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'Inheritance': An influence on the particle size of pyroclastic deposits

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 11:00 authored by Rebecca CareyRebecca Carey, Houghton, BF
The size distribution of particles in pyroclastic fall deposits has been interpreted as a strong indication of efficiency of the fragmentation process during the parent explosions. Fall deposits, however, contain two distinct populations of pyroclasts: juvenile, i.e., magmatic clasts fragmented from the magma, and wall-rock particles derived from walls of the vent and volcanic conduit. While sizes and shapes of the former are always sensitive indicators of eruptive processes, properties of the wall-rock population may reflect various external influences. Here we describe how the wall-rock component of a powerful historical eruption largely inherited its size distribution from properties of the host rocks, and how this, in turn, strongly biases the entire deposit grain size distribution of the near-vent deposits. The use of wall-rock particles to infer style of fragmentation and eruption must always be coupled with other independent lines of evidence. © 2010 Geological Society of America.

History

Publication title

Geology (Boulder)

Volume

38

Issue

4

Pagination

347-350

ISSN

0091-7613

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

Geological Soc America

Place of publication

Inc, Po Box 9140, Boulder, USA, Co, 80301-9140

Rights statement

Copyright 2010 Geological Society of America

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the earth sciences

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