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a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f oThe morpho-structural evolution of oceanic islands results from competition between volcano growth and partial destruction by mass-wasting processes. We present here a multi-disciplinary study of the successive stages of development of Faial (Azores) during the last 1 Myr. Using high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM), and new K/Ar, tectonic, and magnetic data, we reconstruct the rapidly evolving topography at successive stages, in response to complex interactions between volcanic construction and mass wasting, including the development of a graben. We show that: (1) sub-aerial evolution of the island first involved the rapid growth of a large elongated volcano at ca. 0.85 Ma, followed by its partial destruction over half a million years; (2) beginning about 360 ka a new small edifice grew on the NE of the island, and was subsequently cut by normal faults responsible for initiation of the graben; (3) after an apparent pause of ca. 250 kyr, the large Central Volcano (CV) developed on the western side of the island at ca 120 ka, accumulating a thick pile of lava flows in less than 20 kyr, which were partly channelized within the graben; (4) the period between 120 ka and 40 ka is marked by widespread deformation at the island scale, including westward propagation of faulting and associated erosion of the graben walls, which produced sedimentary deposits; subsequent growth of the CV at 40 ka was then constrained within the graben, with lava flowing onto the sediments up to the eastern shore; (5) the island evolution during the Holocene involves basaltic volcanic activity along the main southern faults and pyroclastic eruptions associated with the formation of a caldera volcano-tectonic depression. We conclude that the whole evolution of Faial Island has been characterized by successive short volcanic pulses probably controlled by brief episodes of regional deformation. Each pulse has been separated by considerable periods of volcanic inactivity during which the Faial graben gradually developed. We propose that the volume loss associated with sudden magma extraction from a shallow reservoir in different episodes triggered incremental downward graben movement, as observed historically, when immediate vertical collapse of up to 2 m was observed along the western segments of the graben at the end of the Capelinhos eruptive crises .

The growth and decay of oceanic volcanoes developed close to plate boundaries are intrinsically related to a competition between construction and destruction processes, partly controlled by tectonic strain and stresses. From morphologic, stratigraphic, tectonic and new highprecision K-Ar data, we present a comprehensive picture of the volcano-tectonic evolution of Santa Maria, and discuss its significance regarding the stress evolution and regional deformation in the Azores. Our new data show that: (1) the western flat portion of the island is mostly composed of west-dipping volcanic rocks here dated between 5.70 ± 0.08 and 5.33 ± 0.08 Ma, which we consider the remnants of an Older Shield Volcano; (2) more than half of this early volcanic complex has been removed by an east-directed large-scale sector collapse; (3) a second volcano, here coined the Younger Shield Volcano, grew rapidly on the collapse scar between at least 4.32 ± 0.06 and 3.94 ± 0.06 Ma; (4) more than half of this new volcano was removed by a second large-scale sector collapse most probably around 3.6 Ma, based on the ages of parasitic scoria cones sitting unconformably on the Younger Shield Volcano; (5) the latest parasitic volcanic activity is here dated at 2.84 ± 0.04 Ma, extending significantly the known eruptive history of Santa Maria. Morpho-structural data (shape of the island, faults, dikes, and distribution of volcanic cones) show a significant control of construction and destruction along the N045º and N150º directions. The age of the lavas intruded by dikes suggests that the N045º and the N150º trends are ca. 5.3 Ma old and younger than ca. 4.3 Ma, respectively. Based on the new data, we conclude that a change in the regional stress field occurred between 5.3 and 4.3 Ma, most likely associated with a major reconfiguration of the Eurasia/Nubia plate boundary in the Azores.

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