Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126

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China University of Geosciences (Beijing)

Geoscience Frontiers
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Research paper

Micro-textures in plagioclase from 1994e1995 eruption, Barren Island

Volcano: Evidence of dynamic magma plumbing system in the
Andaman subduction zone
M.L. Renjith*
Marine and Coastal Survey Division, Geological Survey of India, 4th Floor, C-Block, Kendriya Bhavan, Kakkanadu, Cochin, Kerala 682037, India

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: A systematic account of micro-textures and a few compositional profiles of plagioclase from high-alumina
Received 11 December 2012 basaltic aa lava erupted during the year 1994e1995, from Barren Island Volcano, NE India ocean, are
Received in revised form presented for the first time. The identified micro-textures can be grouped into two categories: (i) Growth
19 March 2013
related textures in the form of coarse/fine-sieve morphology, fine-scale oscillatory zoning and resorption
Accepted 25 March 2013
surfaces resulted when the equilibrium at the crystal-melt interface was fluctuated due to change in
Available online 10 April 2013
temperature or H2O or pressure or composition of the crystallizing melt; and (ii) morphological texture, like
glomerocryst, synneusis, swallow-tailed crystal, microlite and broken crystals, formed by the influence of
Keywords:
Micro-texture
dynamic behavior of the crystallizing magma (convection, turbulence, degassing, etc.). Each micro-texture
Plagioclase has developed in a specific magmatic environment, accordingly, a first order magma plumbing model and
Magma chamber process crystallization dynamics are envisaged for the studied lava unit. Magma generated has undergone
Barren Island Volcano extensive fractional crystallization of An-rich plagioclase in stable magmatic environment at a deeper
Andaman subduction zone depth. Subsequently they ascend to a shallow chamber where the newly brought crystals and pre-existing
crystals have undergone dynamic crystallization via dissolution-regrowth processes in a convective self-
mixing environment. Such repeated recharge-recycling processes have produced various populations of
plagioclase with different micro-textural stratigraphy in the studied lava unit. Intermittent degassing and
eruption related decompression have also played a major role in the final stage of crystallization dynamics.
Ó 2013, China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and Peking University. Production and hosting by
Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction full tool in understanding the magma process. Specifically, several

studies have concluded that texture and chemical zoning in
In an open-system volcanic process, the erupted magmatic plagioclase, in particular, may be an efficient tool for confining the
products contain mixed crystal populations of xenocryst, antecryst, dynamics and kinetics of magmatic process, due to its high sensi-
phenocryst and microlite (Jerram and Martin, 2008). A mineral tivity to changes in physical-chemical conditions (T, P, P(H2O), f(O2),
phase, in any of such forms, highly sensitive to the modifications in melt composition) of the system (Stamatelopoulou-seymour et al.,
the volcanic system, and able to record the changes in thermody- 1990; Blundy and Shimizu, 1991; Stimac and Pearce, 1992; Singer
namic equilibria in their textural and compositional zoning pat- et al., 1995; Tepley et al., 1999, 2000; Ginibre et al., 2002a,b;
terns, depending on the process they underwent, will be a power Humphreys et al., 2006; Ginibre and Wörner, 2007; Smith et al.,
2009; Viccaro et al., 2010, 2012).
High-alumina basalt (HAB) erupted in the form of aa lava from
* Tel.: þ91 484 2428937; fax: þ91 484 2428940.
E-mail address: [email protected]. the Barren Island Volcano (BIV), NE Indian Ocean, during the year
1994e1995, constituted of various physical mixtures and geneti-
Peer-review under responsibility of China University of Geosciences (Beijing) cally related phenocrysts and xenocrysts (2e5 mm size) of Ca-rich
plagioclase, Mg-rich olivine and clinopyroxene (Luhr and Haldar,
2006). According to them these phenocrysts and xenocryst have
been entered the magma through contamination of troctolitic
Production and hosting by Elsevier crystal mushes or plutonic xenoliths at depth. This argument is

1674-9871/$ e see front matter Ó 2013, China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and Peking University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2013.03.006
114 M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126

supported by the elevated Ca-rich plagioclase phenocryst per-

centage, high Eu anomaly (>1), Sr (209e227 ppm) and Al2O3
(21e23 wt.%) contents when compared to older lavas and imply
the vital role of plagioclase in the petrogenesis of HAB. However,
the mechanism of plagioclase addition has not been well under-
stood yet and, of course, it is a difficult task in separately identi-
fying the foreign derived xenocrysts from co-genetic phenocrysts
of a single lava unit. This paper presents various micro-textures in
plagioclase from this lava unit and based on that various plagio-
clase populations, their growth history and dynamic plumbing
system operated during this aa lava eruption are envisaged
qualitatively.

2. Background information

Barren Island Volcano, the only active subduction-related vol-

cano in the Andaman Sea, NE Indian Ocean (12.29 N, 93.85 E) is a
circular shaped island covering an area of w10 km2 with w3 km
diameter, and its cinder cone rises 355 m above the sea level
(Fig. 1a,b). BIV falls within the northern extension of Sumatra vol-
canic chain formed by northeastward oblique subduction of Indo-
Australian oceanic plate beneath the Southeast Asian plate
(Fig. 1a). This active volcano erupted in three major cyclic stages
leaving a small quiescent period in between (Luhr and Haldar,
2006; Sheth et al., 2009; Pal et al., 2010 and the references
therein). First cycle: predate the year 1787 (pre-historic lava) and
has no age record yet; second cycle: between the year 1787 and
1832; and the third cycle: from 1991 to 2009 consists of four stages
of eruption, during the year 1991, 1994e1995, 2005e2006 and
2008e2009. Though, in gist, the erupted products are in the form of
aa and blocky aa lava flows along with volcanoclastic deposits
including tephra fallout, lahars and surge deposits (Sheth et al.,
2009).

