate dissolution–precipitation creep. K-feldspar porphyroclasts are partly replaced by albite characterized by a cuspate interface. This replacement is interpreted to take place by interface-coupled dissolution–precipitation driven by a solubility difference between K-feldspar and albite. Albite porphyroclasts are replaced at boundaries parallel to the foliation by fine-grained monophase albite aggregates of small strain-free new grains mixed with deformed fragments. Dislocation glide is indicated by bent and twinned albite porphyroclasts with internal misorientation. An indication of effective dislocation climb with dynamic recovery, for example, by the presence of subgrains, is systematically missing. We interpret the grain size reduction of albite to be the result of coupled dislocation glide and fracturing (low-temperature plasticity). Subsequent growth is by a combination of strain-induced grain boundary migration and formation of growth rims, resulting in an aspect ratio of albite with the long axis within the foliation. This strain-induced replacement by nucleation (associated dislocation glide and microfracturing) and subsequent growth is suggested to result in the observed monophase albite layers, probably together with granular flow. The associated quartz layers show characteristics of dislocation creep by the presence of subgrains, undulatory extinction and sutured grain boundaries. We identified two endmember matrix microstructures: (i) alternating layers of a few hundred micrometres' width, with isometric, fine-grained feldspar (on average 15 µm in diameter) and coarse-grained quartz (a few hundred micrometres in diameter), representing lower strain compared to (ii) alternating thin layers of some tens of micrometres' width composed of fine-grained quartz (<20 µm in diameter) and coarse elongated albite grains (long axis of a few tens of micrometres) defining the foliation, respectively. Our observations indicate that grain size reduction by strain-induced replacement of albite (associated dislocation glide and microfracturing) followed by growth and granular flow simultaneous with dislocation creep of quartz are playing the dominating role in formation of the mylonitic microstructure.

Reaction-induced strain localisation in garnet pyroxenites during mantle corner flow: an example from the Ulten Zone (Eastern Alps, N Italy)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Zanchetta ◽  
Luca Menegon ◽  
Luca Pellegrino ◽  
Simone Tumiati ◽  
Nadia Malaspina
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Subduction Zones ◽  
Eastern Alps ◽  
Size Reduction ◽  
Dislocation Creep ◽  
Creep Process ◽  
Orientation Data ◽  
Crystallographic Preferred Orientation ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Corner Flow

&lt;p&gt;In the Ulten Zone (Tonale nappe, Eastern Alps, N Italy), numerous peridotite bodies occur within high-grade crustal rocks. Peridotites show a transition from coarse protogranular spinel-lherzolites to fine-grained mylonitic garnet-amphibole peridotites (Obata and Morten, 1987). Pyroxenites veins and dikes, transposed along the peridotite foliation, show a similar evolution from coarse garnet-free websterites to fine-grained garnet + amphibole clinopyroxenites (Morten and Obata, 1983). This evolution has been interpreted to reflect cooling and pressure increase of pyroxenites and host peridotites from spinel- (1200 &amp;#176;C, 1.3-1.6 GPa) to garnet-facies conditions (850 &amp;#176;C and 2.8 GPa) within the mantle corner flow (Nimis and Morten, 2000).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The newly formed garnet occurs as exsolution within porphyroclastic, high-T pyroxenes, and crystallises along the pyroxenite and peridotite foliation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Textural evidence and crystallographic orientation data indicate that the transition from spinel- to garnet-facies conditions was assisted by intense shearing and deformation. Pyroxene porphyroclasts in garnet clinopyroxenites show well-developed crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO), high frequency of low-angle misorientations, and non-random distribution of the low-angle misorientation axes. These features indicates that pyroxene porphyroclasts primarily deform by dislocation creep on the (100) [010] slip system. Dislocation creep is accompanied by subgrain rotation recrystallisation, which promotes the formation of new, smaller and equant pyroxene grains around porphyroclasts. The grain size reduction promotes a switch in the deformation mechanism from grain-size insensitive creep (i.e. dislocation creep) in the porphyroclasts to grain-size sensitive (GSS) creep in the small recrystallised grains. The switch from dislocation to GSS creep is accompanied not only by grain size reduction of pyroxenes, but also by the formation of garnet exsolutions in pyroxenes and garnet crystallisation along foliation. We suggest that garnet crystallisation triggers the pinning of the recrystallised matrix, stabilising the fine-grained microtexture for GSS creep process, and finally contributes to the rheological weakening of pyroxenites.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pyroxenites and peridotites of Ulten Zone thus offer a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of mantle deformation and weakening on the processes that control the material exchange between crust and mantle at subduction zones.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Morten, L., &amp; Obata, M. (1983). Bulletin de Min&amp;#233;ralogie, 106(6), 775-780.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nimis, P. &amp; Morten, L. (2000). Journal of Geodynamics, 30(1-2), 93-115&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obata, M., &amp; Morten, L. (1987). Journal of Petrology, 28(3), 599-623.&lt;/p&gt;

