A roadmap for amphibious drilling at the Campi Flegrei caldera: insights from a MagellanPlus workshop
<p>Large calderas are among the Earth's major volcanic features. They are associated with large magma reservoirs and elevated geothermal gradients. Caldera-forming eruptions result from the withdrawal and collapse of the magma chambers and produce large-volume pyroclastic deposits and lat...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2019-12-01
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Series: | Scientific Drilling |
Online Access: | https://www.sci-dril.net/26/29/2019/sd-26-29-2019.pdf |
Summary: | <p>Large calderas are among the Earth's major volcanic
features. They are associated with large magma reservoirs and elevated
geothermal gradients. Caldera-forming eruptions result from the withdrawal
and collapse of the magma chambers and produce large-volume pyroclastic
deposits and later-stage deformation related to post-caldera resurgence and
volcanism. Unrest episodes are not always followed by an eruption; however,
every eruption is preceded by unrest.</p>
<p>The Campi Flegrei caldera (CFc), located along the eastern Tyrrhenian coastline
in southern Italy, is close to the densely populated area of Naples. It is
one of the most dangerous volcanoes on Earth and represents a key example of
an active, resurgent caldera. It has been traditionally interpreted as a
nested caldera formed by collapses during the 100–200 km<span class="inline-formula"><sup>3</sup></span> Campanian
Ignimbrite (CI) eruption at <span class="inline-formula">∼39</span> ka and the 40 km<span class="inline-formula"><sup>3</sup></span> eruption of
the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) at <span class="inline-formula">∼15</span> ka. Recent studies
have suggested that the CI may instead have been fed by a fissure eruption from the Campanian Plain, north of Campi Flegrei.</p>
<p><span id="page30"/>A MagellanPlus workshop was held in Naples, Italy, on 25–28 February 2017 to
explore the potential of the CFc as target for an amphibious drilling
project within the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) and the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP). It was agreed that Campi Flegrei is
an ideal site to investigate the mechanisms of caldera formation and associated
post-caldera dynamics and to analyze the still poorly understood interplay
between hydrothermal and magmatic processes. A coordinated onshore–offshore
drilling strategy has been developed to reconstruct the structure and
evolution of Campi Flegrei and to investigate volcanic precursors by
examining (a) the succession of volcanic and hydrothermal products and
related processes, (b) the inner structure of the caldera resurgence, (c) the
physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the hydrothermal system and
offshore sediments, and (d) the geological expression of the phreatic and
hydromagmatic eruptions, hydrothermal degassing, sedimentary structures, and
other records of these phenomena. The deployment of a multiparametric
in situ monitoring system at depth will enable near-real-time tracking of
changes in the magma reservoir and hydrothermal system.</p> |
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ISSN: | 1816-8957 1816-3459 |