3. Analytical technique

A total of 106 samples were randomly collected from aa lava

flow unit of 1994e1995 eruption during the field visit to Barren
Island, Andaman sea, way back in December 2004 (Fig. 1b). About
146 thin sections were made and petrographic observations with
special emphasize on micro-textures in plagioclase were carried
under polarizing microscope. The identified micro-textures are
presented as microphotographs (Figs. 2e9) as well as schematic
diagrams (Table 1) for a better visual understanding. Four plagio-
clase grains displaying maximum micro-textural diversity were Figure 1. (a) Map showing location of Barren Island Volcano and major tectonic ele-
ments in the Andaman Sea, NE Indian Ocean; (b) aerial photo of Barren Island Volcano
selected for determining the compositional profile by micro-probe
(panoramic view from west towards east) captured in the year 2002 (photo courtesy:
analysis and the data obtained are presented in Table 2. Plagioclase Indian Navy) shows the studied aa lava flow unit of the 1994e1995 eruption (dark
phenocryst was analyzed along the core-rim transect with steps of patches).
w5e10 mm. Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) carried out with
a CAMECA SX100 (Central Petrological Laboratory, Geological Sur-
vey of India, Kolkata) operated at 15 kV, 12 nA using natural mineral tooth paste lavas reported from Hawaii, Paricutin and Etna volcanic
standards and results were corrected with a PAP matrix correction fields (Sheth et al., 2011). Hand specimen shows salt and pepper
program. The standards were analyzed at regular intervals to check appearance due to the presence of whitish-grey plagioclase phe-
the precision of sample analysis. Fe2þ and Fe3þ were distributed nocrysts in a fine-size to glassy black matrix. Under microscope all
based on stoichiometry. samples show porphyritic texture developed by the unusually large
euhedral plagioclase (>97%), euhedral olivine (2e3%) and cpx
4. Present study (0e4%) set in a background mass consisting of glass and microlites
of same phenocryst phases. Plagioclase, the dominant modal phase
Present study is confined to the lava unit erupted during in all samples, found in three sizes such as small (<1 mm), medium
1994e1995 (Fig. 1b). They are black coloured massive looking (1e3 mm) and large (3e5 mm) crystals. Proportion of these size-
blocky aa lava with rugged surface. They erupted in different pulses groups varies from sample to sample. Medium and large-size
in strombolian style and have high-alumina basaltic composition crystals often display various micro-textures. Percentage of
(SiO2: 51e52 wt.%) with unusual An-rich plagioclase, cpx and plagioclase with micro-textures varies sample to sample, though
olivine phenocryst and xenocrysts (Luhr and Haldar, 2006). some sections have hardly any. Detailed descriptions of micro-
Morphologically they show remarkable similarities with viscous textures are as follows.
 M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126 115

Table 1 4.1. Micro-textures in plagioclase

Schematic representation and interpretation of micro-textures in plagioclase.

Texture Description Interpretation Sieve-texture, a frequently found micro-texture in the studied

lava, is the glass inclusions (previously melt) in plagioclase. These
inclusions behave like an opaque under plane polarized light and
T1 Coarse-sieve Dissolution by varying
impart porous appearance to the crystals. They composed of glass,
rate of adiabatic
decompression of
microlites and Fe-Ti oxides and found in coarse (coarse-sieve; CS)
H2O-undersaturated (Fig. 2a,b; T1, Table 1) or fine sizes (fine-sieve; FS) (Fig. 2c,d; T2,
magma Table 1). Their size difference is well visualized in Fig. 2d. In general
CS and FS are not found superimposed on each other; rather they
occur as a discrete zone preferred manner in a single grain (Figs. 2d
and 5). Coarse-sieve morphology is largely amoeboidal in shape
and frequently found at the core of large plagioclase (Fig. 2a,b,d). In
T2 Fine-sieve Partial dissolution due some grains their size gradually reduces towards the rim (Fig. 5). CS
to reaction with more
Ca-rich melt
found as isolated or interconnected manner; isolated CS are
randomly distributed melt inclusion patches without any inter-
connectivity and do not display any distribution pattern (Fig. 2a).
Interconnected CS are found as (i) elongated and run parallel to the
cleavage planes and cut across laterally to get interconnected with
adjacent one (Fig. 2b) or (ii) forming a ring shape leaving a less
T3 Fine-scale oscillatory Convection driven small
zoning scale physical-chemical sieved inner core (Fig. 9b). CS seldom carry microlite of cpx or
perturbation at the olivine as trapped inclusions along with melt rather than poiki-
crystal-melt interface litically enclosed phases (Figs. 2a and 5). Fine-sieves (FS) are very
fine-size glass inclusions uniformly distributed in a zone preferred
manner (Figs. 2c,d, 4 and 5; T2, Table 1). Their closely spaced and
high density (total area/number of inclusions) distribution gives a
dusty appearance (Fig. 2d). They are well interconnected and occur
T4 Rounded zone corner Minor dissolution when
in an organized way. In large grains they occur towards the rim
the crystals move across
the magmatic gradient
(Figs. 2d, 4 and 5) and are devoid at the core whereas in medium/
small-size grains they occur as multiple zones of varying thickness
or overprinted on fine-scale growth zones.
Fine-scale oscillatory zones (FOZ) (T3, Table 1), another impor-
tant micro-texture identified in plagioclase, is often found in
T5 Resorption surface Intense and prolonged medium-size crystals and rarely at the outer rim of large plagio-
dissolution while reacting clases (Figs. 2a,c and 3aec). FOZ occur as sets comprising 5e15
with more primitive
magma
individual zones of less than 4 mm thick. There are up to five zone-
sets that can be recognized from a single grain. Each zone-set is
separated by drastic change in composition (optically different)
(Fig. 3b) or fine-sieve zones or major resorption surfaces (Figs. 4
and 5). Individual zones are characterized by curved corners
T6 Synneusis Turbulent magmatic state (Fig. 3b; T4, Table 1), varying thickness (Fig. 3b) and wavy rather
related convection than a straight margin (Fig. 3a,c).
Resorption surfaces (RS) are the horizons, like an unconformity
surface marking a boundary between two textural domains or
growth zones (Figs. 4 and 5; T5, Table 1). For example, in Fig. 5 a FOZ
domain (D-3) rapidly changes over to FS domain leaving a thin
T7 Glomerocrysts Suturing of spatially closer
melt-rich zone in between. The irregular surface at the outer edge
resorbed crystals
of the FOZ domain represents a major RS (thick arrow in Fig. 5).
Similarly many examples like a grain in Fig. 4 show a gap between
two sets of FOZ domain (D-iv and v); a CS dominated core showing
oval shaped boundary in Fig. 9b; and an irregular boundary of a
T8 Swallow-tail Rapid growth due to clear-plagioclase core in Fig. 9d is the major RS marking the
undercooling may be boundary between two textural domains in a phenocryst.
related to eruption process Many plagioclase crystals, particularly the ones with a large size,
have developed diverse and multiple micro-textural domains. An
example in Fig. 4 shows a plagioclase that has six textural domains,
separated by irregular resorption surfaces from its core to rim. A
T9 Microlites Degassing or water domain of CS textured core (D-i) ends towards the rim with a well
exsolution driven interconnected FS domain (D-ii) which again wrap up with a poorly
undercooling may be interconnected FS domain (D-iii). Over these FS domains, two sets
related to eruption process
of FOZ domains (D-iv and D-v) are formed. At the rim a thin zone of
clear plagioclase (D-vi) forms an outer shell. Similarly in another
T10 Broken crystal Decompression related example, part of a large plagioclase shown in Fig. 5 has six distinct
forceful aerial eruption textural domains. At the core two euhedral growth zones with
isolated CS pattern (D-1 and D-2) are characterized by their distinct
Table 2