Microstructural Evolution of Synthetic Forsterite Aggregates Deformed to High Strain

2004 ◽  
Vol 467-470 ◽  
pp. 579-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Kellermann Slotemaker ◽  
J.H.P. de Bresser ◽  
C.J. Spiers ◽  
M.R. Drury
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Dynamic Recrystallization ◽  
Grain Growth ◽  
Microstructural Evolution ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
High Strain ◽  
Confining Pressure ◽  
Size Reduction ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Fine Grained

Microstructures provide the crucial link between solid state flow of rock materials in the laboratory and large-scale tectonic processes in nature. In this context, microstructural evolution of olivine aggregates is of particular importance, since this material controls the flow of the Earth’s upper mantle and affects the dynamics of the outer Earth. From previous work it has become apparent that if olivine rocks are plastically deformed to high strain, substantial weakening may occur before steady state mechanical behaviour is approached. This weakening appears directly related to progressive modification of the grain size distribution through competing effects of dynamic recrystallization and syn-deformational grain growth. However, most of our understanding of these processes in olivine comes from tests on coarse-grained materials that show grain size reduction through dynamic recrystallization. In the present study we focused on fine-grained (~1 µm) olivine aggregates (i.e., forsterite/Mg2SiO4), containing ~0.5 wt% water and 10 vol% enstatite (MgSiO3), Samples were axially compressed to varying strains up to a maximum of ~45%, at 600 MPa confining pressure and a temperature of 950°C. Microstructures were characterized by analyzing full grain size distributions and textures using SEM/EBSD. We observed syndeformational grain growth rather than grain size reduction, and relate this to strain hardening seen in the stress-strain curves.

scholarly journals Effects of microparticles on deformation and microstructural evolution of fine-grained ice

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (252) ◽  
pp. 531-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
TOMOTAKA SARUYA ◽  
KOKI NAKAJIMA ◽  
MORIMASA TAKATA ◽  
TOMOYUKI HOMMA ◽  
NOBUHIKO AZUMA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Particle Dispersion ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Dislocation Creep ◽  
Compression Tests ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Mean Grain Size ◽  
Polycrystalline Ice ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Deformation Processes

ABSTRACTWe investigated the effects of microparticles and grain size on the microstructural evolutions and mechanical properties of polycrystalline ice. Uniaxial compression tests were conducted using fine-grained pure ice and silica-dispersed ice under various conditions. Deformation behavior of fine-grained ice was found to be characterized by stress exponent n ≈ 2 and activation energy Q ≈ 60 kJ mol−1. The derived strain rates of fine-grained ice were ≈ 1 order of magnitude larger than those of coarse-grained ice obtained in previous studies, and they were found to be independent of particle dispersion and dependent on the mean grain size of ice, with grain size exponent p ≈ 1.4. Work hardening was observed in dislocation creep, while the strain rate continued to decrease. These results indicate that the deformation mechanism of fine-grained ice is different from typical dislocation creep, often associated with n = 3. Although microparticles restricted grain growth, there was little direct effect on the deformation of fine-grained ice. Microstructural observations of the ice samples indicated that the grain boundaries were straight and that the subgrain boundary densities increased after deformation. Our experiments suggest that grain size and boundaries play important roles in the deformation processes of polycrystalline ice.

