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Submarine pyroclastic deposits formed at the Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat (1995–2003): What happens when pyroclastic flows enter the ocean?

¹ Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
² Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris et Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Case 89, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris, Cedex 05, France
³ Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
⁴ Seismic Research Unit, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad, West Indies
⁵ School of Earth, Ocean and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
⁶ Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris et Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Case 89, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris, Cedex 05, France
⁷ School of Earth, Ocean and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
⁸ British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OET, UK
⁹ British Geological Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Kingsley Dunham Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK
¹⁰ Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK

The Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat, West Indies, has undergone a series of dome growth and collapse events since the eruption began in 1995. Over 90% of the pyroclastic material produced has been deposited into the ocean. Sampling of these submarine deposits reveals that the pyroclastic flows mix rapidly and violently with the water as they enter the sea. The coarse components (pebbles to boulders) are deposited proximally from dense basal slurries to form steep-sided, near-linear ridges that intercalate to form a submarine fan. The finer ash-grade components are mixed into the overlying water column to form turbidity currents that flow over distances >30 km from the source. The total volume of pyroclastic material off the east coast of Montserrat exceeds 280 x 10⁶ m³, with 65% deposited in proximal lobes and 35% deposited as distal turbidites.

Key Words: Montserrat • Soufrière Hills volcano • dome collapse • submarine pyroclastic flow

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Le Friant, C. Deplus, G. Boudon, R.S.J. Sparks, J. Trofimovs, and P. Talling Submarine deposition of volcaniclastic material from the 1995-2005 eruptions of Soufriere Hills volcano, Montserrat Journal of the Geological Society, January 1, 2009; 166(1): 171 - 182. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. MILIA, F. MOLISSO, A. RASPINI, M. SACCHI, and M. M. TORRENTE Syneruptive features and sedimentary processes associated with pyroclastic currents entering the sea: the AD 79 eruption of Vesuvius, Bay of Naples, Italy Journal of the Geological Society, July 1, 2008; 165(4): 839 - 848. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]