116
Electron probe micro spot analysis of core to rim compositional profile of plagioclase.

Grain-1 Core Rim

Dataset/ 4/1. 4/2. 4/3. 4/4. 4/5. 4/6. 4/7. 4/8. 4/9. 4/10. 4/11. 4/12. 4/13. 4/14. 4/15. 4/16. 4/17. 4/18. 4/19. 4/20. 4/22. 4/23. 4/24. 4/25.
Point
SiO2 44.66 44.51 39.83 45.39 45.27 42.59 45.77 45.44 45.27 43.88 43.97 45.79 46.44 45.24 44.98 46.01 45.49 45.26 42.16 45.65 45.31 44.97 45.37 47.11
Al2O3 33.65 32.08 28.72 33.62 32.90 30.70 33.05 33.19 33.43 32.34 31.73 33.08 33.56 33.44 32.91 33.27 33.18 33.29 30.90 33.39 33.30 33.24 34.12 31.69
FeO 0.45 0.65 0.45 0.65 0.55 0.50 0.59 0.50 0.38 0.51 0.57 0.63 0.38 0.44 0.56 0.56 0.42 0.58 0.50 0.48 0.49 0.46 0.54 0.77
MnO 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.03 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.05 0.02 0.04 0.04 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.11 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.00
MgO 0.06 0.08 0.16 0.08 0.09 0.14 0.09 0.08 0.02 0.09 0.08 0.12 0.05 0.03 0.13 0.09 0.06 0.05 0.10 0.09 0.05 0.09 0.01 0.13
CaO 19.30 18.12 16.89 18.50 18.53 17.19 18.43 18.38 18.48 18.08 17.84 18.43 18.17 18.61 18.32 18.48 18.35 18.38 18.09 18.52 18.38 18.65 19.16 16.69
Na2O 1.24 1.55 1.26 1.42 1.54 1.65 1.57 1.65 1.54 1.75 1.49 1.59 1.49 1.57 1.57 1.51 1.57 1.45 1.40 1.42 1.55 1.48 1.17 2.55
K2O 0.00 0.05 0.06 0.03 0.05 0.07 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.03 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.02 0.01 0.00 0.03 0.05
Total 99.40 97.04 87.37 99.69 98.94 92.85 99.55 99.30 99.12 96.68 95.73 99.71 100.12 99.38 98.52 99.99 99.12 99.05 93.19 99.68 99.09 98.89 100.48 98.99

Cations per 8 oxygens

Si 2.069 2.110 2.098 2.096 2.105 2.106 2.115 2.103 2.100 2.082 2.114 2.112 2.135 2.093 2.099 2.118 2.110 2.103 2.081 2.108 2.103 2.091 2.082 2.177
Al 1.838 1.792 1.783 1.830 1.803 1.789 1.800 1.810 1.827 1.809 1.798 1.799 1.818 1.823 1.810 1.805 1.814 1.823 1.798 1.818 1.821 1.822 1.845 1.726
2þ
Fe 0.017 0.026 0.020 0.025 0.021 0.021 0.023 0.019 0.015 0.020 0.023 0.024 0.015 0.017 0.022 0.022 0.016 0.023 0.021 0.019 0.019 0.018 0.021 0.030
Mn 0.002 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.001 0.002 0.000 0.000 0.001 0.002 0.001 0.002 0.002 0.002 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.004 0.000 0.000 0.003 0.000
Mg 0.004 0.006 0.013 0.006 0.006 0.010 0.006 0.006 0.001 0.006 0.006 0.008 0.003 0.002 0.009 0.006 0.004 0.003 0.007 0.006 0.003 0.006 0.001 0.009

M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126

Ca 0.958 0.920 0.953 0.915 0.923 0.911 0.913 0.911 0.918 0.919 0.919 0.911 0.895 0.922 0.916 0.911 0.912 0.915 0.957 0.916 0.914 0.929 0.942 0.826
Ba 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Na 0.111 0.142 0.129 0.127 0.139 0.158 0.141 0.148 0.138 0.161 0.139 0.142 0.133 0.141 0.142 0.135 0.141 0.131 0.134 0.127 0.139 0.133 0.104 0.228
K 0.000 0.003 0.004 0.002 0.003 0.004 0.001 0.001 0.000 0.002 0.002 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.003 0.002 0.003 0.001 0.001 0.000 0.002 0.003

End members
An 89.58 86.35 87.78 87.66 86.68 84.85 86.55 85.93 86.90 84.95 86.72 86.40 87.03 86.71 86.53 87.07 86.35 87.31 87.51 87.72 86.71 87.44 89.90 78.12
Ab 10.42 13.37 11.85 12.18 13.04 14.74 13.34 13.96 13.10 14.88 13.11 13.49 12.91 13.24 13.42 12.87 13.37 12.46 12.26 12.17 13.23 12.56 9.93 21.60
Or 0.00 0.28 0.37 0.17 0.28 0.41 0.11 0.11 0.00 0.17 0.17 0.11 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.06 0.28 0.23 0.23 0.11 0.06 0.00 0.17 0.28

Grain-2 Core Rim

Dataset/Point 2/1. 2/2. 2/3. 2/4. 2/5. 2/7. 2/8. 2/14. 2/15. 2/16. 2/17. 2/18. 2/20. 2/21. 2/22. 2/23. 2/24. 2/25.
SiO2 43.98 43.16 42.13 44.09 44.77 40.24 44.66 44.11 44.23 45.29 43.30 42.77 48.63 45.75 46.28 39.36 50.19 52.11
Al2O3 34.62 34.26 32.86 34.58 34.27 30.33 34.01 34.45 34.36 34.64 34.10 33.83 31.82 30.89 32.24 27.62 28.42 28.98
FeO 0.53 0.51 0.36 0.47 0.49 0.51 0.49 0.27 0.40 0.50 0.34 0.37 0.68 0.90 0.88 0.66 0.72 0.50
MnO 0.04 0.00 0.07 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.07 0.03 0.08 0.04 0.00 0.06
MgO 0.09 0.06 0.08 0.08 0.09 0.14 0.09 0.07 0.05 0.08 0.07 0.17 0.09 0.08 0.05 0.19 0.12 0.14
CaO 19.70 19.52 18.74 19.77 19.08 17.03 19.03 19.31 19.53 19.04 19.54 18.54 16.41 16.68 17.14 16.71 13.50 13.13
Na2O 0.75 0.91 0.69 0.90 1.21 1.30 1.19 1.02 1.16 1.25 0.90 0.78 2.59 2.53 2.16 1.92 4.45 4.32
K2O 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.08 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.10 0.07 0.07 0.04 0.07 0.09 0.09
Total 99.74 98.44 94.96 99.90 100.01 89.63 99.49 99.23 99.74 100.82 98.26 96.56 100.36 96.93 98.87 86.57 97.49 99.33

