G. Queiroz

Volcanic geology of Furnas Volcano, São Miguel, Azores

Abstract Furnas is the easternmost of the three active central volcanoes on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores. Unlike the other two central volcanoes, Sete Cidades and Fogo, Furnas does not have a well-developed edifice, but consists of a steep-sided caldera complex 8×5 km across. It is built on the outer flanks of the Povoacao/Nordeste lava complex that forms the eastern end of Sao Miguel. Constructive flanks to the volcano exist on the southern side where they form the coastal cliffs, and to the west. The caldera margins tend to reflect the regional/local tectonic pattern which has also controlled the distribution of vents within the caldera and areas of thermal springs. Activity at Furnas has been essentially explosive, erupting materials of trachytic composition. Products associated with the volcano include plinian and sub-plinian pumice deposits, ignimbrites and surge deposits, phreatomagmatic ashes, block and ash deposits and dome materials. Most of the activity has occurred from vents within the caldera, or on the caldera margin, although strombolian eruptions with aa flows of ankaramite and hawaiite have occurred outside the caldera. The eruptive history consists of at least two major caldera collapses, followed by caldera infilling. Based on 14 C dates, it appears that the youngest major collapse occurred about 12,000–10,000 years BP. New 14 C dates for a densely welded ignimbrite suggest that a potential caldera-forming eruption occurred at about 30,000 years BP. Recent eruptions (

An historic subplinian/phreatomagmatic eruption: the 1630 AD eruption of Furnas volcano, Sa˜o Miguel, Azores

The 1630 AD eruption on the island of Sa˜o Miguel in the Azores took place from a vent in the southern part of the 7 × 5 km caldera of Furnas volcano. Precursory seismic activity occurred at least 8 hours before the eruption began and was felt over 30 km away. This seismic activity caused extensive damage destroying almost all buildings within a 10 km radius and probably triggered landslides on the southern coast. The explosive activity lasted ~ 3 days and ashfall occurred as far as 550 km away. Published models yield a volume of 0.65 km3 (DRE) for the explosive products. Throughout the course of the eruption more than six discrete airfall lapilli layers, each of subplinian magnitude, were generated by magmatic explosive activity. Dispersal directions initially to the west and finally northeast of the vent indicate a change in wind direction during the eruption. Isopleth maps suggest column heights of up to 14 km and wind speeds varying between 20°) at least one lapilli layer (L2) shows pinch and swell thickness variations, and rounded pumice clasts suggesting instant remobilisation as grain flows. Ash-rich layers with abundant accretionary lapilli and vesicular textures are interbedded with the lapilli layers and represent the deposits formed by phreatomagmatic phases that punctuated the purely magmatic activity. The ash-rich layers show lateral thickness variations, as well as cross-bedding and sand-wave structures suggesting that low-concentration, turbulent flows (surges) deposited material on topographic highs. These pyroclastic surges were probably responsible for the 80 people reported burned to death 4 km southwest of the vent. High-particle-concentration, non-turbulent pyroclastic flows were channelled down steep valleys to the southern coast contemporaneously with the low-concentration surges. The massive flow deposits (~ 2 m thick) pass laterally into thin, stratified, accretionary lapilli-rich ashes (~ 20 cm thick) over 100 m horizontally. Lateral transition between thick massive and thin stratified facies occurs on a flat surface unconfined by topography indicating that the flows had an effective yield strength. Effusive activity followed the explosive activity building a trachytic lava dome with a volume of ~20 × 106 m3 (0.02 km3 DRE) within the confines of the tuff/pumice cone formed during the explosive phase. Historic records suggest that dome building occurred over a period of at least two months. Calculated durations for eruptive phases and the fluctuation in eruptive style suggest that the eruption was pulsatory which may have been controlled by variable magma supply to the surface.

