The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Submarine pyroclastic deposits formed during the 20th May 2006 dome collapse of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat

Submarine pyroclastic deposits formed during the 20th May 2006 dome collapse of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat
Submarine pyroclastic deposits formed during the 20th May 2006 dome collapse of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat
The 20th May 2006 lava dome collapse of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, had a total non-dense rock equivalent (non-DRE) collapse volume of approximately 115×106 m3. The majority of this volume was deposited into the ocean. The collapse was rapid, 85% of the mobilized volume being removed in just 35 min, giving peak pyroclastic flow flux of 66×103 m3s-1. Channel and levee facies on the submarine flanks of the volcano and formation of a thick, steep-sided ridge, suggest that the largest and most dense blocks were transported proximally as a high concentration granular flow. Of the submerged volume, 30% was deposited from the base of this granular flow, forming a linear, high-relief ridge that extends 7 km from shore. The remaining 70% of the submerged volume comprises the finer grain sizes, which were transported at least 40 km by turbidity currents on gradients of <2°. At several localities, the May 2006 distal turbidity currents ran up 200 m of topography and eroded up to 20 cm of underlying substrate. Multiple turbidites are preserved, representing current reflection from the graben margins and deflection around topography. The high energy of the May 2006 collapse resulted in longer submarine run out than the larger (210×106 m3) Soufrière Hills dome collapse in July 2003.
0258-8900
391-405
Trofimovs, J.
933c8923-03a5-4341-9cd8-3a0733bfbc15
Foster, C.
59d1342e-92d7-4ce8-9491-01d5be716e2d
Sparks, R.S.J.
68a691b3-ce7a-47fb-929d-c2392048ab60
Loughlin, S.
bfd68503-abf8-48ac-ae2a-6154bc54fbc1
Friant, A.
cfc36065-a691-4363-84f8-b2932b3a89b5
Deplus, C.
53512da2-a465-4e0c-9172-7f209696b7c6
Porritt, L.
d82ef48b-fa91-489f-a9ba-c305f93117df
Christopher, T.
b0cf72cd-eb4a-4fa2-9677-30a417353344
Luckett, R.
cb11fc35-49a7-4a03-a0e2-4c678784131c
Talling, P.J.
1cbac5ec-a9f8-4868-94fe-6203f30b47cf
Palmer, M.R.
d2e60e81-5d6e-4ddb-a243-602537286080
Le Bas, T.
f0dbad80-bb38-412c-be77-b8b9faef1854
Trofimovs, J.
933c8923-03a5-4341-9cd8-3a0733bfbc15
Foster, C.
59d1342e-92d7-4ce8-9491-01d5be716e2d
Sparks, R.S.J.
68a691b3-ce7a-47fb-929d-c2392048ab60
Loughlin, S.
bfd68503-abf8-48ac-ae2a-6154bc54fbc1
Friant, A.
cfc36065-a691-4363-84f8-b2932b3a89b5
Deplus, C.
53512da2-a465-4e0c-9172-7f209696b7c6
Porritt, L.
d82ef48b-fa91-489f-a9ba-c305f93117df
Christopher, T.
b0cf72cd-eb4a-4fa2-9677-30a417353344
Luckett, R.
cb11fc35-49a7-4a03-a0e2-4c678784131c
Talling, P.J.
1cbac5ec-a9f8-4868-94fe-6203f30b47cf
Palmer, M.R.
d2e60e81-5d6e-4ddb-a243-602537286080
Le Bas, T.
f0dbad80-bb38-412c-be77-b8b9faef1854

Trofimovs, J., Foster, C., Sparks, R.S.J., Loughlin, S., Friant, A., Deplus, C., Porritt, L., Christopher, T., Luckett, R., Talling, P.J., Palmer, M.R. and Le Bas, T. (2012) Submarine pyroclastic deposits formed during the 20th May 2006 dome collapse of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat. Bulletin of Volcanology, 74 (2), 391-405. (doi:10.1007/s00445-011-0533-5).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The 20th May 2006 lava dome collapse of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, had a total non-dense rock equivalent (non-DRE) collapse volume of approximately 115×106 m3. The majority of this volume was deposited into the ocean. The collapse was rapid, 85% of the mobilized volume being removed in just 35 min, giving peak pyroclastic flow flux of 66×103 m3s-1. Channel and levee facies on the submarine flanks of the volcano and formation of a thick, steep-sided ridge, suggest that the largest and most dense blocks were transported proximally as a high concentration granular flow. Of the submerged volume, 30% was deposited from the base of this granular flow, forming a linear, high-relief ridge that extends 7 km from shore. The remaining 70% of the submerged volume comprises the finer grain sizes, which were transported at least 40 km by turbidity currents on gradients of <2°. At several localities, the May 2006 distal turbidity currents ran up 200 m of topography and eroded up to 20 cm of underlying substrate. Multiple turbidites are preserved, representing current reflection from the graben margins and deflection around topography. The high energy of the May 2006 collapse resulted in longer submarine run out than the larger (210×106 m3) Soufrière Hills dome collapse in July 2003.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 2012
Organisations: Geochemistry, Marine Geoscience

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 300262
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/300262
ISSN: 0258-8900
PURE UUID: 1e3cb63f-c273-4c4a-b726-6470d72e7680

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 20 Feb 2012 13:27
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 10:24

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: J. Trofimovs
Author: C. Foster
Author: R.S.J. Sparks
Author: S. Loughlin
Author: A. Friant
Author: C. Deplus
Author: L. Porritt
Author: T. Christopher
Author: R. Luckett
Author: P.J. Talling
Author: M.R. Palmer
Author: T. Le Bas

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×