Cations per 8 oxygens

Si 2.036 2.021 2.049 2.036 2.062 2.064 2.067 2.048 2.042 2.068 2.032 2.042 2.219 2.160 2.147 2.083 2.331 2.379
Al 1.889 1.891 1.884 1.882 1.860 1.833 1.856 1.885 1.869 1.864 1.886 1.904 1.711 1.719 1.763 1.722 1.555 1.560
2þ
Fe 0.021 0.020 0.015 0.018 0.019 0.022 0.019 0.010 0.015 0.019 0.013 0.015 0.026 0.036 0.034 0.029 0.028 0.019
Mn 0.002 0.000 0.003 0.000 0.004 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.003 0.001 0.003 0.002 0.000 0.002
Mg 0.006 0.004 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.011 0.006 0.005 0.003 0.005 0.005 0.012 0.006 0.006 0.003 0.015 0.008 0.010
Ca 0.977 0.980 0.977 0.978 0.941 0.936 0.944 0.960 0.966 0.931 0.982 0.949 0.802 0.844 0.852 0.947 0.672 0.642
Ba 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Na 0.067 0.083 0.065 0.081 0.108 0.129 0.107 0.092 0.104 0.111 0.082 0.072 0.229 0.232 0.194 0.197 0.401 0.382
K 0.002 0.001 0.002 0.001 0.001 0.005 0.001 0.000 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.006 0.004 0.004 0.002 0.005 0.005 0.005

End members
An 93.40 92.12 93.59 92.34 89.66 87.43 89.73 91.28 90.25 89.28 92.25 92.37 77.48 78.16 81.25 82.45 62.33 62.36
Ab 6.43 7.77 6.24 7.61 10.29 12.08 10.15 8.72 9.70 10.61 7.69 7.03 22.13 21.45 18.53 17.14 37.18 37.13
Or 0.17 0.11 0.18 0.06 0.06 0.49 0.11 0.00 0.06 0.11 0.06 0.59 0.39 0.39 0.23 0.41 0.49 0.51
Grain-3 Core Rim

Dataset/Point 1/1. 1/2. 1/3. 1/4. 1/5. 1/6. 1/8. 1/9. 1/10. 1/11. 1/14. 1/15. 1/16. 1/18. 1/19. 1/20. 1/22. 1/23. 1/24. 1/25.
SiO2 45.97 45.51 45.20 44.96 41.35 45.80 45.25 45.69 47.00 49.89 50.45 47.89 46.10 51.30 52.07 51.85 51.10 51.25 53.08 52.31
Al2O3 33.06 34.05 34.50 34.47 30.65 34.33 34.22 33.87 32.80 31.99 33.78 31.61 30.92 29.07 29.18 29.09 29.48 29.84 28.14 28.90
FeO 0.51 0.43 0.54 0.53 0.50 0.61 0.64 0.54 0.59 0.68 0.80 0.73 0.86 0.56 0.73 0.71 0.76 0.77 0.87 0.73
MnO 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.03 0.04 0.04 0.00 0.07 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
MgO 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.03 0.10 0.06 0.05 0.08 0.08 0.10 0.05 0.06 0.11 0.14 0.16 0.14 0.09 0.11 0.10 0.14
CaO 18.32 18.91 19.30 19.55 18.05 18.66 18.94 18.69 17.07 15.87 16.40 16.40 16.56 13.32 13.44 13.60 13.89 14.02 12.45 13.33
Na2O 1.78 1.43 1.13 1.12 1.24 1.31 1.21 1.68 2.26 2.98 2.63 2.51 2.20 4.62 4.37 4.28 4.22 4.05 5.00 4.40
K2O 0.02 0.01 0.00 0.03 0.06 0.03 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.07 0.05 0.08 0.10 0.07 0.07 0.09 0.11 0.12
Total 99.74 100.42 100.75 100.77 91.98 100.84 100.36 100.57 99.89 101.55 104.18 99.27 96.84 99.09 100.07 99.74 99.61 100.13 99.75 99.93

Cations per 8 oxygens

Si 2.117 2.084 2.068 2.057 2.070 2.092 2.078 2.087 2.155 2.245 2.217 2.210 2.184 2.341 2.360 2.359 2.328 2.325 2.406 2.374
Al 1.794 1.838 1.860 1.858 1.808 1.848 1.852 1.823 1.773 1.697 1.750 1.719 1.727 1.563 1.559 1.560 1.583 1.595 1.503 1.546
Fe2þ 0.020 0.016 0.021 0.020 0.021 0.023 0.025 0.021 0.023 0.026 0.029 0.028 0.034 0.021 0.028 0.027 0.029 0.029 0.033 0.028
Mn 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.003 0.001 0.002 0.002 0.000 0.003 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.002 0.000 0.001 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Mg 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.002 0.007 0.004 0.003 0.005 0.005 0.007 0.003 0.004 0.008 0.010 0.011 0.009 0.006 0.007 0.007 0.009
Ca 0.904 0.928 0.946 0.958 0.968 0.913 0.932 0.914 0.839 0.765 0.772 0.811 0.841 0.651 0.653 0.663 0.678 0.681 0.605 0.648
Ba 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Na 0.159 0.127 0.100 0.099 0.120 0.116 0.108 0.149 0.201 0.260 0.224 0.225 0.202 0.409 0.384 0.378 0.373 0.356 0.439 0.387

M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126

K 0.001 0.001 0.000 0.002 0.004 0.002 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.003 0.004 0.003 0.005 0.006 0.004 0.004 0.005 0.006 0.007

End members
An 84.95 87.91 90.42 90.46 88.63 88.58 89.59 85.92 80.58 74.55 77.25 78.00 80.39 61.17 62.61 63.47 64.28 65.34 57.56 62.19
Ab 14.94 12.03 9.58 9.38 11.02 11.25 10.36 13.98 19.31 25.33 22.42 21.60 19.33 38.39 36.84 36.14 35.34 34.16 41.83 37.15
Or 0.11 0.06 0.00 0.17 0.35 0.17 0.06 0.11 0.11 0.11 0.34 0.40 0.29 0.44 0.55 0.39 0.39 0.50 0.61 0.67

Grain-4 Core Rim

Dataset/Point 3/4. 3/5. 3/6. 3/7. 3/8. 3/9. 3/13. 3/14. 3/17. 3/18. 3/19. 3/20. 3/21. 3/22. 3/23. 3/24. 3/25.
SiO2 48.15 50.62 48.85 49.93 52.41 50.32 52.83 51.49 47.61 46.79 46.19 50.04 51.60 50.56 52.05 50.53 52.93
Al2O3 31.44 31.97 30.83 31.17 29.08 27.44 28.29 29.57 32.09 32.05 32.79 27.69 29.13 29.27 28.27 29.68 28.15
FeO 0.68 0.72 0.71 0.78 0.74 0.81 0.77 0.80 0.84 0.75 0.92 0.91 0.74 0.85 0.77 0.79 0.92
MnO 0.03 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.03 0.07 0.00 0.02 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.01
MgO 0.07 0.07 0.08 0.12 0.13 0.07 0.13 0.12 0.08 0.10 0.02 0.12 0.11 0.16 0.13 0.12 0.11
CaO 16.34 16.16 15.72 15.68 13.42 12.67 12.63 13.84 17.30 17.20 17.83 12.67 13.78 14.29 12.96 14.44 12.48
Na2O 2.73 2.72 3.21 3.33 4.93 5.20 4.98 4.10 2.11 2.27 1.86 4.06 4.17 4.02 4.43 4.00 4.93
K2O 0.03 0.05 0.06 0.06 0.09 0.10 0.12 0.08 0.05 0.05 0.03 0.10 0.08 0.05 0.11 0.08 0.10
Total 99.47 102.37 99.46 101.07 100.81 96.64 99.82 100.00 100.10 99.25 99.64 95.59 99.66 99.26 98.72 99.64 99.63

