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Flank spreading and collapse of weak-cored volcanoes

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Abstract

Volcanoes subjected to hydrothermal activity develop weak cores as a result of alteration and due to elevated pore pressures. Edifices constructed at the angle of repose of volcanoclastics, or at even more gentle slopes, respond to internal weakening by initially deforming slowly, but may then collapse catastrophically. Such a process has so far been described for only a few volcanoes, such as Casita, Nicaragua; however, the conditions for flank spreading are widespread and many, if not most volcanoes should suffer some alteration-related flank spreading. We provide analogue models that characterise the structure — surface deformation fields and internal structures — of a spreading flank. Deformation creates a characteristic concave-convex-concave flank profile producing structures such as basal thrusts, summit normal faults, grabens and strike-slip relay faults. Three deformation regimes are found: a ‘pit collapse’ regime is associated with very small volumes of ductile material located far from the edifice surface. This would not appear in nature, as time for deformation is greater than the lifetime of a volcano, unless very low rock viscosities are present. The other two regimes are flank spreading regimes, one symmetric and one asymmetric. The latter is the most common, as most volcanic structures are asymmetrical in form and in distribution of physical properties. The deformation is controlled by altered region dimensions, volume and position relative to the edifice, and to a lesser extent by its shape. As the flanks spread, landslides are created, initially on the steepened portion, but also from fault scarps. Major flank collapse may occur leading to explosive hydrothermal decompression and to a debris avalanche rich in hydrothermally altered material. We provide several new examples of volcanoes that have structures and morphologies compatible with flank spreading. We suggest that it is a common feature, important in the tectonics and hazards of many volcanoes.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the two reviewers, Lionel Wilson and Bill McGuire, for their valuable comments. The research was supported through the CNRS/INSU (French PNRN and ACI-CATNAT programmes).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, UMR6524 du CNRS, OPGC, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont Ferrand, France

    Emmanuelle Cecchi & Benjamin van Wyk de Vries

  2. LASMEA, UMR 6602 du CNRS, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont Ferrand, France

    Jean-Marc Lavest

Authors
  1. Emmanuelle Cecchi
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  2. Benjamin van Wyk de Vries
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  3. Jean-Marc Lavest
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Correspondence to Emmanuelle Cecchi.

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Editorial Responsibility: J. Gilbert

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Cecchi, E., van Wyk de Vries, B. & Lavest, JM. Flank spreading and collapse of weak-cored volcanoes. Bull Volcanol 67, 72–91 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-004-0369-3

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