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Integrated field, satellite and petrological observations of the November 2010 eruption of Erta Ale

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Abstract

Erta Ale volcano, Ethiopia, erupted in November 2010, emplacing new lava flows on the main crater floor, the first such eruption from the southern pit into the main crater since 1973, and the first eruption at this remote volcano in the modern satellite age. For many decades, Erta Ale has contained a persistently active lava lake which is ordinarily confined, several tens of metres below the level of the main crater, within the southern pit. We combine on-the-ground field observations with multispectral imaging from the SEVIRI satellite to reconstruct the entire eruptive episode beginning on 11 November and ending prior to 14 December 2010. A period of quiescence occurred between 14 and 19 November. The main eruptive activity developed between 19 and 22 November, finally subsiding to pre-eruptive levels between 8 and 15 December. The estimated total volume of lava erupted is ∼0.006 km3. The mineralogy of the 2010 lava is plagioclase + clinopyroxene + olivine. Geochemically, the lava is slightly more mafic than previously erupted lava lining the caldera floor, but lies within the range of historical lavas from Erta Ale. SIMS analysis of olivine-hosted melt inclusions shows the Erta Ale lavas to be relatively volatile-poor, with H2O contents ≤1,300 ppm and CO2 contents of ≤200 ppm. Incompatible trace and volatile element systematics of melt inclusions show, however, that the November 2010 lavas were volatile-saturated, and that degassing and crystallisation occurred concomitantly. Volatile saturation pressures are in the range 7–42 MPa, indicating shallow crystallisation. Calculated pre-eruption and melt inclusion entrapment temperatures from mineral/liquid thermometers are ∼1,150 °C, consistent with previously published field measurements.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council, Afar Rift Consortium grant NE/F007604/1. K.S. was supported by a NERC Post-doctoral Research Fellowship (NE/G0129X/1). The authors acknowledge the generous support of the University of Addis Ababa with fieldwork arrangements, and the Afar Regional Government for invaluable assistance. We thank N. Marsh and R. Kelly for assistance with XRF at the University of Leicester, R. Hinton with the SIMS at the University of Edinburgh and J. Hammond for the GPS track of the final emplaced lava flow (February 2011). J. Wilkinson is thanked for sharing his observations during and post-eruption. T. Rooney provided some helpful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. The manuscript was also improved by the comments of two anonymous reviewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Queen’s Road, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK

    Lorraine Field, Jon Blundy, Richard A. Brooker & Kate Saunders

  2. Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Downing Place, Cambridge, CB2 3EN, UK

    Talfan Barnie

  3. National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK

    Derek Keir

  4. Geophysical Observatory, University of Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Elias Lewi

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  1. Lorraine Field
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Correspondence to Lorraine Field.

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Editorial responsibility: J.E. Gardner

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Video 1

Video footage of an overflow episode which occurred at 1025 hours UTC on 22 November 2010, showing low viscosity of lava as it overflows the scoria rampart (MP4 42.5 MB)

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Field, L., Barnie, T., Blundy, J. et al. Integrated field, satellite and petrological observations of the November 2010 eruption of Erta Ale. Bull Volcanol 74, 2251–2271 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-012-0660-7

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