Deep long-period (DLP) earthquakes observed beneath active volcanoes are sometimes considered as precursors to eruptions. Their origin remains, however, unclear. Here, we present a possible DLP generating mechanism related to the rapid growth of gas bubbles in response to the slow decompression of over-saturated magma. For certain values of the gas and bubble content, the elastic deformation of surrounding rocks forced by the expanding bubbly magma can be fast enough to generate seismic waves. We show that amplitudes and frequencies of DLP earthquakes observed beneath the Klyuchevskoy volcano (Kamchatka, Russia) can be predicted by our model when considering pressure changes of ~107 Pa in a volume of ~103–104 m3 and realistic magma compositions. Our results show importance of the deep degassing in the generation of volcanic seismicity and suggest that the DLP swarms beneath active volcanoes might be related to the pulses of volatile-rich basaltic magmas rising from the mantle.

Monogenetic volcanic fields are frequently located in the faulted area and in clusters which are associated with the particular geometry of the magmatic chambers and structures of the magma plumbing system in the crust. The method of cluster analyses of the spatial distribution and morphometric characteristics of the cinder cones was used in our research of the conditions of origin and evolution of one of the largest monogenetic fields in Kamchat-ka back-arc-the Anaunsky Dol, or Anaun MVF. Kamchat-ka subduction system is located at the northwestern part of the Pacific at the convergent boundary of the Okhotsk and Pacific plates. Today, Sredinny Range represents its back-arc part and is characterized by the wide distribution of the monogenetic volcanic fields: it has more than 1000 cinder cones, which deposits cover the area of about 8500 km2 (Laverov, 2005; Ogorodov et al., 1972) (Fig. 1). Sredinny Range has a complex structure with several volcanic provinces with different geological history and variable composition of products. Anaun monogenetic volcanic field occupies one of the lowest sections of the whole Sredinny Range. The youngest volcanism in this area (according to the geological map, it was formed in Quaternary times, although our geochemical research and isotopic dating shows its earlier age) is confined to the lowered block of basement rocks. Shield volcanoes, volcanic ridges, cinder and lava cones are located on a low-laying volcanic dale. We made an attempt to make a spatial analysis of distribution of the volcanic edifices and to quantitatively estimate the structural control of the magma plumbing channels. Based on a digital relief model (DEM SRTM, spatial resolution 30 m) we distinguished more than 100 morphometrically expressed cinder cones. For them, using semi-automatic mode, we estimated the morphometric characteristics: height, diameter of the basement, height/basement ratio, angle of the slope, volume of the edifice. With time, cinder cones change their shape due to the erosion processes. Therefore, finally the edifice height is decreased while the basement diameter increased. Determination of the morphometric parameters allowed us to compose a relative age scale for the cinder cones located in Anaun monogenetic volcanic field. Spatial analysis has shown that cones tend to form series of clusters, which are associated with the systems of lineaments. Statistically significant patterns in the cinder cones distribution were then compared with the strike of lineaments to estimate possible location of the magma feeding channels.

Abstract We present a reconstruction of the chronological sequence of events that took place during the first days of the 2012–2013 Tolbachik fissure eruption using petrological data and remote sensing methods. We were forced to use this approach because bad weather conditions did not allow direct observations during the first two days of the eruption. We interpreted infrared images from the scanning radiometer {VIIRS} Suomi {NPP} and correlated the output with the results of the geochemical study, including comparison of the ash, deposited at the period from 27 to 29 November, with the samples of lava and bombs erupted from the Menyailov and Naboko vents. We argue that the compositional change observed in the eruption products (the decrease of SiO2 concentration and K2O/MgO ratio, increase of MgO concentration and Mg#) started approximately 24 h after the eruption began. At this time the center of activity moved to the southern part of the fissure, where the Naboko group of vents was formed; therefore, this timeframe also characterizes the timing of the Naboko vent opening. The Naboko group of vents remained active until the end of eruption in September 2013.

The monitoring of the state of active volcanoes, carried out using different parameters, including geochemical, is very important for studies of deep processes and geodynamics. All changes which occur within the crater before eruptions reflect the magma activation and depend on the deep structure of volcano. This paper gives the results of prolonged monitoring of Ebeko volcano, located in the contact zone between the oceanic and continental plates (the Kurile Island Arc). The geochemical method has been used as the basis for eruption prediction because the increase in the activity of the Ebeko in the period from 1963 to 1967 that ended in a phreatic eruption was not preceded by seismic preparation. Investigations carried out at Ebeko volcano give evidence that change of all the chosen geochemical parameters is a prognostic indicator of a forthcoming eruption. This change depends on the type of eruption, and the deep structure and hydrodynamic regime of the volcano.

This paper reports new FTIR data on the H2O and CO2 concentrations in glasses of 26 naturally quenched and experimentally partially homogenized melt inclusions in olivine (Fo85–91) phenocrysts from rocks of the Kliuchevskoi volcano. Measured H2O concentrations in the inclusions range from 0.02 to 4 wt.%. The wide variations in the H2O content of the inclusions, which do not correlate with the host olivine composition and contents of major elements in the melts, are explained by the H2O escape from inclusions via diffusion through the host olivine during the magma eruption and the following cooling. The largest H2O loss is characteristic of inclusions from lava samples which cooled slowly after eruption. The minimal H2O loss is observed for inclusions from rapidly quenched pyroclastic rocks. Parental magmas of the Kliuchevskoi volcano are estimated to contain 3.5 wt.% H2O. The new data imply a 40 °C lower mantle temperatures than that estimated earlier for the Kliuchevskoi primary melts. The concentrations of CO2 in glasses range from <0.01 to 0.13 wt.% and do not correlate with the type of studied inclusions and their composition. The calculated pressures of melt equilibria with H2O–CO2 fluid inside the inclusions are lower than 270 MPa. They are significantly lower than a pressure of 500 MPa calculated from the density (~0.8 g/cm3) of cogenetic fluid inclusions in high-Fo olivine. The significant pressure drop inside the melt inclusions after their trapping in olivine might be due to the H2O loss and redistribution of CO2 from melt to daughter fluid phase. Compared with melt inclusions, cogenetic fluid inclusions provide independent information about the crystallization pressures of olivine and initial CO2 content in the Kliuchevskoi magma, which were estimated to be at least 500 MPa and 0.35 wt.%, respectively. The maximum CO2 concentrations in the primary Kliuchevskoi melts are estimated at 0.8–0.9 wt.%. The decompression crystallization of the Kliuchevskoi magmas starts at depths of 30–40 km and proceeds with a continuous decrease in CO2 content and an increase (up to 6–7 wt.%) and then a decrease (at <300 MPa) in H2O content in melts, which explains the origin of the whole spectrum of rocks and melt inclusions of the Kliuchevskoi volcano.

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.