Eruption Mechanisms of the Puy De Lemptégy (Auvergne, France) Deduced from Its Volcano Stratigraphy
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FACULTEIT WETENSCHAPPEN Vakgroep Geologie en Bodemkunde Eruption mechanisms of the Puy de Lemptégy (Auvergne, France) deduced from its volcano stratigraphy. Lieselotte Wallecan Academiejaar 2010-2011 Scriptie voorgelegd tot het behalen van de graad Van Master in de Geologie Promotor: Prof. Dr. Patric Jacobs Co-promotor: Prof. Dr. Matthieu Kervyn Leescommissie: Dr. Gerald Ernst, Dr. Karen Fontijn This paper would not be ended successfully without the support and help of some people. - Dr. Matthieu Kervyn. Dr. Kervyn gave me the opportunity to learn more about volcanoes and supported me on the fieldwork in the Auvergne. I got the chance to meet important scientific people who are working and studying worldwide volcanoes (e.g. Greg Valentine). Also thanks for the corrections of this paper and the discussions of the interpreted results. - Prof. Dr. Patric Jacobs. He gave me the possibility to use different laboratory equipment and the support during this research period. - Dr. Karen Fontijn. She explained and helped me with the different methods of the laboratory analyses. - Dr. Gerarld Ernst. He gave me the opportunity to discuss my observations and interpretations and gave me an introduction in the volcanology science. Also I want to thank him for the support during the difficult time I had when my best friend died. - Prof. Dr. Benjamin van Wyk de Vries. For the geological introduction of the Chaîne des Puys and the Puy de Lemptégy. - Audrey Delcamp. For the geological introduction of the Puy de Lemptégy and the research work she had carried out at Puy de Lemptégy. - Prof. Dr. Marlina Elburg. For the help with the ICP-OES measurements. - Prof. Dr. Peter Van den haute. For his contribution in the research and preparing of the thin sections. - Daniëlle Schram. For the practical help during the laboratory analyses. - My parents: Danny Wallecan and Dorinne Dezegher. For their financial support during my geology studies at the University of Ghent. - My partner: Maertens Pieter. For the support during my studies and the emotional support during our relationship. - Elke Vangampelaere †02/10/2010. I want to thank her for the support during my studies and the pleasant moments we shared during our student life. This paper is attributed to Elke Vangampelaere who died in a plane crash on 02/10/2010. She was a very special person and my best friend for ever and ever. “Pilots never die, they disappear behind the horizon.” TABLE OF CONTENT 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 2 Objectives ........................................................................................................................................ 4 3 Regional geology and tectonics ....................................................................................................... 5 3.1 The Central Massif ................................................................................................................... 5 3.2 Volcanic constructs of the Chaîne des Puys ............................................................................ 7 3.3 The morphology of the Chaîne des Puys ................................................................................. 8 3.4 Volcanism in the Chaîne des Puys. .......................................................................................... 9 3.5 Structural geology of the Chaîne des Puys. ........................................................................... 10 4 Scoria cones of the Chaîne des Puys.............................................................................................. 10 4.1 Morphology ........................................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Eruption dynamics and internal structure ............................................................................ 11 4.3 Neighbouring cones of Puy de Lemptégy. ............................................................................. 15 4.3.1 Puy de Petit Sarcoui ....................................................................................................... 16 4.3.2 Puy des Goules .............................................................................................................. 16 4.3.3 Puy des Gouttes ............................................................................................................. 16 4.3.4 Puy de Côme .................................................................................................................. 17 4.3.5 Le Grand Sarcoui ............................................................................................................ 18 4.3.6 Puy de Chopine .............................................................................................................. 18 4.3.7 Le Clierzou ..................................................................................................................... 19 4.3.8 Le Pariou ........................................................................................................................ 19 4.3.9 Le Chaumont and Puy de Fraisse ................................................................................... 20 4.4 Puy de Lemptégy. .................................................................................................................. 20 5 Methodology of fieldwork and laboratory work. .......................................................................... 25 5.1 Fieldwork ............................................................................................................................... 25 5.2 Grainsize distribution ............................................................................................................ 27 5.3 Density measurements .......................................................................................................... 28 5.4 Thin sections .......................................................................................................................... 30 5.5 ICP-OES .................................................................................................................................. 30 6 Stratigraphy of Lemptégy II: field and laboratory results for reference section ........................... 32 6.1 Litholog 2 section 3: stratigraphy .......................................................................................... 34 6.2 Litholog 1 section 3: stratigraphy .......................................................................................... 36 6.3 Litholog 3 section 3: stratigraphy .......................................................................................... 40 6.4 Correlation of the lithologs from key section 3 ..................................................................... 42 6.5 Key section 3: interpretation ................................................................................................. 46 6.6 Density results and interpretation ........................................................................................ 48 6.7 Grainsize distribution and sorting ......................................................................................... 53 6.8 Geochemical analysis ............................................................................................................ 56 6.9 Thin sections .......................................................................................................................... 59 7 Lemptégy II: stratigraphy of remaining sections ........................................................................... 63 7.1 Observations lithologs section 1 ........................................................................................... 63 7.1.1 Section 1 litholog 2: stratigraphy .................................................................................. 63 7.1.2 Section 1 litholog 3: stratigraphy .................................................................................. 64 7.1.3 Section 1 litholog 5: stratigraphy .................................................................................. 68 7.1.4 Section 1: interpretation lithologs................................................................................. 70 7.1.5 Section 1: correlation lithologs ...................................................................................... 73 7.2 General introduction of section 2 at Lemptégy II ................................................................. 75 7.3 Observations of the lithologs section 2 from Lemptégy II .................................................... 76 7.3.1 Section 2 litholog 3: stratigraphy .................................................................................. 76 7.3.2 Section 2: interpretation lithologs................................................................................. 82 7.3.3 Section 2: correlation lithologs ...................................................................................... 82 7.4 Observations of the lithologs section 4 of Lemptégy II. ........................................................ 84 7.4.1 Section 4 litholog 2: stratigraphy .................................................................................. 86 7.4.2 Section 4: interpretation and correlation lithologs ....................................................... 87 7.5 Observations of lithologs section 5 of Lemptégy II ............................................................... 89 7.5.1 Section