Density and vesicle microtexture analysis

Clast densities and vesicle textures (e.g. vesicle size and shape, vesicle number densities) provide information on characterizing the conditions of magma ascent and degassing, and may also elucidate the changing conditions within the conduit between consecutive eruptive phases (Houghton and Wilson, 1989; Parfitt, 2004; Moitra et al., 2013). The skeletal (absolute) density determined for blocks/bombs was 2.85-2.90 g/cm3. The bombs/blocks exhibit different envelope densities than the lapilli size clasts. The lapilli (-3 phi) average densities are between 1.27-1.33 g/cm3_{, while the} bombs have densities of 1.52-1.54 and 1.72-1.82 g/cm3_{. The modes show a similar} pattern of 1.0-1.2 g/cm3 _{for lapilli size and 1.5-1.7 g/cm}3 _{for bomb/block size (Fig. 5.6).}

Figure 5.6 a – Cumulative grain size distribution of distinct units from the proximal sequence of EER. Bb unit distributions are only represent estimations based on field observations. b – Density variations of bomb/block and lapilli (−3 phi) sized juvenile fragments from EER proximal sequence.

Figure 5.7 SEM images of bombs/blocks (A–D, G, H) from OVC and SEM images of scoria fragments from Mt. Roskill (E) and Rangitoto (F), Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF) for comparison. The two samples from AVF exhibit a Hawaiian and Strombolian (or Violent Strombolian)-style eruptions (Kereszturi, unpublished data) as the vesicles show mostly spherical or subspherical shapes (Lautze and Houghton, 2007; Moitra et al., 2013). The textures of samples from OVC are completely different from textures forming during these mild types of eruptions, however similar to basaltic Plinian eruptions of Etna 122 BCE and Tarawera 1886 (Moitra et al., 2013). The 3D vesicularity was calculated applying a 2.85 g/cm3 _{solid density, yielding values} significantly higher (26.4-51.4%) than the FOAMS-calculated integrated 2D vesicularities (22.1-31.6%). The 2D shape of the bubbles usually exhibits irregularities (polylobate shapes) due to frequent coalescence inducing a large-scale

interconnectivity of the vesicles (Fig. 5.7, Table 5.1). Most of the equivalent diameters of vesicles are smaller than 1 mm and range between 0.005 and 14.9 mm with an average of 0.97-0.308 mm. Typically, 50-70% of bubbles are smaller than 0.1 mm, except for unit X where these small bubbles made up only 16-20% (Table 1). Vesicle number density values vary from 6.5×102 to 4.69×103 mm-3 (Fig. 5.9, Table 5.1).

Table 5.1 Bubble volume (BV), bubble number density (NV) and typical sizes (equivalent diameter: EqDi) and shapes of vesicles (Regularity, Shape factor) for distinct units and clasts from the proximal sequence of EER.

5.6.1 Interpretation of observed density and vesicle microtextures features

In comparison with the results of previous density measurements from OVC, similarities exist between our lapilli densities and the density measurements of clasts from “S beds” and “Pb beds” from Houghton and Hackett (1984). Minimum values are 1 g/cm3, but our maximum values are larger by 0.5 g/cm3 than earlier results. That could be an explanation, why our mean densities are larger by approx. 0.1 g/cm3. The bomb/block densities of this study are similar to the bomb density values published in Houghton and Hackett (1984) from the unwelded parts of the inner scoria cone. The density differences between the two examined clast sizes suggest that they originated from different parts of the magma and may represent different fragmentation and eruption styles. Furthermore, units H and X are more heterogeneous with clasts also having higher densities. It is clear that the heterogeneous clast assemblage originated from the same eruption phase; hence any conduit process (e.g. intensified degassing

Sample code Density derived (BV) (%) 2D BV (%) (ImageJ) 2D BV (%) (Foams) NV (corr) (mm-3₎ EqDi range (mm) Mean EqDi (mm) Mean Area (mm2₎ Regularity (Shea et al. 2010) Shape factor (Orsi et al. 1992) A1 46.6 42 26.5 1.22×103 _{0.015-5.168 0.112 0.034 0.8501 0.6023} D1 44.2 45.1 25.9 1.55×103 _{0.015-4.015 0.136 0.046 0.8302 0.5989} D3 43.3 43.8 31.6 2×103 _{0.012-7.116 0.166 0.114 0.831 0.6144} H2 38.3 47.7 28.8 1.57×103 _{0.005-3.939 0.172 0.061 0.8322 0.6066} H3 39.1 28.4 24.6 1.71×103 _{0.005-2.154 0.143 0.041 0.8807 0.6357} J4 39 31.2 25.5 3.15×103 _{0.005-2.076 0.097 0.025 0.8739 0.6045} T1 51.4 47.9 28.4 4.69×103 _{0.005-5.351 0.189 0.108 0.7948 0.5663} T3 44.5 53.3 28.9 1.7×103 _{0.005-14.895 0.308 0.397 0.8147 0.6050} X2 39.8 38.1 22.1 6.5×102 _{0.005-2.622 0.177 0.070 0.8333 0.5957} X3 26.4 44.1 27.2 1.46×103 _{0.006-1.341 0.172 0.036 0.848 0.4931}

from a more fluid melt) could have been responsible for the recorded density diversities.

Figure 5.8 A – Vesicle size distributions (VSD) are ln(n) as a function of L plots,with ln(n) the log of the vesicle number densities per size class, and L is the equivalent diameter in mm. The left part of the segment mostly reflects multiple stages of bubble nucleation and growth. The lower part of the VSD slopes often exhibit coalescence (e.g. J4, T3) which may have occurred at multiple stages. B – Cumulative vesicle size distributions (CVSD) are log(NV > L) as a function of log(L) plots, where NV is the total vesicle number density. Vesicle density measurements were used based on the objects per cubic mm greater than L. CVSD trends also suggest multiple stage of nucleation and growth with coalescence and bubble collapse events in most of the cases (e.g. A1, D3, J4, T3, X2) (Shea et al., 2010).

Even the vesicle textures and shapes from the most Strombolian-like beds (BbA and Bb lithofacies) are completely different to textures originating from other Strombolian (violent Strombolian) and Hawaiian eruptions (Lautze and Houghton, 2007; Gurioli et al., 2008; Cimarelli et al., 2010; Stovall et al., 2011; Moitra et al., 2013; Kereszturi and Németh, 2016) (Fig. 5.7). Vesicle textures from the OVC exhibit similar features to the products of basaltic Plinian eruptions of Etna, 122 BC and Tarawera, 1886 (Sable et al., 2006; Moitra et al., 2013) and the hydromagmatic eruptions of the Ilchulbong tuff cone (Murtagh et al., 2011). Based on tephra properties of distal outcrops and the estimated dispersal it is assumed that the Ohakune eruption does not correspond to basaltic Plinian eruptions, thus it is proposed that the observed vesicle textures may have formed by effects of interaction with external water. Results of quantitative analysis of FOAMS verify coalescence of the vesicles and indicate multiple stages of nucleation and growth (Fig. 5.8). The calculated bubble number density values of the OVC eruption are lower than those from the Ilchulbong tuff cone, but within the range of other small-volume eruptions from Hawaiian and Taalian in style (Fig. 5.9) (Murtagh et al., 2011; Stovall et al., 2011).

Figure 5.9 Range of OVC bubble number density (NV) values measured on blocks and bombs from Bb and BbA type units in comparison with selected eruptions exhibiting different eruption styles; (A) Stovall et al. (2011);(B) Lautze and Houghton (2007); (C) Mattsson (2010); (D) Murtagh et al. (2011); (E) Sable et al. (2006).