Insights from a new eruptive cycle at Piton de la Fournaise

By Simon Thivet, Université Clermont Auvergne

Monitoring volcanic activity in the field, as well as studying the eruptive products in the laboratory, reveals that a wide range of magmatic processes occur at Piton de la Fournaise volcano. Recently, this volcano has entered a new eruptive cycle (12 eruptions since 2014). Hawaiian and Strombolian-style activity, as well as uncommon weak ash emissions, during the most recent eruptions allow us to access and closely observe the eruptive activity. Near the active vents we performed syn-eruptive sampling and quenching of lava and tephra, as well as gas measurements. We then analysed textural and chemical characteristics of the samples back in the lab in order to reconstruct the magmatic evolution from the shallow reservoir (about 2 km deep) up to the surface.

Simon Thivet (simon.thivet@uca.fr) is a PhD student at the Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA), supervised by Lucia Gurioli (UCA) and Andrea Di Muro (Observatoire Volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise, OVPF). His research is focused on the characterisation of different volcanic activity styles at Piton de la Fournaise volcano (La Réunion island, France) in order to understand the shallow processes that occurred from the plumbing system to the surface. An integrative approach is used, utilising active monitoring, geophysical data, and textural and chemical analysis of eruptive products. Read his paper here: https://doi.org/10.5194/se-9-431-2018.