scholarly journals Brittle grain size reduction of feldspar, phase mixing and strain localization in granitoids at mid-crustal conditions (Pernambuco shear zone, NE Brazil)

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 2953-2998
Author(s):  
G. Viegas ◽  
L. Menegon ◽  
C. J. Archanjo
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Shear Zone ◽  
Strain Localization ◽  
Shear Bands ◽  
Preferred Orientation ◽  
Size Reduction ◽  
Diffusion Creep ◽  
Crystallographic Preferred Orientation ◽  
Fine Grained

Abstract. The Pernambuco shear zone (northeastern Brazil) is a large-scale strike-slip fault that, in its eastern segment, deforms granitoids at mid-crustal conditions. Initially coarse (> 50 μm) grained feldspar porphyroclasts are intensively fractured and reduced to an ultrafine-grained mixture consisting of plagioclase and K-feldspar grains (~ < 15 μm in size) localized in C' shear bands. Detailed microstructural observations and EBSD analysis do not show evidence of intracrystalline plasticity in feldspar porphyroclasts and/or fluid-assisted replacement reactions. Quartz occurs either as thick (~ 1–2 mm) monomineralic bands or as thin ribbons dispersed in the feldspathic mixture. The microstructure and c axis crystallographic preferred orientation are similar in the thick monomineralic band and in the thin ribbons, and suggest dominant subgrain rotation recrystallization and activity of prism ⟨a⟩ and rhomb ⟨a⟩ slip systems. However, the grain size in monophase recrystallized domains decreases when moving from the transposed veins to the thin ribbons embedded in the feldspathic C' bands (14 μm vs. 5 μm, respectively). The fine-grained feldspar mixture has a weak crystallographic preferred orientation interpreted as the result of oriented growth during diffusion creep, as well as the same composition as the fractured porphyroclasts, suggesting that it generated by mechanical fragmentation of rigid porphyroclasts with a negligible role of chemical disequilibrium. Assuming that the C' shear bands deformed under constant stress conditions, the polyphase feldspathic aggregate would have deformed at a strain rate one order of magnitude faster than the monophase quartz ribbons. Overall, our dataset indicates that feldspar underwent a brittle-viscous transition while quartz was deforming via crystal plasticity. The resulting rock microstructure consists of a two-phase rheological mixture (fine-grained feldspars and recrystallized quartz) in which the polyphase feldspathic material localized much of the strain. Extensive grain-size reduction and weakening of feldspars is attained in the East Pernambuco mylonites mainly via fracturing under relatively fluid-absent conditions which would trigger a switch to diffusion creep and further strain localization without a prominent role of metamorphic reactions.

scholarly journals Syn-kinematic hydration reactions, grain size reduction, and dissolution–precipitation creep in experimentally deformed plagioclase–pyroxene mixtures

Solid Earth ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 985-1009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sina Marti ◽  
Holger Stünitz ◽  
Renée Heilbronner ◽  
Oliver Plümper ◽  
Rüdiger Kilian
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Confining Pressure ◽  
Shear Zones ◽  
Grain Boundary Sliding ◽  
Size Reduction ◽  
Deformation Mechanisms ◽  
Dislocation Creep ◽  
Exact Nature ◽  
Crystallographic Preferred Orientation ◽  
Mafic Rocks

Abstract. It is widely observed that mafic rocks are able to accommodate high strains by viscous flow. Yet, a number of questions concerning the exact nature of the involved deformation mechanisms continue to be debated. In this contribution, rock deformation experiments on four different water-added plagioclase–pyroxene mixtures are presented: (i) plagioclase(An60–70)–clinopyroxene–orthopyroxene, (ii) plagioclase(An60)–diopside, (iii) plagioclase(An60)–enstatite, and (iv) plagioclase(An01)–enstatite. Samples were deformed in general shear at strain rates of 3×10−5 to 3×10−6 s−1, 800 °C, and confining pressure of 1.0 or 1.5 GPa. Results indicate that dissolution–precipitation creep (DPC) and grain boundary sliding (GBS) are the dominant deformation mechanisms and operate simultaneously. Coinciding with sample deformation, syn-kinematic mineral reactions yield abundant nucleation of new grains; the resulting intense grain size reduction is considered crucial for the activity of DPC and GBS. In high strain zones dominated by plagioclase, a weak, nonrandom, and geometrically consistent crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) is observed. Usually, a CPO is considered a consequence of dislocation creep, but the experiments presented here demonstrate that a CPO can develop during DPC and GBS. This study provides new evidence for the importance of DPC and GBS in mid-crustal shear zones within mafic rocks, which has important implications for understanding and modeling mid-crustal rheology and flow.

