Determination of the volcanic eruption source parameters—total grain-size distribution and vertical ash mass distribution (VMD) within the source—is carried out on a collection of measured-area samples and granulometry data. For this, the geophysical inverse methods and Hybrid Particle and Concentration Transport Model (HYPACT) driven by wind and turbulence fields simulated with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) are used. A two-step inversion procedure is proposed to obtain approximate but physically meaningful solution when the total number of ashfall samples is small and it is not possible to make a good initial guess of the source parameters. First, a spectrum of particle fall velocities is estimated by selecting a best-fit subset of aerodynamically distinct subpopulations of free and aggregate particles from the trial set used to simulate a polycomponent ashfall. The singular value decomposition (SVD) analysis is then employed to identify spatial components of the ash emissions’ vertical distribution, as resolvable by the observations. Model validation experiments are conducted for the January 12, 2011, short-duration vulcanian explosion at Kizimen and paroxysmal phase of the December 24, 2006, sub-Plinian eruption at Bezymianny. The derived VMDs exhibit high variability in fine ash content (~ 60–100 wt%) as well as strong secondary maxima in the lower troposphere, likely reflecting the contribution of ash particles fallen out of co-pyroclastic flow ash clouds and partially collapsing eruption columns.

The current problems of hydrothermal processes and ore-forming systems are volcanic heat sources and mechanisms of heat
transfer. In Pauzhetsky, Semyachik and Mutnovsky geothermal areas in Kamchatka, active long-lived volcanic centers have been
studied, with which high-temperature hydrothermal systems are associated. In the Banno-Paratunsky geothermal area the Paleogene
and Neogene long-lived volcanic centers were identified, with which low-temperature hydrothermal systems are associated. The
geological history of the long-lived volcanic centers development is characterized by changes in their structure as a result of
hydrothermal-magmatic activity. These changes are manifested in the generation and evolution of magma chambers in the mantle
and in the Earth’s crust. Basalt melts of the mantle chambers transport the deep heat to the Earth’s surface through plane magmatic
channels without significant losses. The heat flow of these volcanic centers is short-lived and is characterized by a significant
capacity of ~8,000 kcal/km2s. The long-lived volcanic centers are characterized by the presence of magma chambers in the Earth's
crust. They shield the part of the mantle heat flow. Their thermal capacity on the Earth's surface is estimated from 1000 kcal/km2s
to 5000 kcal/km2s. It is assumed that a significant amount of thermal energy is retained in the long-lived volcanic centers. It is
spent on formation and activity of the chambers as well as the convective hydrothermal ore-forming systems. The evolution of such
centers is accompanied by the formation of complexes of metamorphic rocks which interaction with high-temperature mantle melts
is accompanied by redox reactions like combustion. As a result of these reactions, thermal energy is produced in such magma
chambers. A long-lived jet magmatic system is formed, and it provides the transfer of mantle heat. Heat transfer in the system is
accompanied by minimization of heat losses, accumulation of heat and its additional generation which is necessary for the heat
transfer in the structures with low thermal conductivity. The formation, evolution and extinction of magma chambers and reservoirs
in such heat-conducting structures are controlled by the thermophysical properties of the rocks, their geological structure and redox processes in them.

A 3D velocity model of the Earth's crust beneath the Klyuchevskoy volcanic group has been constructed using the seismic tomography method. Anomalies of the velocity parameters related to the zones of magma supply to active volcanoes have been distinguished. Petrological data on the composition, temperature, and pressure of generation and crystallization of primary melts of Klyuchevskoy volcano magnesian basalts have been obtained. The primary melt corresponds to picrite (MgO = 13-14 wt %) with an ultimate saturation of SiO2 (49-50 wt %), a high H2O content (2.2-2.9%), and incompatible elements (Sr, Rb, Ba, Hf). This melt is formed at pressures of 15-20 kbar and temperatures of 1280--1320С . Its further crystallization proceeds in intermediate magma chambers at two discrete pressure levels (i.e., greater than 6, and 1-2 kbar). The results of the petrological studies are in good agreement with the seismotomographic model.

Abstract In contrast of the 1975–76 Tolbachik eruption, the 2012–13 Tolbachik eruption was not preceded by any striking change in seismic activity. By processing the Klyuchevskoy volcano group seismic data with the Seismic Amplitude Ratio Analysis (SARA) method, we gain insights into the dynamics of magma movement prior to this important eruption. A clear seismic migration within the seismic swarm, started 20 hours before the reported eruption onset (05:15 UTC, 26 November 2012). This migration proceeded in different phases and ended when eruptive tremor, corresponding to lava flows, was recorded (at ~ 11:00 UTC, 27 November 2012). In order to get a first order approximation of the magma location, we compare the calculated seismic intensity ratios with the theoretical ones. As expected, the observations suggest that the seismicity migrated toward the eruption location. However, we explain the pre-eruptive observed ratios by a vertical migration under the northern slope of Plosky Tolbachik volcano followed by a lateral migration toward the eruptive vents. Another migration is also captured by this technique and coincides with a seismic swarm that started 16–20 km to the south of Plosky Tolbachik at 20:31 {UTC} on November 28 and lasted for more than 2 days. This seismic swarm is very similar to the seismicity preceding the 1975–76 Tolbachik eruption and can be considered as a possible aborted eruption.

A quasi-stationary magma flow rate in asthenospheric and crustal conduits of central type volcanoes and volcanic centres was studied analytically under the following conditions. Magma rises through cylindrical channels in which the magma temperature does not change with time, but the wall rocks are gradually heated. The magma rates were calculated for basaltic, andesitic and dacitic volcanoes using the “continental” and “oceanic” geotherms. It follows from these calculations that the magma supply rate may determine the kind of activity of a volcanic centre, being constant for large and very active volcanoes, intermittent for usual volcanic centres of island arcs or sporadic for volcamic fields, clusters of cinder cones and areal volcanism. Theoretical conclusions are consistent with observational data.

Textural and compositional features of plagioclase phenocrysts of the 1991 eruption lavas at Avachinsky Volcano (Kamchatka, Russia) were used to investigate the feeding system processes. Volcanics are porphyritic basaltic andesites and andesites with low-K affinity. A fractionation modeling for both major and trace elements was performed to justify the development of these evolved compositions. The occurrence of other magma chamber processes was verified through high-contrast BSE images and core-to-rim compositional profiles (An and FeO wt.) on plagioclase crystals. Textural types include small and large-scale oscillation patterns, disequilibrium textures at the crystal core (patchy zoning, coarse sieve-textures, dissolved cores), disequilibrium textures at the crystal rim (sieve-textures), melt inclusion alignments at the rim. Disequilibrium textures at the cores may testify episodes of destabilization at various decompression rates under water-undersaturated conditions, which suggests different pathways of magma ascent at depth. At shallower, water-saturated conditions, plagioclase crystallization continues in a system not affected by important chemical-physical perturbations (oscillatory zoning develops). Strongly sieve-textured rims, along with An increase at rather constant FeO, are evidence of mixing before the 1991 eruption between a residing magma and a hotter and volatile-richer one. The textural evidence implies that crystals underwent common histories at shallow levels, supporting the existence of a large magma reservoir whose top is at ~ 5.5 km of depth. Distinct textures at the outer rims in a hand-size sample are evidence that crystals mix mechanically at very shallow levels, probably in a small reservoir at ~ 1.8 km of depth.