Pleistocene volcaniclastic units from North-Eastern Sicily (Italy): new evidence for calc-alkaline explosive volcanism in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea

Abstract

Abstract:A well-preserved volcaniclastic sequence crops out in Pleistocene marine sediments along the Tyrrhenian coastline of the Calabrian-Peloritani arc (Sicily, Italy), testifying the occurrence of Lower-Middle Pleistocene volcanic activity in Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. The presence of dominant highly vesicular and minor blocky glassy particles indicates that the volcanic clasts were originated by explosive events related to the ascent and violent emission of volatile-rich magmas accompanied by and/or alternated with hydromagmatic fragmentation due to magma-sea water interaction. Field investigations and sedimentological features of the studied volcaniclastic units suggest a deposition from sediment-water density flows. The chemical classification of the pumice clasts indicates prevalent rhyolitic and dacitic compositions with calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline affinity. The geochemical features of immobile trace elements together with the presence of orthopyroxene are indicative of a provenance from an arc-type environment. The age (from 980-910 to 589 ka), the chemical composition and the evidence of subaerial explosive volcanic activity constrain the origin nature and temporal evolution of the arc-type volcanism in the Southern Tyrrhenian domain. Finally, the new information here provided contribute to a better understanding of the temporal geodynamic evolution of this sector of the Mediterranean domain.

Hazard Scenarios Related to Submarine Volcanic-Hydrothermal Activity and Advanced Monitoring Strategies: A Study Case from the Panarea Volcanic Group (Aeolian Islands, Italy)

“…The Aeolian volcanism probably started during Lower Pleistocene [28], as supported by the volcanoclastic sequence interbedded within the Lower-Middle Pleistocene clays outcropping along the Tyrrhenian margin of the Peloritani Mountains [29] dated 980-589 kyr. On the contrary, the age of the oldest subaerial volcanic products has been estimated to be 260 kyr [30][31][32].…”

Garnet Xenoliths in Andesitic Lavas of Lipari: New Geochemical Data to Provide Additional Information on the Metamorphic Basement Under the Aeolian Arc

“…It consists of several stratovolcanoes, forming seven Islands and several seamounts [16,17]. The volcanic activity took place during Quaternary, from about 1000 ka to present [6,18,19].…”