Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Growth history of Kilauea inferred from volatile concentrations in submarine-collected basalts

January 1, 2006

Major-element and volatile (H2O, CO2, S) compositions of glasses from the submarine flanks of Kilauea Volcano record its growth from pre-shield into tholeiite shield-stage. Pillow lavas of mildly alkalic basalt at 2600–1900 mbsl on the upper slope of the south flank are an intermediate link between deeper alkalic volcaniclastics and the modern tholeiite shield. Lava clast glasses from the west flank of Papau Seamount are subaerial Mauna Loa-like tholeiite and mark the contact between the two volcanoes. H2O and COin sandstone and breccia glasses from the Hilina bench, and in alkalic to tholeiitic pillow glasses above and to the east, were measured by FTIR. Volatile saturation pressures equal sampling depths (10 MPa = 1000 m water) for south flank and Puna Ridge pillow lavas, suggesting recovery near eruption depths and/or vapor re-equilibration during down-slope flow. South flank glasses are divisible into low-pressure (CO2 

Publication Year 2006
Title Growth history of Kilauea inferred from volatile concentrations in submarine-collected basalts
DOI 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2005.07.037
Authors Michelle L. Coombs, Thomas W. Sisson, Peter W. Lipman
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
Index ID 70030921
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Alaska Science Center; Volcano Hazards Program
Was this page helpful?