LA-UR 97-3289 1 TITLE: Thermal Evolution of the Phlegraean
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LA-UR 97-3289 TITLE: Thermal Evolution of the Phlegraean Magmatic System AUTHORS: Kenneth Wohletz1, Lucia Civetta2, and Giovanni Orsi2 PUBLISHED IN: Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Energy Vol. 91, 381-414, 1999 1Los Alamos National Laboratory, Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos, NM 87545 2University of Naples Federico II, Department of Geophysics and Volcanology, Naples, Italy 80138 1 Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 91Ž. 1999 381±414 www.elsevier.comrlocaterjvolgeores Thermal evolution of the Phlegraean magmatic system Kenneth Wohletz a,), Lucia Civetta b, Giovanni Orsi b a Earth and EnÕironmental Sciences, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA b Dipartimento di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, UniÕersity of Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy Abstract A series of 2-D conductiverconvective numerical models show a rather limited range of possible magma chamber configurations that predict the present thermal regime at Campi Flegrei. These models are calculated by HEAT, which allows continuous adjustment of heterogeneous rock properties, magma injectionrreplenishment, and convective regimes. The basic test of each model is how well it reproduces the measured thermal gradients in boreholes at Licola, San Vito, and Mofete reported by AGIP in 1987. The initial and boundary conditions for each model consists of a general crustal structure determined by geology and geophysics and major magmatic events:Ž. 1 the 37 ka Campanian Ignimbrite; Ž. 2 smaller volume 37±16 ka eruptions;Ž. 3 the 12 ka Neapolitan Yellow Tuff; Ž. 4 recent magmatism Ž e.g., Minopoli at ;10 ka and Monte Nuovo in 1538 AD. While magma chamber depth is well constrained, magma chamber diameter, shape, volume, and peripheral convective regimes are poorly known. Magma chamber volumes between 200 and 2000 km3 have been investigated with cylindrical, conicalŽ. funnel-shaped , and spheroidal shapes. For all reasonable models, a convective zone, developed above the magma chambers after caldera collapse, is necessary to achieve the high gradients seen today. These models should help us understand recent bradyseismic events and future unrest. q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Campi Flegrei caldera; Phlegraean magmatic system; Campanian Ignimbrite 1. Introduction related to the Campanian IgnimbriteŽ CI; 37 ka; Deino et al., 1992, 1994. and the Neapolitan Yellow The Campi Flegrei calderaŽ. CFc; Fig. 1 , an TuffŽ. NYT; 12 ka eruptions, respectively Ž Orsi et active caldera that has shown signs of unrest in the al., 1992, 1996. An ongoing resurgence has affected last 30 years, hosts within its surroundings a popula- the NYT caldera since 10 ka and has generated the tion of more than one million people. Therefore, the disjointing of the caldera floor in blocks, each with volcanic risk of the area is very high. Any attempt to differential long-term vertical displacement. The un- forecast the future activity of the volcano implies the rest episodes that occurred in the last 30 years are knowledge of the present state of its magmatic sys- short-term deformational events during the long-term tem. resurgence process. The CFc includes a continental and a submerged The magmatic system is still active as testified by part and results from at least two large collapses the last eruption that occurred at Monte Nuovo in 1538Ž. Di Vito et al., 1987 , the widespread fumarolic and thermal springs activityŽ. Allard et al., 1991 , and ) Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] the recent unrest episodesŽ Casertano et al., 1976; 0377-0273r99r$ - see front matter q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S0377-0273Ž. 99 00048-7 382 K. Wohletz et al.rJournal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 91() 1999 381±414 K. Wohletz et al.rJournal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 91() 1999 381±414 383 Barberi et al., 1984, 1989; Orsi et al., 1999, this conditions that must be included in our thermal volume. The existence of a magma chamber beneath models: the caldera has been postulated by Barberi et al. Ž.1 The caldera results from two nested large Ž.1978 , Armienti et al. Ž. 1983 , Di Girolamo et al. collapses that occurred at 37 and 12 ka, respectively. Ž.1984 , Rosi and Sbrana Ž. 1987 , Villemant Ž. 1988 Ž.2 The older caldera, related to the CI eruption, and Civetta et al.Ž. 1991 , and is likely located at has a mean topographic diameter of about 16 km. shallow depthŽ.Ž 4±5 km Ortiz et al., 1984; Ferrucci Ž.3 The younger caldera, related to the NYT et al., 1992; De Natale and Pingue, 1993. Petrologi- eruption, is located in the central part of the older cal and isotopic dataŽ D'Antonio et al., 1999, this one and has a mean diameter of about 10 km. volume; Pappalardo et al., 1999, this volume. show Ž.4 Based upon the extensive studies by Smith that the magmatic system in the last 50 ka has and ShawŽ. 