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    2011-2012 eruption of Nyamuragira

    Fazio, M. and Jones, A. and Beard, Andy (2013) 2011-2012 eruption of Nyamuragira. In: Volcanic and Magmatic Studies Group Annual Meeting, 7th-9th January 2013, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. (Unpublished)

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    Abstract

    Between 6/11/2011 and 25/1/2012 a new fissure eruption occurred at Nyamuragira Volcano (Democratic Republic of Congo). In this study we show new rock samples (provided by Abigail Church, former UCL PhD) coming from this event (that are now being studied) along with new specimens from the neighbouring volcano, Nyiragongo, which last erupted in 2002. Though they are just 15 km far from each other, their current bulk compositions are quite different ranging from nephelinite – melilitite - leucitite on Nyiragongo2 to tephrite – basanite - phonolite on Nyamuragira3. We will mainly focus on the volatile contents, analyzing the melt inclusions in dry minerals, to characterize the magma source. On Nyamuragira this type of study has been conducted recently by Head et al.4, but it does not account for the last eruption, while on Nyiragongo the last melt inclusions analysis was run more than twenty years old5, well before the 2002 eruption, the last one after the famous 1977 event. Due to tens of years of internal crisis, the North Kivu region, where both volcanoes lie, is one of the most dangerous area in the world. This explains the paucity of research. In an attempt to overcome the difficulty to carry on a fieldtrip, we found a clear resemblance between the rocks of both DRC volcanoes6-4 and some of those at Vulture volcano (Italy)7. For example, they share similar TAS diagrams and K2O/NaO ratios. The possibility to compare rock samples with similar chemical compostions allows us to run experiments to understand the rheology of lavas emitted by both volcanoes, and its dependance on chemical compositions and volatile contents. Note that the rheological properties of these lava were investigated just once by Giordano et al.8 who took account only of the highly fluid lavas of Nyiragongo.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Poster)
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Natural Sciences
    Depositing User: Sarah Hall
    Date Deposited: 10 May 2016 13:45
    Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 17:23
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/15128

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