Cations per 8 oxygens

Si 2.214 2.266 2.240 2.253 2.349 2.346 2.392 2.339 2.185 2.161 2.131 2.379 2.352 2.314 2.392 2.304 2.404
Al 1.704 1.686 1.666 1.657 1.536 1.508 1.510 1.583 1.736 1.744 1.783 1.551 1.565 1.579 1.531 1.595 1.507
Fe2þ 0.026 0.027 0.027 0.029 0.028 0.032 0.029 0.030 0.032 0.029 0.035 0.036 0.028 0.033 0.030 0.030 0.035
Mn 0.001 0.002 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.001 0.003 0.000 0.001 0.002 0.000 0.000 0.002 0.002 0.000 0.000 0.000
Mg 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.008 0.009 0.005 0.009 0.008 0.005 0.007 0.001 0.009 0.007 0.011 0.009 0.008 0.007
Ca 0.805 0.775 0.772 0.758 0.644 0.633 0.613 0.674 0.851 0.851 0.881 0.645 0.673 0.701 0.638 0.705 0.607
Ba 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Na 0.243 0.236 0.285 0.291 0.428 0.470 0.437 0.361 0.188 0.203 0.166 0.374 0.368 0.357 0.395 0.354 0.434
K 0.002 0.003 0.004 0.003 0.005 0.006 0.007 0.005 0.003 0.003 0.002 0.006 0.005 0.003 0.006 0.005 0.006

End members
An 76.66 76.44 72.78 72.00 59.78 57.07 57.98 64.81 81.69 80.50 83.98 62.92 64.33 66.08 61.40 66.32 57.99
Ab 23.18 23.28 26.89 27.67 39.74 42.39 41.37 34.74 18.03 19.22 15.85 36.49 35.23 33.64 37.98 33.24 41.46
Or 0.17 0.28 0.33 0.33 0.48 0.54 0.66 0.45 0.28 0.28 0.17 0.59 0.44 0.28 0.62 0.44 0.55

117
118 M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126

Table 3 extinction position and difference in CS size. Following this, a FOZ

Textural stratigraphy of the plagioclase grain in Fig. 5. domain (D-3) truncates against two FS domains (D-4 and D-5)
which is separated by a thin clear plagioclase layer. Between D-3
and D-4 a thick RS rich in glass is also significant. At the rim a thin
zone of clear plagioclase (D-6) forms as outer shell.
Apart from the growth related textures, plagioclase from the
studied lava shows certain morphological textures also. Plagioclase
crystals are often longitudinally attached along their planar faces
and forming synneusis texture (Fig. 6; T6, Table 1). Such dimen-
sional preferred attachment is noticed in between two crystals with
CS texture (Fig. 6b) or plagioclase laths within the FOZ domain
(Fig. 6a). However, a few to several plagioclase crystals are also seen
interlocked together as crystal clot (Fig. 7; T7, Table 1). These clots
are glomerocryst and found in 2e5 numbers per thin section.
Within a glomerocryst textural variations are noticed. At the cores
of each constituent individual grains, CS have developed which do
not cut across or share the same distribution patterns with
neighbor grains. Towards their grain margin a common outer shell
of FOZ domain (Fig. 7a) or a thin zone of FS followed by an optically
clear plagioclase rim (Fig. 7b) is frequently developed.
It is frequently noticed that many medium/small-size crystals in
the studied lava unit have developed H-shaped grain margin which
mimics swallow-tailed crystal morphology (Fig. 8a; T8, Table 1). In
addition, microlites of plagioclase, cpx and olivine are abundant in

Figure 2. Photomicrograph of coarse/fine-sieve textures in plagioclase. (a) Coarse-sieve (CS) dominated core (T1) and fine-scale oscillatory zoned (FOZ) (T3) outer shell, arrow
points to microlite olivine inclusion; (b) CS dominated (T1) large plagioclase surrounded by synneusis attachment of smaller grains (T6) (arrows). CS morphology is well inter-
connected and run parallel and cut across the twin plane; (c) medium-size plagioclase shows resorbed core (RC), zone of fine-sieve (FS) and FOZ outer shell; (d) part of large
plagioclase grain showing CS (T1) and FS (T2) textures.
 M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126 119

Figure 3. Photomicrograph of plagioclase showing features of FOZ textures (T3). (a) Arrow points to the wavy surface of micro-compositional layer in a FOZ domain. Note the
textural diversity as CS at the core, FOZ domain and clear plagioclase at the rim. Thin stripped line marked over a thin FS zone. (b) Growth zones with varying thickness and curved
corners (T4) (arrow). (c) Undulation surface of growth zone in a FOZ dominated outer shell (arrow). Thin stripped line demarcates textural domains.

all the samples. Particularly, the plagioclase microlites with tabular compositional profiling by EPMA technique. The data presented in
habit are more abundant than prismatic habit (T9, Table 1). In many Table 2 are graphically presented as anorthite (An) and FeO profiles
samples, small-size plagioclase shows peculiar features of both along with corresponding microphotographs of each grain in Fig. 9.
euhedral and rugged grain margins indicating that they are broken Following Viccaro et al. (2010), it is referred here that ‘concordant
crystals (Fig. 8b; T10, Table 1). Euhedral face represents the behavior’ when the An content increases and FeO increases or vice
remnant of a pre-existed euhedral grain which broken apart versa for each spot analysis along the same direction independent
through the crystal interior so the crystal core region, growth zone of the absolute extent of the variation. Similarly the ‘discordant
and sieve zones get directly in contact with ground mass (Fig. 8b). behavior’ is referred when An increases and FeO decreases or FeO
Over the broken surface no regrowth features are noted. remains constant.
A plagioclase in Fig. 9a (Grain-I) has three textural domains: (i) a
4.2. Plagioclase compositional profiles broad clear-plagioclase core; (ii) a thick FS zone; and (iii) a thin FOZ
domain at the outer rim. Along the profile AeA0 almost uniform An
Four plagioclase crystals, three are from large-size group content (An86e89) at the core part after crossing FS zone slightly
(Fig. 9aec) and one from medium-size group (Fig. 9d) showing increases (from An86 to An89) and then suddenly dropped to An78 at
maximum textural diversity were selected for the core to rim the rim. Correspondingly FeO varies abruptly between 0.38 and
120 M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126

Figure 4. Photomicrograph shows part of a plagioclase grain developed CS dominated core (D-i), two FS zones (D-ii, D-iii), two sets of FOZ (D-iv, D-v) and thin clear plagioclase rim
(D-vi) separated by resorption surfaces as marked with stripped lines. The inset photograph at the right side shows the CS dominated core region of the D-i domain of the same
grain shown in the left side photo.

