Petrology of the explosive deposits from the April 2021 eruption of La Soufrière volcano, St Vincent: a time-series analysis of microlites

Abstract

After more than three months of lava dome extrusion, La Soufrière (St Vincent) transitioned to a series of explosive eruptions in April 2021. Here we present a time-series petrologic analysis of the phenocryst and microlite populations during the first c. 48 h of explosivity to constrain ascent conditions and processes that drove changes in behaviour. Primary eruptive products were crystal-rich (45–50 vol%) basaltic andesites with similar phenocryst phase assemblages and compositions. The change in eruptive style is consistent with over-pressurization as a consequence of second boiling from anhydrous microlite crystallization. The microlites dis-play variation between the explosive phases, with two populations: (1) ‘inherited’ − normally zoned high-An plagioclase (.An70) + olivine (Fo62–79) + clinopyroxene + titanomagnetite, inferred to have crystallized at depths .15 km and high water pressures; (2) ‘juvenile’ − unzoned plagioclase (An45–65) + clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + intermediate pyroxene (Wo12–38) + titanomagnetite, inferred to have crystallized upon ascent due to decompression and degassing. Scoria from the first explosions featured extensive groundmass crystallization and a significant ‘inherited’ microlite population. Later explosions had a more abundant ‘juve-nile’ microlite population and lower crystallinity, consistent with more rapid ascent from depth, initiated by decompression following initial blasts and destruction of the lava dome.