Evolution of the Intra-Arc Taupo-Reporoa Basin Within the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand
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Evolution of the intra-arc Taupo-Reporoa Basin within the Taupo Volcanic Zone of New Zealand D.T. Downs1,*, J.V. Rowland1, C.J.N. Wilson2, M.D. Rosenberg3, G.S. Leonard4, and A.T. Calvert5 1School of Environment, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand 2School of Geography, Environment, and Earth Sciences, Victoria University, PO Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand 3GNS Science, Private Bag 2000, Taupo 3352, New Zealand 4GNS Science, PO Box 30368, Lower Hutt 5040, New Zealand 5U.S. Geological Survey, Volcano Science Center, 345 Middlefi eld Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA ABSTRACT 58 ± 26 k.y. of Paeroa Subgroup emplace- of eruptions can provide readily datable and ment, but in two stages. The northern Paeroa identifi able time horizons that allow for high The spatial and temporal distributions block underwent uplift and associated tilting resolution (e.g., 10 to 100 k.y.) interpretation of volcaniclastic deposits in arc-related fi rst, followed by the southern Paeroa block. of a basin’s evolution (e.g., Houghton et al., basins refl ect a complex interplay between Elevations (>500 m above sea level) of lacus- 1995; Smith et al., 2008). However, these same tectonic, volcanic, and magmatic processes trine sediments within the southern Paeroa rates of volcanic production, in combination that is typically diffi cult to unravel. We take block are consistent with elevations of rhyo- with varying vent locations, positions of avail- advantage of comprehensive geothermal drill lite lavas in the Ongaroto Gorge, the outlet to able accommodation space, and extreme post- hole stratigraphic records within the Taupo- the paleolake in which these sediments were eruptive sedimentation rates, generally result in Reporoa Basin (TRB), and integrate them deposited, and indicate that the Paeroa block rapid lateral facies changes and burial of strata, with new 40Ar/39Ar age determinations, exist- has remained relatively stable since develop- greatly complicating the stratigraphic architec- ing age data, and new mapping to develop a ment. East of the Paeroa block, stratigraphic ture (Busby and Bassett, 2007). Furthermore, as four-dimensional model of basin evolution relationships show that movement along the these basins often host large-scale hydrothermal in the central Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ), Kaingaroa Fault zone, the eastern boundary systems, post-depositional modifi cation through New Zealand. Here, exceptional rhyolitic of the central TVZ, is associated with vol- hydrothermal alteration can add complexity productivity and high rates of extensional cano-tectonic events. Stratigraphic and age by overprinting both subsurface and exposed tectonism have resulted in the formation of data are consistent with rapid formation of deposits (Steiner, 1963, 1977; Browne, 1978; at least eight calderas and two subparallel, the paired TRB and TFB at 339 ± 5 ka, and Grindley et al., 1994). northeast-trending rift basins, each of which indicate that gradual, secular rifting is punc- Quaternary basins of the central Taupo Vol- is currently subsiding at 3 to 4 mm/yr: the tuated by volcano-tectonic episodes from canic Zone (TVZ) (Fig. 1) are no different in Taupo fault belt (TFB) to the northwest and time to time. Both processes infl uence basin their complexity than arc-related basins else- the TRB to the southeast (the main subject evolution. where. However, the tempo of their development of this paper). The basins are separated in is exceptional and affords an excellent opportu- the northeast by a high-standing, fault-con- INTRODUCTION nity to capture their evolution in high fi delity. trolled range termed the Paeroa block, which This area undergoes secular rifting, some parts is the focus of mapping for this study, and in Active convergent margins are characterized at >10 mm/yr (Wallace et al., 2004), coupled the southwest by an along strike alignment of by tectonic, volcanic, and magmatic processes with an exceptionally high rate of caldera-form- smaller scale faults and an associated region that infl uence basin development and provide ing silicic volcanism (3.8 km3/k.y. over the past of lower relief. Stratigraphic age constraints an abundance of volcaniclastic and sedimentary 1.6 m.y.), and frequent smaller scale explosive within the Paeroa block indicate that a single material that fi lls accommodation space. Under- and effusive eruptions (1 per 900 yr over the basin (~120 km long by 60 km wide) existed standing the interplay between such processes past ~61 k.y.; Wilson et al., 2009). This activity within the central TVZ until 339 ± 5 ka requires knowledge of the geochemistry of arc has resulted in the development of young, deep (Paeroa Subgroup eruption age), and it is systems, and the stratigraphic and structural (>3 km) basins with a plethora of dateable time inferred to have drained to the west through architecture of the resultant basins. On a global horizons (Houghton et al., 1995; Wilson et al., a narrow and deep constriction, the present- scale, the geochemistry of arc systems is well 2009). Although much of the older strata and day Ongaroto Gorge. Stratigraphic evidence known (Pearce and Peate, 1995). However, few structure is buried, more than 400 geothermal and fi eld relationships imply that develop- well resolved stratigraphic and structural archi- exploration and production drill holes provide ment of the Paeroa block occurred within tecture models of arc-related basins have been stratigraphic and petrographic data to depths of developed (Cas and Wright, 1987; Busby and 3.3 km (e.g., Browne et al., 1992; Rosenberg *Corresponding author e-mail: d.downs@ auckland Bassett, 2007; Manville et al., 2009; Sohn et al., et al., 2009). Synthesis of subsurface stratigra- .ac .nz 2013). In most such settings, high frequencies phy with fi eld and geophysical data provides a Geosphere; February 2014; v. 10; no. 1; p. 185–206; doi:10.1130/GES00965.1; 13 fi gures; 2 tables; 1 supplemental fi le. Received 21 July 2013 ♦ Accepted 3 December 2013 ♦ Published online 14 January 2014 For permission to copy, contact [email protected] 185 © 2014 Geological Society of America Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-pdf/10/1/185/3333253/185.pdf by guest on 25 September 2021 Downs et al. Figure 1. Summary map of central North 176°E Island showing the extents of rhyolitic Coromandel Volcanic Zone TVZ calderas TA Taupo (active) Taupo ignimbrites from the central Taupo Vol- WH Whakamaru Volcanic canic Zone (TVZ), and volcanic rocks from MA Mangakino Australian Zone OH Ohakuri plate the earlier Coromandel Volcanic Zone. The PLVZ Paeroa North RE Reporoa three main volcanic segments, major cal- Hauraki Rift Island KA Kapenga dera centers, and high temperature geother- RO Rotorua mal fi elds of the TVZ are displayed. Lines OK Okataina (active) labeled old TVZ and young TVZ (after Wil- son et al., 1995) represent envelopes around HSM known or inferred rhyolitic vents from Bay of Plenty 1.6 Ma to 349 ± 4 ka and 349 ± 4 ka to pres- Pacific plate ent, respectively. Active faults (last rupture Alpine Fault 20 ka or younger) are courtesy of the GNS South Island Science Active Faults Database (2011, http:// Kilometers data .gns .cri .nz /af/). KFZ—Kaingaroa Fault 300 zone. The inset shows the TVZ location rela- tive to the Hikurangi subduction margin A (HSM). Map is in the World Geodetic Sys- R tem 84 reference grid. 2222 Waikato River 1199 2121 2323 RORO 2020 2244 1818 OOKK rich framework with which to interpret the four- KKAA 1177 dimensional (4-D) evolution of selected vol- 1166 cani clastic fi lled basins within the TVZ. 6 OHOH 1155 8 PLVZPLVZ Here we present new fi eld mapping and geo- MAMA 7 9 1414 1133 RERE chronology from an active intra-arc basin within 1010 th Island 5 central TVZ, the Taupo-Reporoa Basin (TRB). 1111 1212 Nor WWHH fault system We focus on outcrops within the upstanding Paeroa block along the basin’s northwest mar- 4 aroa Key Geothermal gin (Figs. 2 and 3). These new data sets are 3 KFZ TVZ boundaries fields KaingPlateau 1 Tokaanu integrated with a reconsidered stratigraphic Inferred caldera 2 Lake Taupo 3 Wairakei-Tauhara R TATA Figure 2 boundaries framework based on geothermal drill cores and 2 4 Rotokawa Lake Geothermal fields 5 Mokai cuttings (e.g., Steiner, 1963, 1977; Rae, 2007; A Taupo 6 Mangakino Central TVZ rhyolitic 7 Ongaroto Rosenberg et al., 2009, 2010), using existing 8 Atiamuri (Wilson et al., 2009, 2010) and new age deter- 1 lavas & ignimbrites 9 Ohakuri (extinct) Coromandel Volcanic 10 Orakei Korako minations to develop a 4-D evolutionary model 39°S 38°S11 Ngatamariki 37°S Zone rocks 12 Ohaaki for the entire TRB. We demonstrate that deposit Tongariro Active andesite 13 Reporoa volcanoes 14 Te Kopia geometries are controlled by both tectonic and 15 Waiotapu-Waikite Ngauruhoe TVZ faults 16 Waimangu volcanic processes, and that the time scales of 17 Horohoro these processes vary considerably over the his- Ruapehu North Island fault 18 Rotorua Old TVZ boundary system & Hauraki 19 West Rotorua tory of the basin. Our 4-D reconstruction of the Rift faults 20 East Rotorua Young TVZ boundary 21 Rotoiti TRB provides a context for understanding the A TVZ andesite regions 22 Taheke 23 Rotoma evolution of relict and active arc systems, and R TVZ rhyolite region 24 Kawerau contributes to our knowledge of punctuated, and interconnected, tectonic, volcanic, and mag- matic events. Hikurangi Plateau at the Hikurangi subduction ners, 2013). This migration is indicated by the margin ~10 Ma induced extension within the southeastward younging of volcanism (Black TECTONIC AND GEOLOGIC SETTING overriding plate (Reyners, 2013). Initially, this et al., 1992; Adams et al., 1994; Houghton et al., extension was focused along the Hauraki Rift, 1995), geothermal activity (Rowland et al., The northeast-trending TVZ is the most which is a north-northwest–trending feature that 2010; Mauk et al., 2011), and fault-controlled recent (past ~2 m.y.) manifestation in a >17 has been active since at least ~7 Ma, parallels volcaniclastic basins formed in Mesozoic m.y.