0.65 wt.% at the core part and then shows discordant behavior FOZ at the crystal edge. From core to rim An content decreases with
(0.77 wt.%) at the rim. In Grain-II, CS dominated core and FOZ oscillatory behavior (Fig. 9c). At the CS core domain An content
domain outer shell are separated by major resorption surface shows oscillatory low amplitude variation between An80 and An90.
(Fig. 9b). Along the profile BeB0 composition gradually drops from Subsequently a sudden increase from An74 to An80 as reverse
An93 to An87 at the core part, then after crossing CS domain a slight zoning within the FS domain drops to An61 at the beginning of FOZ
enrichment gradually dropped at the RS (Fig. 9b). FOZ domain domain. This drop gradually increases to An65 towards the rim.
shows a general normal zoning with oscillatory behavior. However, Likewise FeO behaves discordantly in the CS core domain and then
within each growth zone reverse zoning, i.e., An content increase predominantly coherent in the FS and FOZ domains (Fig. 9c). Fourth
towards the outer edge is witnessed. In the first zone An89 increases plagioclase grain (Fig. 9d), representing small-size group, has two
to An91 and then in the next zone a sudden drop of An77 gradually distinct textural domains: (i) a resorbed clear plagioclase at the
increases to An82. At the crystal edge outer zone shows a very high core; and (ii) a FOZ domain up to the crystal edge characterized by
drop to An62. All along the profile FeO behaves coherently with An the presence of two bright zones rich in melt inclusions. From core
content. But discordance is noticed at the An enrichment (Fig. 9b). to rim An content shows oscillatory high amplitude variation. A
Grain-III (Fig. 9c) shows three textural domains: (i) CS domi- normally decreasing An content (An76e72) at the core suddenly
nated clear-plagioclase core; (ii) two FS domains; and (iii) a thick increases to An83 within the inclusions rich zone. This increase
again dropped to An66eAn57 towards the rim. Variation of FeO is
moderately discordant except for the core and melt inclusion-rich
domain.

5. Discussion

5.1. Interpretation of micro-textures and compositional profiles

Plagioclase develops sieve-texture during the decompression

process (Nelson and Montana, 1992) or reaction with hotter Ca-rich
melt (Tsuchiyama, 1985). In decompression process, when an H2O-
undersaturated magma ascend at fast rate, P(H2O) of the system
increases and reduces the stability of plagioclase causing dissolu-
tion (Nelson and Montana, 1992; Blundy and Cashman, 2001, 2005).
Voids created by dissolution are filled with entrained melt which
later entrapped inside by the subsequent regrowth of that crystal
and developed as sieve-texture in crystals. Whereas, the reaction
with a hotter Ca-rich melt plagioclase undergoes partial dissolution
and generates a fine crystal-melt mixture at the crystal edges as
Figure 5. Photomicrograph of a plagioclase with multiple textural domains. Clino-
sieve morphology (Tsuchiyama, 1985). It is worth noting that sieve-
pyroxene (cpx) occurs as a trapped inclusion within sieve morphology. Stratigraphy of texture produced by decompression event is coarser in size (refer
textures is given in Table 3. Fig. 1 in Nelson and Montana, 1992) whereas superheating creates
 M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126 121

Figure 6. Photomicrographs of synneusis texture (T6). (a) FOZ dominated outer shell
of a plagioclase carries dimensional preferred orientation of plagioclase laths (arrow);
(b) synneusis of two plagioclase grains with CS dominated core. The grain at the top
developed FOZ outer shell.

fine-size sieves (Tsuchiyama, 1985). Coarse and fine-sieve mor- Figure 7. Photomicrograph of glomerocrysts (T7). (a) CS dominated plagioclases
phologies in the studied plagioclase mimic the respective magma interlocked together and developed a common FOZ dominated outer shell; (b)
processes in their genesis (Fig. 2a,d; T1, Table 1). CS morphology is aggregated plagioclase crystals showing CS at the core (thick arrow), a thin zone of FS
(thick arrow) and rim and clear plagioclase rim (stripped arrow).
confined only at the cores of large plagioclase phenocrysts
(Fig. 2a,d). Optical continuity (excluding the area occupied by CS
morphology) and absence of growth zoning at these cores indicate increase its density (number of CS per unit area) towards the outer
that phenocryst’s cores have grown in a quiescent equilibrium margin implies that the rate of dissolution was varied (Fig. 5). This
magmatic environment followed by an ascent related decompres- may be due to variation in rate of ascent or H2O content dissolved in
sion driven dissolution (e.g., Nelson and Montana, 1992). Although, the magma (e.g., Viccaro et al., 2010). Interconnected and large-size
unusually high An content (wAn93e85) (Fig. 9aec) at these cores sieves indicate an intense or prolonged dissolution (Fig. 2a,b,d).
provides clue about their parental magma from which it had Fine-sieve texture in the present samples seems to be developed
crystallized. Many experimental investigations have proved that when the phenocrysts have undergone partial dissolution by
growth of An-rich plagioclase is favored in high temperature interacting with a hotter Ca-rich melt (e.g., Tsuchiyama, 1985). After
magmas at lower pressure (<6e8 km depth) (e.g., Grove et al., dissolution, they have re-grown in more primitive magma by
1982; Bartels et al., 1991; Vander et al., 2000; Sano and regaining the equilibrium at the crystal-melt interface. Significant
Yamashita, 2004) and crystallized from a melt having higher Ca/ An and slight FeO increase within (Fig. 9c) or just after (Fig. 9a) FS
Al, Al/Si, Ca/Na or dissolved H2O content (e.g., Falloon and Green, zone clearly indicates the crystallization from less differentiated
1986; Beard and Borgia, 1989; Sisson and Grove, 1993; magma (e.g., Tsuchiyama, 1985; Pearce et al., 1987; Landi et al.,
Panjasawatwong et al., 1995; Danyushevsky et al., 1997). So the 2004 and references therein). Thus FS domain in the plagioclase
stability of An-rich plagioclase grown in such H2O-undersaturated phenocryst may represent a period of dissolution due to interaction
condition must have lowered as Ptot decreases at fast ascent rate with more primitive magma.
and causes dissolution of the crystals to develop CS texture as in the Fine-scale oscillatory zoning (FOZ) in plagioclase is developed in
present phenocrysts (c.f. Nelson and Montana, 1992; Blundy and two conditions: (i) crystallization from a melt that was undergoing
Cashman, 2001, 2005). Fairly discordant behavior of An and FeO rhythmic changes in temperature or P(H2O) or composition
in the cores (Fig. 9aec) also supports the variations in H2O content (Humphreys et al., 2006; Ginibre et al., 2002a and the references
and minor changes in f(O2) (e.g., Viccaro et al., 2010). In many therein) (Dynamic Model); (ii) local incremental diffusion-
phenocrysts, CS morphology gradually reduces their size or controlled kinetic growth at the crystal-melt interface in response
122 M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126

