Importance of Long-Term Shallow Degassing of Basaltic Magma on the Genesis of Massive Felsic Magma Reservoirs: A Case Study of Aso Caldera, Kyushu, Japan

Abstract

This paper presents the chemical composition (including H2O and CO2) of matrix glass, melt inclusions in phenocrysts, and their host minerals in eruptive products from Aso caldera. We found a group of melt inclusions with clearly lower potassium (0.6-2 wt % K2O at 50-70 wt % SiO2) than previously reported high-K2O whole-rock compositions (3-5 wt % K2O at 55-70 wt % SiO2). While most of the high-K2O intermediate to felsic melt inclusions are vapor undersaturated and show the features of H2O, CO2, and K2O accumulation, the low-K2O basaltic melt already has higher H2O and CO2. We reconcile this discrepancy with a model in which (1) the volatile-rich basalt magmas degas near the surface, (2) migrate back to depths of $\ge$12 km in the crust, and (3) crystallize feldspar and quartz to produce high-K2O felsic melt, (4) magma mixing among the undegassed, degassed, and evolved magmas. By crystallization, about five times as much low-K2O basaltic magma is required to produce high-K2O felsic magma. The quantity of felsic magma ejected from 270 ka (Aso-1) to 90 ka (Aso-4) requires a basalt magma supply rate of 18 to 31 km3/ka. This magma supply rate is comparable to or less than the present-day production rate of degassed magma (73 km3/ka) at an active center of Aso, Nakadake. These findings suggest volcanic gas flux monitoring has the potential to be a 'basalt usage meter' during the dormant period of caldera volcanoes.