The interaction between concentrated pyroclastic density currents and snow: a case study from the 2008 mixed-avalanche from Volcán Llaima (Chile)

The incorporation of snow and ice by pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) can generate mixed-avalanches and pose significant hazards at snow-clad volcanoes. Commonly, the poor preservation of these thin deposits, combined with the subtle characteristics of PDC-snow interaction, has limited their recognition in the geological record. A small-volume (2.5 × 10⁵ m³), basaltic-andesite, mixed-avalanche deposit formed during the 2008 eruption of Volcán Llaima (Chile) provides insight into PDC and snow interactions. Pyroclasts accumulated on the crater rim and collapsed to form a flow that swept up to 2.8 km from source and spread across 6.09 × 10⁵ m² of the snow-clad slopes. The PDC-snow interaction at the crater rim or during flow propagation resulted in distinct deposit and pyroclast textures. These included abundant blocky non-vesicular cauliflower clasts and blocky poorly vesicular scoria. The thin and sheet-like mixed-avalanche deposit had a lumpy surface, lacked marginal levees, was very loose, and fine ash depleted. Although the flow likely incorporated snow and/or ice mechanically, the overall coarseness of the mixture precluded effective fluidization related to vaporization. Many of the features described herein are distinctive features of other mixed-avalanche deposits worldwide and should be considered key indicators of PDC-snow interaction.