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Integrated field, satellite and petrological observations of the November 2010 eruption of Erta Ale

Integrated field, satellite and petrological observations of the November 2010 eruption of Erta Ale
Integrated field, satellite and petrological observations of the November 2010 eruption of Erta Ale
Erta Ale volcano, Ethiopia, erupted in November 2010, emplacing new lava flows on the main crater floor, the first such eruption from the southern pit into the main crater since 1973, and the first eruption at this remote volcano in the modern satellite age. For many decades, Erta Ale has contained a persistently active lava lake which is ordinarily confined, several tens of metres below the level of the main crater, within the southern pit. We combine on-the-ground field observations with multispectral imaging from the SEVIRI satellite to reconstruct the entire eruptive episode beginning on 11 November and ending prior to 14 December 2010. A period of quiescence occurred between 14 and 19 November. The main eruptive activity developed between 19 and 22 November, finally subsiding to pre-eruptive levels between 8 and 15 December. The estimated total volume of lava erupted is ?0.006 km3. The mineralogy of the 2010 lava is plagioclase?+?clinopyroxene?+?olivine. Geochemically, the lava is slightly more mafic than previously erupted lava lining the caldera floor, but lies within the range of historical lavas from Erta Ale. SIMS analysis of olivine-hosted melt inclusions shows the Erta Ale lavas to be relatively volatile-poor, with H2O contents ?1,300 ppm and CO2 contents of ?200 ppm. Incompatible trace and volatile element systematics of melt inclusions show, however, that the November 2010 lavas were volatile-saturated, and that degassing and crystallisation occurred concomitantly. Volatile saturation pressures are in the range 7–42 MPa, indicating shallow crystallisation. Calculated pre-eruption and melt inclusion entrapment temperatures from mineral/liquid thermometers are ?1,150 °C, consistent with previously published field measurements.
Afar Ethiopia Remote sensing of volcanoes Lava lake Melt inclusions Basalt
0258-8900
2251-2271
Field, Lorraine
1fb306d2-ebb9-4d36-8b8e-45d0bde17097
Barnie, Talfan
a57c63eb-03cd-4feb-899d-d4ee663e6462
Blundy, Jon
990b7526-ef73-4e2e-9838-11243c5344ce
Brooker, Richard A.
d9611c9e-f0b5-49f9-9b88-9fe4eb222d41
Keir, Derek
5616f81f-bf1b-4678-a167-3160b5647c65
Lewi, Elias
1a95bed1-69e0-4e67-9da9-8a106be05281
Saunders, Kate
5c3b766e-6481-4c77-add7-f1faca2a492f
Field, Lorraine
1fb306d2-ebb9-4d36-8b8e-45d0bde17097
Barnie, Talfan
a57c63eb-03cd-4feb-899d-d4ee663e6462
Blundy, Jon
990b7526-ef73-4e2e-9838-11243c5344ce
Brooker, Richard A.
d9611c9e-f0b5-49f9-9b88-9fe4eb222d41
Keir, Derek
5616f81f-bf1b-4678-a167-3160b5647c65
Lewi, Elias
1a95bed1-69e0-4e67-9da9-8a106be05281
Saunders, Kate
5c3b766e-6481-4c77-add7-f1faca2a492f

Field, Lorraine, Barnie, Talfan, Blundy, Jon, Brooker, Richard A., Keir, Derek, Lewi, Elias and Saunders, Kate (2012) Integrated field, satellite and petrological observations of the November 2010 eruption of Erta Ale. Bulletin of Volcanology, 74 (10), 2251-2271. (doi:10.1007/s00445-012-0660-7).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Erta Ale volcano, Ethiopia, erupted in November 2010, emplacing new lava flows on the main crater floor, the first such eruption from the southern pit into the main crater since 1973, and the first eruption at this remote volcano in the modern satellite age. For many decades, Erta Ale has contained a persistently active lava lake which is ordinarily confined, several tens of metres below the level of the main crater, within the southern pit. We combine on-the-ground field observations with multispectral imaging from the SEVIRI satellite to reconstruct the entire eruptive episode beginning on 11 November and ending prior to 14 December 2010. A period of quiescence occurred between 14 and 19 November. The main eruptive activity developed between 19 and 22 November, finally subsiding to pre-eruptive levels between 8 and 15 December. The estimated total volume of lava erupted is ?0.006 km3. The mineralogy of the 2010 lava is plagioclase?+?clinopyroxene?+?olivine. Geochemically, the lava is slightly more mafic than previously erupted lava lining the caldera floor, but lies within the range of historical lavas from Erta Ale. SIMS analysis of olivine-hosted melt inclusions shows the Erta Ale lavas to be relatively volatile-poor, with H2O contents ?1,300 ppm and CO2 contents of ?200 ppm. Incompatible trace and volatile element systematics of melt inclusions show, however, that the November 2010 lavas were volatile-saturated, and that degassing and crystallisation occurred concomitantly. Volatile saturation pressures are in the range 7–42 MPa, indicating shallow crystallisation. Calculated pre-eruption and melt inclusion entrapment temperatures from mineral/liquid thermometers are ?1,150 °C, consistent with previously published field measurements.

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More information

Published date: 2012
Keywords: Afar Ethiopia Remote sensing of volcanoes Lava lake Melt inclusions Basalt
Organisations: Geology & Geophysics

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 346716
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/346716
ISSN: 0258-8900
PURE UUID: 5f63c189-a642-4725-ae98-640f1309cd35
ORCID for Derek Keir: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8787-8446

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Date deposited: 08 Jan 2013 09:42
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:38

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Contributors

Author: Lorraine Field
Author: Talfan Barnie
Author: Jon Blundy
Author: Richard A. Brooker
Author: Derek Keir ORCID iD
Author: Elias Lewi
Author: Kate Saunders

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