The Povoação Ignimbrite, Furnas Volcano, São Miguel, Azores

Abstract The Povoacao Ignimbrite Formation (PIF) was emplaced by one of the larger explosive trachytic eruptions of Furnas Volcano, Sao Miguel, Azores. Trachytic ignimbrites are common in the products of Furnas Volcano and examples of welding occur in at least three ignimbrites of which the Povoacao Ignimbrite is the most extensive. The PIF may correlate with the formation of the main caldera of Furnas. In the Povoacao Ignimbrite, the welded horizons thicken, without evidence of rheomorphism, into palaeovalleys and can be seen to thin and in some places become completely attenuated over old ridges. The welded horizons are intimately associated with non-welded ignimbrites and in some places there is an alternation between welded and non-welded horizons. On interfluves, the ignimbrite is stratified and some of the welded horizons show pinch and swell and occasional cross-bedding. The welding is interpreted as a primary depositional feature with the clasts sintering on emplacement. It is argued that this ignimbrite was emplaced from a turbulent pulsatory pyroclastic flow. Some pulses were hotter which enabled more extensive development of welding. The flows became more concentrated and denser down valleys favouring the emplacement of thicker welded units.

Chapter 4 Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the Azores region: geodynamic implications from major historical events and instrumental seismicity

Abstract Since the settlement of the archipelago, in the fifteenth century, 31 destructive earthquakes and 28 volcanic eruptions have been registered in the Azores. Major earthquakes occurring in historical times have reached magnitudes >7, often triggering landslides and even small tsunamis. In the same period, subaerial volcanic eruptions have ranged from Hawaiian to sub-Plinian, sometimes with a hydromagmatic character, while submarine eruptions have been Azorean to Surtseyan in style. The temporal and spatial distributions of major historical events are presented and their impacts summarized. The instrumental seismic activity registered since 1980 is discussed taking into account the main volcano-tectonic structures. These seismological data allow us to improve the characterization of the present-day boundary between the Eurasia and Nubia lithospheric plates, herein defined as the East Azores Volcano-Tectonic System. The seismological data also suggest that the location of the Azores Triple Junction is to the west of Faial Island, at about 38° 50′ N, 30° 25′ W, in agreement with proposals made by other authors using aeromagnetic data. A natural seismic gap, centred in the São Jorge structural alignment, is recognized and is interpreted as a zone of stress accumulation with the potential to generate a high-magnitude earthquake similar to that of 1757.

Chapter 9 The volcanic history of Furnas Volcano, São Miguel, Azores

Abstract Furnas is the easternmost of the trachytic active central volcanoes of São Miguel. Unlike the other central volcanoes, Sete Cidades and Fogo, Furnas does not have a substantial edifice built up above sea-level. Although not as dominant as the other two volcanoes, Furnas does, however, have an edifice rising from the basal basaltic lavas exposed on the north coast to around 600 m asl on the northern rim of the main caldera. In common with Sete Cidades and Fogo, Furnas had major trachytic explosive eruptions in its volcanic history that emplaced welded ignimbrites. In the last 5 ka Furnas has had 10 moderately explosive trachytic eruptions of sub-Plinian character; two of these have taken place since the island was settled in the mid-fifteenth century. A future eruption of sub-Plinian magnitude is a major hazard posed by Furnas Volcano. Even when not in eruption, Furnas is a hazardous environment. Its fumarolic fields discharge high levels of CO2 and concentrations in some area of Furnas village present a risk to health; the steep slopes and poorly consolidated volcanic materials are prone to landslides, in particular when triggered by earthquakes or following heavy rain, as was the case in 1997, when landslides caused severe damage and casualties in Ribeira Quente.

Chapter 6 Volcano-tectonic structures of São Miguel Island, Azores

Abstract The Azores archipelago is located at the triple junction between the Eurasia, Nubia and North America lithospheric plates. São Miguel Island, situated at the southeastern part of the western segment of the Azores–Gibraltar Fracture Zone, presents an east–west elongated shape, comprising three quiescent central volcanoes with summit calderas linked by zones of fissure volcanism. The eastern part of the island is older and inactive. Active faulting is represented by prominent fault scarps that constitute important extensional structures, or by linear volcanic structures in fissural volcanic zones, with a dominant NW–SE to WNW–ESE trend. Although less frequent, there are also NNW–SSE to north–south, NE–SW and east–west faults, reflected by some volcanic alignments and linear segments of the drainage system and sea cliffs. The geometric and kinematic data are in agreement with that observed in the rest of the archipelago. However, at eastern São Miguel Island data indicate two distinct groups of conjugated faults characterized by three-dimensional strain: NW–SE to WNW–ESE normal dextral structures are conjugated with NNW–SSE normal left-lateral faults and NW–SE to WNW–ESE normal left-lateral faults are conjugated with NE–SW normal dextral structures, showing the presence of two different stress fields separated in time.

