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Using zircon saturation thermometry of source magma in strongly altered volcanic ashes

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Abstract

The present study deals with the possibilities of applying the zircon saturation thermometry, which is based on the equilibrium between the zircon crystals and the melt, to strongly altered volcanic ashes—bentonites. It proposes an alternative to a widely used method of calculating magma temperature from Zr content and major component composition (Boehnke in Chem Geol 351:324–333, 2013), that is not suitable for bentonites, as most of the major components have been largely altered in these rocks. For calculating source magma temperatures in strongly altered volcanic ashes, the exponential function from the Zr (ppm)/Al2O3 (%) ratio with compositional corrections from the TiO2/Al2O3 ratio was found applicable. The idea to use the ratios of these elements is based on the low mobility of these elements in the earth's surface conditions. Temperatures of magma, forming in the partial melting process, are assessed from the bulk rock composition. Pre-eruption temperatures were estimated from the composition of fine fractions of bentonites. The accuracy of the new method was established from comparison with the method by Boehnke et al. (Chem Geol 351:324–333, 2013). The difference between the two methods was mostly less than ± 30° to ± 50°. The comparison with the magma temperature, estimated from the sanidine composition, revealed 13° lower values on average. Although the proposed method for estimating the source magma temperatures is less precise than the method of accounting for detailed rock compositions, it can be used in strongly altered rocks, where other methods are not usable. The new method still enables differentiation between felsic source magmas originating at low or high temperatures. Early Palaeozoic bentonites in the Baltic Basin can be divided, according to the source magma temperatures, into two types: (1) Low temperature (650–790 °C), containing potassium-rich sanidine and abundant biotite (S type), (2) high temperature (770–850 °C) with sodium-rich sanidine and scarce biotite (I type).

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All data generated and analyzed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files.

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Acknowledgements

Author thanks Toivo Kallaste for separation of fractions and for XRF analyse. Mari-Leen Kiipli prepared and performed micro-analyse of sanidine phenocrysts and improved language. Joaquin Bastias and an anonymous reviewer kindly helped to improve the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Geology, Tallinn University of Technology, 5 Ehitajate Road, 19086, Tallinn, Estonia

    Tarmo Kiipli

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Correspondence to Tarmo Kiipli.

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Kiipli, T. Using zircon saturation thermometry of source magma in strongly altered volcanic ashes. Acta Geochim 41, 406–418 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-021-00520-z

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