together and mutual attachment of crystals in a liquid-rich magma

(Vance, 1969; Dowty, 1980; Schwindinger and Anderson, 1989;
Schwindinger, 1999). For synneusis a mechanism such as shear flow
or turbulent mixing is needed to rotate the crystals into alignment
even though it can happen in quiescent settling in a liquid
(Schwindinger, 1999). The close association of synneusis texture,
particularly its repeated occurrence with FOZ (Fig. 6) implying that
during their growth crystals were repeatedly in motion may be due
to dynamically active convection or turbulence of the crystallizing
magma.
In many plagioclase phenocrysts two distinct textural domains
are seperated with a major resorption surface as noticed in be-
tween CS dominated core and FOZ (Fig. 2d), FOZ and FOZ (Fig. 4),
FOZ and FS (Fig. 5) and clear-plagioclase core and FOZ (Fig. 9d).
Thus RS represent a major episode of dissolution creating a large
information gap between two textural domains. Major resorption
surface in plagioclase represents a prolonged or intense dissolution
event generally attributed to profound changes in temperature,
pressure, melt composition, and water content in the magma at
large scale caused, for example, by magma recharge (Nixon and
Pearce, 1987; Davidson and Tepley, 1997). After the dissolution
phenocrysts regain equilibrium at the crystal-melt interface and
regrow in the newly equilibrated magma.
Glomerocrysts are the aggregate of two or more plagioclase
formed when the partially resorbed crystals get spatially closer.
While resorption intergranular melt is produced along the grain
boundaries which act as binding material for the similar partially
resorbed crystals together through slow overgrowths (Hogan,
1993). In the studied glomerocrysts individual grains with CS
morphologies suggest that before they get sutured phenocrysts
have undergone partial dissolution (Fig. 7a,b). Such dissolution
might have created a boundary layer melt around the grains which
subsequently cooled and bind the closely spaced similar pheno-
crysts together. In addition their interlocking nature also implies
that the interplay of interfacial energies and large dihedral angle
(q > 60 ) at a solid-liquid-solid triple junction subsequent to the
crystal contact probably enhance the formation of glomerocryst
(e.g., Ikeda et al., 2002). After they welded together many clots have
further grown as single grain by developing common growth zone
Figure 8. (a) Plagioclase showing H-shaped crystal edge (thick arrow) known as with FOZ (Fig. 7a) or FS or clear plagioclase (Fig. 7b) along the outer
swallow-tail (T8); (b) broken plagioclase crystal (T10). Planar crystal phases at the left rim.
end (stripped arrow) and rugged irregular surface (thick arrow) through which the
The ground mass microlites in the present samples imply that
inner of the grain is in direct contact with ground mass.
lava has undergone effective cooling (DT) (e.g., Lofgren, 1974,
1980) or an increase in the liquidus temperature due to water
to near-equilibrium condition (Pearce, 1994; Ginibre et al., 2002a) exsolution, degassing and vesiculation induced by magma syn-
(Kinetic Model). In the present samples, FOZ domain exhibits minor eruption related decompression (e.g., Hammer et al., 1999;
resorption features like curvy zone corners (Fig. 3b; T4, Table 1) and Cashman and Blundy, 2000; Hammer and Rutherford, 2002;
wavy rather than a straight zone margin (Fig. 3a,c). These features Martel and Schmidt, 2003; Szramek et al., 2006; Suzuki et al.,
indicate that during their growth minor dissolution has occurred 2007; Toramaru et al., 2008). Many experimental studies have
(e.g., Ginibre et al., 2002a). Although, FOZ domain has high shown that as the degree of undercooling increases crystal habit
amplitude An content variation and discordant or concordant changes from euhedral tabular to spherulitic through prismatic,
behavior of FeO and An (Fig. 9d) support a strong involvement of hopper, skeletal and dendritic habits (e.g., Hammer and
fluctuating magmatic parameters like temperature or P(H2O) or Rutherford, 2002; Suzuki and Fujii, 2010). Tabular and prismatic
composition during their growth (e.g., Viccaro et al., 2010). The microlites in the studied samples imply that they have grown
evidences of intermittent dissolution-regrowth features and high under low rate of undercooling. Similarly the swallow-tailed ‘H’-
amplitude (>2%) An variation in the FOZ domains strongly support shaped skeletal texture at the crystal edge (Fig. 8a) is also
the dynamic model (e.g., Ginibre et al., 2002a). In dynamic model developed by the rapidly-increased growth rate due to under-
crystals need to be repeatedly move across a magmatic gradient (in cooling related to eruption (e.g., Kirkpatrick, 1977; Kirkpatrick
the form of temperature or P(H2O) or composition) prevailed in the et al., 1979; Lofgren, 1980; Viccaro et al., 2010). Many broken
chamber under the influence of convection or turbulence and cause crystals in the studied lava imply that violet eruption causes them
the growth of fine oscillatory zones (e.g., Singer et al., 1995; Ginibre to break apart (Fig. 8b), because when the erupting magma
et al., 2002a). Repeated occurrences of plagioclase laths within the decompressed, the gas-rich vesicles entrapped at high pressures
FOZ as synneusis attachment, support the dynamically active state as inclusions in the phenocrysts try to escape from them by blew
of the magma during the growth of oscillatory zones (Fig. 6a; T6, them apart (e.g., Best and Christiansen, 1997; Miwa and Geshi,
Table 1) (e.g., Vance, 1969). Synneusis is a process of drifting 2012).
 M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126 123

Figure 9. (aed) Plagioclase grains with multiple micro-textures and their corresponding compositional profiles (An% and FeO wt.%). Filled circle: An%; open circle: FeO wt.%.

5.2. Textural stratigraphy glomerocryst, synneusis, swallow-tailed crystal, microlite and

broken crystals are the products of dynamic magma processes
The identified micro-textures can be grouped into two cate- such as convection, degassing and explosive eruption. Each texture
gories: (i) Growth textures in the form of CS, FS, FOZ and RS were has developed under a particular magmatic environment.
formed when the equilibrium at the crystal-melt interface was Construing their stratigraphy can provide valuable information
fluctuated due to change in temperature or H2O or pressure or about the sequence of magma process involved from deep source
composition of the magma; and (ii) Morphological textures, like to areal eruption. Phenocryst size can reveal some clue about the
124 M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126