Chapter 7 Eruptive history and evolution of Sete Cidades Volcano, São Miguel Island, Azores

Abstract Sete Cidades is an active central volcano on the western part of São Miguel. The geological record reveals that subaerial activity started more than 250 ka ago. Stratigraphic units defined for Sete Cidades deposits reflect major events in the history of the volcano and are organized into two main groups: the Inferior Group and the Superior Group. Caldera formation resulted from three major paroxysmal events that occurred at about 36, 29 and 16 ka ago. Analysis of the eruptive history of Sete Cidades shows that effusive or moderately explosive eruptions, of Hawaiian and/or Strombolian styles, were located on the slopes of the central volcano. Conversely, trachytic explosive activity is mostly centred inside the caldera involving, in a first stage, predominantly Plinian and sub-Plinian phenomena, changing about 5 ka ago to a dominant hydromagmatic style. Trachytic effusive eruptions are represented by domes and associated lava flows that crop out in the inner caldera walls and on the western slopes of the volcano. Offshore submarine activity is represented by the historic Surtseyan eruptions of 1638 and 1811. In the last 5 ka Sete Cidades was the most active central volcano in the Azores with 17 explosive eruptions predominantly with hydromagmatic character.

Chapter 12 Eruptive frequency and volcanic hazards zonation in São Miguel Island, Azores

Abstract São Miguel Island comprises five active volcanic systems, including three central volcanoes with calderas and two basaltic fissure systems. Volcanic eruptions in São Miguel are of basaltic and trachytic nature (s.l.), including Hawaiian, Strombolian, sub-Plinian, Plinian and Vulcanian events, the more explosive ones frequently including hydromagmatic phases. Large Plinian eruptions are related to caldera-forming events that occurred in the past. With reference to the Fogo A stratigraphic marker, a total of 73 individual volcanic eruptions have been identified in the last 5 ka, giving a recurrence interval of 68.5 years. Taking into account that only six events have occurred in historical times, the recurrence interval increases to 95 years and, clearly, a future event is overdue because the most recent eruption occurred in 1652. It should be noted, however, that some volcanic eruptions in the past have occurred in clusters. The eruptive frequencies of the last 5 ka of activity have been determined for all types of eruptions and related hazards, including lava flows, pyroclastic falls, pyroclastic density currents (PDCs) and lahars. The areas susceptible to volcanic products have been mapped and modelled under different eruptive conditions.

Iodine environmental availability and human intake in oceanic islands: Azores as a case-study

Iodine deficiency is the most common cause of preventable mental impairment. Although several studies have established an association between ocean proximity and iodine environmental availability, recent studies revealed an inadequate iodine intake in the Azorean islands. In this study, we aim to understand the underlying causes of iodine environmental availability in oceanic islands and its association with iodine intake in schoolchildren, using the Azores as case-study. Iodine concentration in soil and grass pasture was measured by INAA and in drinking water by spectrophotometry. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in schoolchildren was assessed by ICP-MS in a randomized cross-sectional survey with 315 participants from S. Miguel (study group) and Sta. Maria islands (reference group). A validated diet questionnaire assessing sources of iodine was recorded. The iodine concentration in soils of the reference group was significantly higher than in the study group (58.1ppm vs. 14.5ppm, respectively; p=0.001). The prevalence of schoolchildren with inadequate UIC was significantly higher in the study group than in the reference one (63.0% vs. 37.8%, respectively; p<0.001). Chronic exposure to low iodine environmental availability was significantly associated with the exacerbation in iodine deficiency, with a risk 4.94 times higher in the study group. The differences observed in the studied islands are related with each island geomorphology (soil properties and orography) and climate, which can promote or inhibit iodine environmental availability, contributing distinctively to iodine bioavailability and human intake. These findings draw attention to an urgent need for a full investigation of Azores iodine status to apply evidence-based recommendations for iodine supplementation.