1975, 1979 and Smith et al. Ž. 1978 , the behaved as an open system being refilled many Phlegraean calderas are underlain by crustal magma times. Orsi et al.Ž. 1992, 1995 have shown that the bodies that have a diameter similar to that of the reservoir was refilled by variable batches of magma calderas. before the NYT eruption. Ž.5 The volume of these magma chambers is The aim of this paper is to demonstrate numerical unknown, but SmithŽ. 1979 and other workers, such models of heat flow within the caldera and associ- as CrispŽ. 1984 , have shown the magma chamber ated rocks that simulate the thermal regime measured volumes can be constrained by the volume of in geothermal boreholes. These models, building on caldera-eruption products. Typically for silicic erup- earlier works by Bonafede et al.Ž. 1984 , Giberti et al. tions, the chamber volume is larger than caldera- Ž.1984 , and Bonafede Ž. 1990 are constrained by eruption products by a factor of 10Ž Smith and Shaw, known geological, geochemical, and geophysical 1979. properties and help to understand the magmatic his- Ž.6 The erupted volumes of magmas for the CI tory of the Phlegraean system and its present thermal and NYT caldera-forming eruptions are estimated to state. While the results of these models are not be about 200 and 50 km3, respectively. We assume a unique, they certainly provide a basis by which one maximum volume of magma in the chamber before can evaluate the effects of various magma chamber caldera eruptions of 2000 and 500 km3, respectively; geometries, sizes, ages, and intrusion histories. As a we also consider reasonable minimum chamber vol- result of evaluating several models that best fit known umes of 1000 and ;160 km3, based upon geometric constraints, we then can make interpretations about assumptions, discussed below. future behavior of the Campi Flegrei caldera system. Ž.7 CI varies in composition from alkali trachyte Further background covering geologic history, to trachyte, while NYT have composition variable magma characteristics, and geophysical data for this from alkali trachyte to latite; in general these mag- study is given in Appendix A. The thermal modeling mas have a density of about 2300 kgrm3 Ž e.g., technique appliedŽ. HEAT is summarized in Ap- Wohletz et al., 1995. and thermal conductivities of pendix B. about 2.8 Wrm-KŽ Chelini and Sbrana, 1987; Wohletz and Heiken, 1992. Ž.8 Sr isotopic data Ž Fig. 2 . gives evidence that 2. Model constraints based on geology, geochem- the Phlegraean magmatic system was not a closed istry, and geophysics system, but it was periodically replenished by iso- From the preceding review and that included in topically distinct trachytic and latitic magmatic Appendix A, we summarize the important boundary batches. Accordingly, the magma chambers devel- Fig. 1. Geological map and cross section of the Campi Flegrei caldera. The map depicts the basic structural elements of the caldera, the locations of recent vents and geothermal manifestations, and the locations of geothermal boreholes where thermal gradients have been measured. 384 K. Wohletz et al.rJournal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 91() 1999 381±414 oped over a period of time and likely varied in Ž.9 The depth of these magma chambers can only volume and thermal structure. be constrained by one geophysical datum, PSv veloc- Fig. 2. Geochemical trends of extruded Phlegraean magmas are shown as 87Srr86 Sr ratios and CaO abundances from 50 ka bp to present. The squares indicate the major extrusion of the Campanian ignimbrite and the filled triangles Neapolitan Yellow Tuff extrusion. K. Wohletz et al.rJournal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 91() 1999 381±414 385 ities indicating a chamber depth of 4 km; to be sure, Ž.11 The near-surface stratigraphy consists of the depth could be greater, but as we show later, the calc-alkaline and alkaline volcanic rock cover that youth of magmatism and the high surface thermal now may have an accumulated thickness of several gradients indicate very shallow magma chambers, kilometers, consisting of extruded rocks from mag- even if hydrothermal convection has been important. matic systems developed in the Phlegraean area; Ž.10 The host rocks of these magma chambers is however, as an initial condition, for our models, we constrained by regional geology and gravimetric assume no volcanic cover prior to development of modelsŽ Fig. 3; AGIP, 1987; Cassano and La Torre, large crustal magma chambers. New studies per- 1987. ; accordingly we consider a general model of formed after completion of this study have shown the deep stratigraphyŽ. Chelini and Sbrana, 1987 that carbonate rocks may be missing in the Phle- consisting of carbonate rocksŽ density ; 2650 graean area, but this information will have to be Mgrm3 , conductivity ;1.0 Wrm-K. to a depth of addressed in future modeling studies.