scholarly journals Brittle grain-size reduction of feldspar, phase mixing and strain localization in granitoids at mid-crustal conditions (Pernambuco shear zone, NE Brazil)

Solid Earth ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 375-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustavo Viegas ◽  
Luca Menegon ◽  
Carlos Archanjo
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Shear Zone ◽  
Strain Localization ◽  
Shear Bands ◽  
Preferred Orientation ◽  
Size Reduction ◽  
Diffusion Creep ◽  
Crystallographic Preferred Orientation ◽  
Fine Grained

Abstract. The Pernambuco shear zone (northeastern Brazil) is a large-scale strike-slip fault that, in its eastern segment, deforms granitoids at mid-crustal conditions. Initially coarse-grained (> 50 µm) feldspar porphyroclasts are intensively fractured and reduced to an ultrafine-grained mixture consisting of plagioclase and K-feldspar grains (< 15 µm) localized in C' shear bands. Detailed microstructural observations and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis do not show evidence of intracrystalline plasticity in feldspar porphyroclasts and/or fluid-assisted replacement reactions. Quartz occurs either as thick (∼ 1–2 mm) monomineralic veins transposed along the shear zone foliation or as thin ribbons ( ≤ 25 µm width) dispersed in the feldspathic mixture. The microstructure and c axis crystallographic-preferred orientation are similar in the thick monomineralic veins and in the thin ribbons, and they suggest dominant subgrain rotation recrystallization and activity of prism < a > and rhomb < a > slip systems. However, the grain size in monophase recrystallized domains decreases when moving from the quartz monomineralic veins to the thin ribbons embedded in the feldspathic C' bands (14 µm vs. 5 µm respectively). The fine-grained feldspar mixture has a weak crystallographic-preferred orientation interpreted as the result of shear zone parallel-oriented growth during diffusion creep, as well as the same composition as the fractured porphyroclasts, suggesting that it generated by mechanical fragmentation of rigid porphyroclasts with a negligible role of chemical disequilibrium. Once C' shear bands were generated and underwent viscous deformation at constant stress conditions, the polyphase feldspathic aggregate would have deformed at a strain rate 1 order of magnitude faster than the monophase quartz monomineralic veins, as evidenced by applying experimentally and theoretically calibrated flow laws for dislocation creep in quartz and diffusion creep in feldspar. Overall, our data set indicates that feldspar underwent a brittle-viscous transition while quartz was deforming via crystal plasticity. The resulting rock microstructure consists of a two-phase rheological mixture (fine-grained feldspars and recrystallized quartz) in which the polyphase feldspathic material localized much of the strain. Extensive grain-size reduction and weakening of feldspars is attained in the East Pernambuco mylonites mainly via fracturing which would trigger a switch to diffusion creep and strain localization without a prominent role of metamorphic reactions.

scholarly journals Pressure Dependence of Magnesite Creep

Geosciences ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 420
Author(s):  
Joseph W. Millard ◽  
Caleb W. Holyoke ◽  
Rachel K. Wells ◽  
Cole Blasko ◽  
Andreas K. Kronenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oceanic Lithosphere ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Dislocation Creep ◽  
Diffusion Creep ◽  
Flow Strength ◽  
Dislocation Glide ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Grain Sizes ◽  
And Diffusion ◽  
Flow Laws

