Geology and chemistry of hydrothermal deposits from active submarine volcano Loihi, Hawaii

Malahoff, Alexander; McMurtry, Gary M.; Wiltshire, John C.; Yeh, Hsueh-Wen

doi:10.1038/298234a0

Cited by 109 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…A 1980 expedition found extensive hydrothermal fields associated with recent lava flows in the summit area (Malahoff et al, 1982), further supporting the hypothesis that Lo`ihi is a young, active volcano. The first high-resolution multibeam (SASS) bathymetric survey of the volcano showed Lo`ihi to be a significant feature rising at least 3 km from the deep ocean floor to 980 mbsl, with a summit area containing two prominent pit craters (275 and 256 m deep) and two sub-parallel rift zones extend north and south forming a 30 km long volcano (Malahoff et al, 1982). These pioneering studies ushered in two decades of intense exploration of Lō`ihi punctuated by a 1996 eruption (Loihi Science Team, 1997).…”

Section: Discovery and Early Work On Lō`ihimentioning

confidence: 52%

“…This led to the suggestion that Lo`ihi was in the earliest phase of Hawaiian volcanism, reflecting lower degrees of partial melting that produced alkalic magmas (Moore et al, 1982). A 1980 expedition found extensive hydrothermal fields associated with recent lava flows in the summit area (Malahoff et al, 1982), further supporting the hypothesis that Lo`ihi is a young, active volcano. The first high-resolution multibeam (SASS) bathymetric survey of the volcano showed Lo`ihi to be a significant feature rising at least 3 km from the deep ocean floor to 980 mbsl, with a summit area containing two prominent pit craters (275 and 256 m deep) and two sub-parallel rift zones extend north and south forming a 30 km long volcano (Malahoff et al, 1982).…”

Section: Discovery and Early Work On Lō`ihimentioning

confidence: 81%

“…The low pH in these fluids is thought to be responsible for their high dissolved Fe concentrations (~1 mM), two to three orders of magnitude greater than in fluids from low temperature hydrothermal vents on Axial Seamount and the Galapagos Rift (Karl et al, 1988). The high concentrations of dissolved Fe probably is responsible for the precipitation of the abundant low-temperature iron-rich deposits around Lō`ihi vents (e.g., Malahoff et al, 1982).…”

Section: Geochemistry Of Hydrothermal Solutionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Trace element abundances and X-ray diffraction analysis of these deposits suggested the existence of polymetallic sulfides at Lō`ihi, which would indicate the presence of a high-temperature hydrothermal system (Malahoff et al, 1982;De Carlo et al, 1983).…”

Section: Geochemistry Of Hydrothermal Minerals and Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An elevated temperature for the nontronite (31 o C), water temperature, methane and 3 He anomalies, and clumps of benthic micro-organisms in the water column led to the suggestion of extensive hydrothermal activity at Lō`ihi (Malahoff et al, 1982;Horibe et al, 1986). This was confirmed in 1987 during ALVIN submersible dives when 'shimmering' water was observed and elevated water temperatures were measured (15-30 o C) at Pele's and Kapo's vents along the upper part of the south rift zone (Karl et al, 1988).…”

Section: Geochemistry Of Hydrothermal Minerals and Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geology, geochemistry and earthquake history of Lṑihi Seamount, Hawaìi's youngest volcano

et al. 2006

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A half century of investigations are summarized here on the youngest Hawaiian volcano, Lō`ihi Seamount. It was discovered in 1952 following an earthquake swarm. Surveying in 1954 determined it has an elongate shape, which is the meaning of its Hawaiian name. Lō`ihi was mostly forgotten until two earthquake swarms in the 1970's led to a dredging expedition in 1978, which recovered young lavas. This led to numerous expeditions to investigate the geology, geophysics, and geochemistry of this active volcano. Geophysical monitoring, including a realtime submarine observatory that continuously monitored Lō`ihi's seismic activity for three months, captured some of the volcano's earthquake swarms. The 1996 swarm, the largest recorded in Hawai`i, was preceded by at least one eruption and accompanied by the formation of a ~300-m deep pit crater, renewing interest in this submarine volcano. Seismic and petrologic data indicate that magma was stored in a ~8-9 km deep reservoir prior to the 1996 eruption.Studies on Lō`ihi have altered conceptual models for the growth of Hawaiian and other oceanic island volcanoes and led to a refined understanding of mantle plumes. Petrologic and geochemical studies of Lō`ihi lavas showed that the volcano taps a relatively primitive part of the Hawaiian plume, producing a wide range of magma compositions. These compositions have become progressively more silica-saturated with time reflecting higher degrees of partial melting as the volcano drifts towards the center of the hotspot. Seismic and bathymetric data have highlighted the importance of landsliding in the early formation of an ocean island volcano.Lō`ihi's internal structure and eruptive behavior, however, cannot be fully understood without installing monitoring equipment directly on the volcano.