order of crystallization (e.g., Marsh, 1998; Yu et al., 2012). Among 5.3. Magma chamber process and plumbing model
the identified three phenocryst size-groups, small (<1 mm) and
large (3e5 mm) represent younger and older plagioclase pop- From the above textural observations a simplified magma
ulations respectively. Microlites are the late stage crystallization plumbing model is envisaged for the studied lava unit. At the initial
products by syn- or just pre-eruption related undercooling. Simi- stage, water saturated high temperature magma have undergone
larly broken and swallow-tailed textures are also formed at the extensive crystallization at deeper chamber in a stable magmatic
final stage of eruption related magma process. However, the cores environment produced optically clear An-rich plagioclase (Fig. 10).
of large phenocrysts represent the older plagioclase population in When this crystal-rich magma ascent to shallow chamber, these
the studied lava. Because, their An-rich cores display CS crystals have undergone varying rate of dissolution that causes the
morphology only at the cores of large phenocrysts and devoid development of CS morphologies with varying size, shape and
from small and medium size phenocrysts suggesting that the density (number of CS per unit area) (Fig. 2). Variation in the in-
latter are born after the CS developments process. Most of the tensity of dissolution may be due to difference in rate of decom-
grains after developing the CS texture have further re-grown and pression or H2O content dissolved in the magma (e.g., Viccaro et al.,
developed multiple textural domains like FS and FOZ towards the 2010). Just after the dissolution event many crystals have got united
rim (Figs. 4 and 5). However, a few grains just after the develop- as glomerocrysts which subsequently re-grew as a single grain
ment of CS domain have welded together as glomerocrysts and (Fig. 7), while others have re-grown by mantling on CS cores (Figs. 4
subsequently re-grown as single grain by developing a common and 5). Crystals born after the decompression events are devoid of
outer shell with FS or FOZ texture (Fig. 7a,b). Hence the glomer- CS morphology as they represent smaller and medium size phe-
ocryst formation postdates the CS and predates FS, FOZ textural nocrysts (low An content) in the lava unit (Fig. 9d).
formations. In all the phenocrysts FS and FOZ domains always Shallow chamber was dynamically active by convection or by
mantle on CS core of large phenocrysts that indicate the event of the input of new magma pulses or combination of both (Fig. 10).
CS formation postdates the formation of both. Since there is no Consequently growth of both pre-existing and newly brought
correlation observed in the occurrence of FS and FOZ textures in crystals was constrained by the heterogeneous superheating and
between the phenocrysts, it is difficult to predict their genetic convection processes. As a result they developed FS, FOZ, RS and
order. Plagioclase laths within the FOZ domain suggest that syn- synneusis textures. Repeated occurrence of FS in a single grain
neusis and oscillatory growth zoning were developed simulta- implies that multiple events of superheating event have occurred
neously. So it can be deduced that after the development of CS (Figs. 4 and 5). Superheating can also happen during magma mixing
morphology, textures like FS, FOZ, glomerocryst and synneusis are (Tsuchiyama, 1985). However, the clear cut absence of hybrid en-
developed from a complex and repeated magma process taking claves (e.g., Tepley et al., 1999; Browne et al., 2006); magma en-
place in the shallow chamber before eruption. velopes (e.g., Seaman, 2000); reaction rim on olivine (e.g., Coombs

Figure 10. Cartoon illustrates model of crystallization dynamics and magma plumbing system for the aa lava erupted in the year 1994e1995 from Barren Island Volcano. A deep
magma chamber feed crystal-rich magma into the base of a shallow chamber where the newly brought crystals and pre-existing crystals are undergoing dynamic crystallization in a
convective self-mixing environment. Micro-textures (T1 to T10) developed in plagioclase at various stages of magmatic evolution are schematically illustrated.
 M.L. Renjith / Geoscience Frontiers 5 (2014) 113e126 125

and Gardner, 2004); acicular and hollow crystals of amphibole and journey from source to areal eruption. Each texture is formed under
plagiolcase (e.g., Gerbe and Thouret, 2004) and crystal clots (e.g., a specific magmatic environment. The deduced micro-textural
Seaman, 2000) preclude the possibility of end-member magma stratigraphy helped to draw the picture of progressive and sys-
mixing in the studied aa lava. Thus it is convincing that FS are the tematic sequence of magma processes involved. Accordingly a first
product of superheating by recharge event. Such recharge events order magma plumbing model is proposed for the Barren volcanic
could be like a cryptic-mixing process in which the shallow chamber eruption. At a shallow magma chamber crystallization was mainly
magma experience repeated addition of small pulses of primitive constrained by the dissolution-regrowth process in convective self-
and hotter magma of similar composition but different in f(O2) or mixing environment and the repeated recharge of crystal-rich
H2O contents (e.g., Humphreys et al., 2006). Whenever the recharge magma from the lower chamber. The intermittent degassing and
event brought new pulses of primitive magma, the pre-existed violent eruption also contributed the development of varying
crystals in the shallow chamber interacted with it causing partial population of plagioclase in the final erupted product.
dissolution in the form of FS morphology. After each partial
dissolution they re-equilibrated with new Ca-rich magma and were
Acknowledgements
re-grown as An-rich plagioclase as it recorded the anorthite jump
within or just after FS domain (Fig. 9aec). However, when there
Author is grateful to the Deputy Director General (B.K. Saha),
was a profound change in magmatic parameters by a recharge
Geological Survey of India (GSI) for giving an opportunity to take part
event, the crystals have undergone intense dissolution which
in the field excursion to Barren Island Volcano way back in the year
marked as major resorption surfaces (Fig. 5) to equilibrate with
2004 (December). The field trip was conducted by the Research Vessel
more primitive magma.
Samudra Manthan (GSI) and supported by Indian Navy and Indian
In addition to the superheating, crystals in the shallow chamber
Coast Guard. Dr. S. Nirmal Charan is grateful for valuable suggestions,
also experienced repeated movement across the magmatic gradi-
providing facilities for making thin sections and microphotographs at
ents by convection or turbulence as evidenced from the FOZ do-
NGRI, Hyderabad. Author acknowledges the help of B. Chattopadhyay,
mains (Fig. 3) and synneusis (Fig. 6) in plagioclase (e.g., Singer et al.,
S.K. Sengupta and S. Nandi of EPMA laboratory, GSI, Kolkata for EPMA
1995; Ginibre et al., 2002a). Work by Pal et al. (2010) also pointed
study. Director General (A. Sundaramoorthy) and Director (Dr. Thomas
out that present studied lava unit was erupted from a magmatic
Mathai) of GSI are thanked for administrative approval for this paper.
diapir having compositional gradient in the form of hydrous core
Dr. Faruk Aydin and Dr. Jiandong Xu are thanked for their helpful re-
and anhydrous rim. Therefore the evidences like FS, FOZ and syn-
views. Author thanks Prof. M. Santhosh for the pre-submission
neusis strongly suggest that at the shallow chamber crystals were
comment, Dr. Yener Eyuboglu for editorial suggestions and Dr. Lily
undergoing repeated dissolution-regrowth process in a convective
Wang for editorial handling of this manuscript.
recycling magmatic environment (Fig. 10). That means a self mixing
environment enhanced by the recharge of hotter magma at the base
of the magma chamber (e.g., Huppert et al., 1982; Couch et al., References
2001) (Fig. 10). During the self-mixing process the magma cham-
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