We determined the activation volumes (V*) for polycrystalline magnesite with grain sizes of 2 and 80 µm deforming by low temperature plasticity (LTP) mechanisms (kinking and dislocation glide), diffusion creep, and dislocation creep at temperatures of 500, 750, and 900 °C, respectively, and a strain rate of 1–2 × 10−5 s−1 at effective pressures of 2.9–7.5 GPa in a D-DIA and 0.76 GPa in a Griggs apparatus. In each set of experiments performed at a given temperature, the strength of magnesite increases with increasing pressure. Microstructures of fine-grained magnesite deformed at 500 °C and 750 °C are consistent with deformation by LTP mechanisms and diffusion creep, respectively. Microstructures of coarse-grained magnesite deformed at 900 °C are consistent with deformation by dislocation creep. Pressure dependencies of magnesite flow laws for LTP, diffusion creep, and dislocation creep are given by activation volumes of 34 (± 7), 2 (± 1), and 10 (± 5) × 10−6 m3/mol, respectively. Addition of these activation volumes to previously determined flow laws predicts magnesite strength to be much lower than the flow strength of olivine at all subduction zone depths of the upper mantle. Thus, subducting oceanic lithosphere that has been partially carbonated by reaction with CO2-bearing fluids may deform at lowered stresses where magnesite is present, possibly resulting in strain localization and unstable run-away shear.

scholarly journals Effect of Grain Size on the Corrosion Behavior of Fe-3wt.%Si-1wt.%Al Electrical Steels in Pure Water Saturated with CO2

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (17) ◽  
pp. 5084
Author(s):  
Gaetano Palumbo ◽  
Dawid Dunikowski ◽  
Roma Wirecka ◽  
Tomasz Mazur ◽  
Urszula Lelek-Borkowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Corrosion Product ◽  
Corrosion Behavior ◽  
Active Sites ◽  
Pure Water ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Triple Junctions ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Fine Grained

The corrosion behavior of two silicon steels with the same chemical composition but different grains sizes (i.e., average grain area of 115.6 and 4265.9 µm2) was investigated by metallographic microscope, gravimetric, electrochemical and surface analysis techniques. The gravimetric and electrochemical results showed that the corrosion rate increased with decreasing the grain size. The scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopyanalyses revealed formation of a more homogeneous and compact corrosion product layer on the coarse-grained steel compared to fine-grained material. The Volta potential analysis, carried out on both steels, revealed formation of micro-galvanic sites at the grain boundaries and triple junctions. The results indicated that the decrease in corrosion resistance in the fine-grained steel could be attributed to the higher density of grain boundaries (e.g., a higher number of active sites and defects) brought by the refinement. The higher density of active sites at grain boundaries promote the metal dissolution of the and decreased the stability of the corrosion product layerformed on the metal surface.

scholarly journals Submarine lava deltas of the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea volcano

2021 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Adam Soule ◽  
Michael Zoeller ◽  
Carolyn Parcheta
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Mechanistic Model ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Volcanic Hazards ◽  
Lava Flows ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Fine Grain ◽  
Delta Formation

AbstractHawaiian and other ocean island lava flows that reach the coastline can deposit significant volumes of lava in submarine deltas. The catastrophic collapse of these deltas represents one of the most significant, but least predictable, volcanic hazards at ocean islands. The volume of lava deposited below sea level in delta-forming eruptions and the mechanisms of delta construction and destruction are rarely documented. Here, we report on bathymetric surveys and ROV observations following the Kīlauea 2018 eruption that, along with a comparison to the deltas formed at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō over the past decade, provide new insight into delta formation. Bathymetric differencing reveals that the 2018 deltas contain more than half of the total volume of lava erupted. In addition, we find that the 2018 deltas are comprised largely of coarse-grained volcanic breccias and intact lava flows, which contrast with those at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō that contain a large fraction of fine-grained hyaloclastite. We attribute this difference to less efficient fragmentation of the 2018 ‘a‘ā flows leading to fragmentation by collapse rather than hydrovolcanic explosion. We suggest a mechanistic model where the characteristic grain size influences the form and stability of the delta with fine grain size deltas (Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō) experiencing larger landslides with greater run-out supported by increased pore pressure and with coarse grain size deltas (Kīlauea 2018) experiencing smaller landslides that quickly stop as the pore pressure rapidly dissipates. This difference, if validated for other lava deltas, would provide a means to assess potential delta stability in future eruptions.

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