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Influence of pre‐existing volcanic edifice geometry on caldera formation
Author(s) -
Pinel V.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2011gl047900
Subject(s) - caldera , geology , volcano , crust , magma , seismology , fault (geology) , petrology , stress field , magma chamber , stress (linguistics) , roof , geochemistry , finite element method , linguistics , philosophy , physics , structural engineering , engineering , thermodynamics
Volcanic edifice construction at the Earth's surface significantly modifies the stress field within the underlying crust with two main implications for caldera formation. First, tensile rupture at the Earth's surface is favored at the periphery, which enables ring fault formation. Second, edifice formation amplifies the amount of pressure decrease occurring within a magma reservoir before the eruption stops. Taking into account both of these effects, caldera formation can be initiated during a central eruption of a pre‐existing volcano even when assuming elastic behaviour for the surrounding crust. Providing the roof aspect ratio is small enough, conditions for caldera formation by reservoir withdrawal can be reached whatever the reservoir shape is. However ring fault initiation is easier for laterally elongated reservoirs.