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Section: Discovery and Early Work On Lō`ihimentioning

confidence: 52%

Section: Discovery and Early Work On Lō`ihimentioning

confidence: 81%

Section: Geochemistry Of Hydrothermal Solutionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geochemistry Of Hydrothermal Minerals and Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Geochemistry Of Hydrothermal Minerals and Sedimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geology, geochemistry and earthquake history of Lṑihi Seamount, Hawaìi's youngest volcano

et al. 2006

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Craters, Calderas, and Hyaloclastites on Young Pacific Seamounts

Batiza¹,

Fornari²,

Vanko³

et al. 1984

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Calderas: A Planetary Perspective

Wood

1984

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Caldera-bearing volcanoes are the largest volcanic edifices on a planet and are expressions of long-lived, near-surface magma chambers. On earth only three morphological classes of calderas are common: shield calderas (e.g., Mauna Loa, Hawaii), stratocone calderas (e.g., Crater Lake, Oregon), and ash flow calderas (e.g., Vailes Caldera, New Mexico). Each of these classes has a characteristic caldera size, magma type, and tectonic location. No calderas have been recognized on the moon or Mercury, but Mars has large shield calderas as well as the unique highland patera calderas. The latter may represent an explosive, ultramarie style of volcanism, unlike any volcanic activity in modem earth history. Radar images suggest that Venus has at least one large caldera-bearing shield volcano and possible calderas of other types. Jupiter's satellite Io has abundant, large shieldlike calderas but no shield massifs. The number and variety of calderas on a planet may be proportional to planet mass, consistent with a previous suggestion that volcanic complexity increases with planet size. Io is an exception, but heating in Io is generated tidally rather than by the decay of radioactive elements, so that its calderas are not related to its size. The occurrence of shield volcanoes on four solar system bodies suggests that thermal and tectonic mechanisms (i.e. hot spots) giving rise to construction of shield mountains and associated collapsed summits are basic processes in planetary geology. Hot spot volcanism is expected to be most important on planets lacking plate tectonics. On earth, large shields have lifetimes of only a few million years, but on Mars, large shields may have been active for 1.5 x 109 years. Shield calderas on earth are smaller than 20 km in diameter, but known or suspected shield calderas on Mars, Venus, and Io have considerably larger diameters. Assuming that caldera diameters are related to magma chamber diameters and depths, magma chambers on other planets are significantly larger and / or deeper than their counterparts on earth. Terrestrial magma chambers are small because terrestrial shield volcanoes are small in comparison to shields on Mars and Venus, and terrestrial shields are small because the earth's mobile plates move growing shields away from their deep sources, thus distributing magma along a narrow chain rather than piling it up around a central vent. Finally, the long lava flows of Mars are also explained if the volume of erupted magma has any simple relation to magma chamber volume. TERRESTRIAL CALDERAS As a guide to interpreting possible volcanic depressions on other planets and satellites, I first summarize information on the types, geometries, numbers, distribution, and formation processes of terrestrial calderas. Investigations of caldera origins were widespread during the first third of this century, but little new work appeared for 2:5 years following the publication of Williams'[ 1941] classic memoir "Calderas and their origins." This paper is not subject to U.S. copyright. Published i...

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Geology and chemistry of hydrothermal deposits from active submarine volcano Loihi, Hawaii

Cited by 109 publications

References 20 publications

Geology, geochemistry and earthquake history of Lṑihi Seamount, Hawaìi's youngest volcano

Geology, geochemistry and earthquake history of Lṑihi Seamount, Hawaìi's youngest volcano

Craters, Calderas, and Hyaloclastites on Young Pacific Seamounts

Calderas: A Planetary Perspective

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