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Frequency and magnitude of volcanic eruptions controlled by magma injection and buoyancy

Nature Geoscience volume 7, pages 126–130 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

Super-eruptions are extremely rare events. Indeed, the global frequency of explosive volcanic eruptions is inversely proportional to the volume of magma released in a single event1,2. The rate of magma supply, mechanical properties of the crust and magma, and tectonic regime are known to play a role in controlling eruption frequency and magnitude3,4,5,6,7, but their relative contributions have not been quantified. Here we use a thermomechanical numerical model of magma injection into Earth’s crust and Monte Carlo simulations to explore the factors controlling the recurrence rates of eruptions of different magnitudes. We find that the rate of magma supply to the upper crust controls the volume of a single eruption. The time interval between magma injections into the subvolcanic reservoir, at a constant magma-supply rate, determines the duration of the magmatic activity that precedes eruptions. Our simulations reproduce the observed relationship between eruption volume and magma chamber residence times and replicate the observed correlation between erupted volumes and caldera dimensions8,9. We also find that magma buoyancy is key to triggering super-eruptions, whereas pressurization associated with magma injection is responsible for relatively small and frequent eruptions. Our findings help improve our ability to decipher the long-term activity patterns of volcanic systems.

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Figure 1: Possible scenarios of magma injection and associated overpressure.
Figure 2: Results of Monte Carlo simulations and comparison with natural volcanic eruptions.
Figure 3: Comparison between modelled and observed frequency and magnitude of eruptions.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by a NERC fellowship (NE/G012946/1) to L.C. and an ERC Advanced Grant CRITMAG and Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award to J.B. C.A. was financially supported through ERC Advanced Grant VOLDIES to S. Sparks, who we also thank for comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. The review of M. Jellinek significantly improved the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen’s Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK

    Luca Caricchi, Catherine Annen & Jon Blundy

  2. Section of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, rue des Maraîchers 13, Geneva CH-1205, Switzerland

    Luca Caricchi & Guy Simpson

  3. ISTerre, Université de Savoie, IRD, CNRS, Campus Scientifique, Le Bourget du Lac F73376, France

    Virginie Pinel

Authors
  1. Luca Caricchi
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  2. Catherine Annen
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study. L.C. carried out the mechanical modelling, the Monte Carlo simulations, wrote the first draft of the manuscript and prepared the figures.

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Correspondence to Luca Caricchi.

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Caricchi, L., Annen, C., Blundy, J. et al. Frequency and magnitude of volcanic eruptions controlled by magma injection and buoyancy. Nature Geosci 7, 126–130 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2041

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