"Hot and sticky" and "cold and damp" pyroclastic eruptions, and their relationship with topography: valley- and lake-filling ignimbrites, Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland

David Brown; Ailsa Quirie; Peter Reynolds; Simon Drake

doi:10.30909/vol.07.02.503524

"Hot and sticky" and "cold and damp" pyroclastic eruptions, and their relationship with topography: valley- and lake-filling ignimbrites, Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland

David Brown^* (Corresponding Author)
, Ailsa Quirie
, Peter Reynolds
, Simon Drake

^*Corresponding author for this work

Geology and Geophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

3 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Pyroclastic density currents are complex mixtures of rock, ash and gas and represent significant hazards at many active volcanoes worldwide. Ignimbrites are the deposits of pyroclastic density currents and can be used to record the eruption dynamics and the interaction of the current with the landscape over time and space. The Sròn Mhòr Member in Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland, is a newly documented sequence of silicic Paleocene ignimbrites. Five phases of eruption are recorded by the ignimbrites, which range from non-welded to welded to lava-like. Between each eruption phase, a period of non-deposition occurred, during which rapid erosion and incision took place. The ignimbrites record how pyroclastic density currents of different temperature, grain size, rheology, and composition interacted with the landscape, filling ancient valleys and lakes, before switching to or re-establishing new drainage pathways. Our results provide further insight into ignimbrite deposition that can be applied to volcanoes worldwide.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	503-524
Number of pages	22
Journal	Volcanica
Volume	7
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.30909/vol.07.02.503524
Publication status	Published - 25 Jul 2024

Data Availability Statement

All data are available on request from the corresponding author.

Funding

This paper is dedicated to the memory of Professor Roderick Brown. Rod became a stalwart of University of Glasgow undergraduate field classes to Ardnamurchan, mapping the area around Ben Hiant. DB has many beautiful memories of spending time with Rod in the field area, discussing wild theories (Rod humouring his “daft ignimbrite stories”), and enjoying his fantastic field class barbeques. Rod was a true friend and is greatly missed. Brian Bell, Jeff Harris, Iain Allison and the late Henry Emeleus are thanked for introducing DB to the area, teaching him so much, and for years of endless, excellent debate on the geology of Ardnamurchan. Charlotte McLean, John Buchanan, Kate Dobson, Peter Nicholls, Ross Dymock, Duncan Hay, and Thomas Taylor are thanked for field jollity. Re- becca Williams and an anonymous reviewer are thanked for their helpful comments that greatly improved the manuscript. Pete Rowley is thanked for editorial support.

Keywords

Ignimbrite
Magma mixing
Paleocene
Pyroclastic density current
Topography

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10.30909/vol.07.02.503524Licence: CC BY

Brown_etal_V_Hot_and_sticky_VOR
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Final published version, 5.53 MBLicence: CC BY

https://www.jvolcanica.org/ojs/index.php/volcanica/article/view/230

Cite this

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title = "{"}Hot and sticky{"} and {"}cold and damp{"} pyroclastic eruptions, and their relationship with topography: valley- and lake-filling ignimbrites, Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland",

abstract = "Pyroclastic density currents are complex mixtures of rock, ash and gas and represent significant hazards at many active volcanoes worldwide. Ignimbrites are the deposits of pyroclastic density currents and can be used to record the eruption dynamics and the interaction of the current with the landscape over time and space. The Sr{\`o}n Mh{\`o}r Member in Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland, is a newly documented sequence of silicic Paleocene ignimbrites. Five phases of eruption are recorded by the ignimbrites, which range from non-welded to welded to lava-like. Between each eruption phase, a period of non-deposition occurred, during which rapid erosion and incision took place. The ignimbrites record how pyroclastic density currents of different temperature, grain size, rheology, and composition interacted with the landscape, filling ancient valleys and lakes, before switching to or re-establishing new drainage pathways. Our results provide further insight into ignimbrite deposition that can be applied to volcanoes worldwide.",

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AU - Brown, David

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AU - Reynolds, Peter

AU - Drake, Simon

PY - 2024/7/25

Y1 - 2024/7/25

N2 - Pyroclastic density currents are complex mixtures of rock, ash and gas and represent significant hazards at many active volcanoes worldwide. Ignimbrites are the deposits of pyroclastic density currents and can be used to record the eruption dynamics and the interaction of the current with the landscape over time and space. The Sròn Mhòr Member in Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland, is a newly documented sequence of silicic Paleocene ignimbrites. Five phases of eruption are recorded by the ignimbrites, which range from non-welded to welded to lava-like. Between each eruption phase, a period of non-deposition occurred, during which rapid erosion and incision took place. The ignimbrites record how pyroclastic density currents of different temperature, grain size, rheology, and composition interacted with the landscape, filling ancient valleys and lakes, before switching to or re-establishing new drainage pathways. Our results provide further insight into ignimbrite deposition that can be applied to volcanoes worldwide.

AB - Pyroclastic density currents are complex mixtures of rock, ash and gas and represent significant hazards at many active volcanoes worldwide. Ignimbrites are the deposits of pyroclastic density currents and can be used to record the eruption dynamics and the interaction of the current with the landscape over time and space. The Sròn Mhòr Member in Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland, is a newly documented sequence of silicic Paleocene ignimbrites. Five phases of eruption are recorded by the ignimbrites, which range from non-welded to welded to lava-like. Between each eruption phase, a period of non-deposition occurred, during which rapid erosion and incision took place. The ignimbrites record how pyroclastic density currents of different temperature, grain size, rheology, and composition interacted with the landscape, filling ancient valleys and lakes, before switching to or re-establishing new drainage pathways. Our results provide further insight into ignimbrite deposition that can be applied to volcanoes worldwide.

KW - Ignimbrite

KW - Magma mixing

KW - Paleocene

KW - Pyroclastic density current

KW - Topography

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DO - 10.30909/vol.07.02.503524

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JO - Volcanica

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ER -

"Hot and sticky" and "cold and damp" pyroclastic eruptions, and their relationship with topography: valley- and lake-filling ignimbrites, Ardnamurchan, NW Scotland

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Funding

Keywords

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