Distribution, intensity, and timing of palagonitization in glaciovolcanic deposits, Cracked Mountain volcano, Canada

Abstract

The Cracked Mountain edifice is a basaltic subglacial volcano (i.e. tuya) situated in southwest British Columbia, Canada. The edifice is dominated by subaqueously deposited, massive to poorly stratified, variably palagonitized lapilli tuffs intruded by syn-eruptive dikes and lobes of peperitic pillow-lavas (15–20 vol.%); minor stacks of pillow-lava are found on the margins of the edifice. Here, we present mineralogical, textural, and physical property data for 134 sample cores from the palagonitized volcaniclastic deposits. Our sample suite includes three specific field environments defined by proximity to intrusive heat sources: (i) proximal (< 1 m) deposits (ENV1), (ii) deposits within 1–5 m of intrusions (ENV2), and (iii) deposits far removed (> 5 m) from discernible heat sources (ENV3). The dataset comprises mineralogy and measurements of density, porosity, permeability, P-wave velocity, uniaxial compressive strength, and paleomagnetism. Increased palagonitization is marked by increases in authigenic mineral abundance (smectite and analcime), density, strength, and P-wave velocity and concomitant decreases in porosity and permeability. Paleomagnetic data show a common pole direction recorded by all volcanic deposits indicating volcanism occurred within a single paleomagnetic moment (< 200 years). Palagonitization of the volcaniclastic deposits is driven by heat supplied by syn-eruptive intrusions and is most intense in ENV1, where dikes raised temperatures (> 150 °C) for a prolonged duration (< 1 year), and weakest in ENV3 deposits reheated to lower temperatures (< 150 °C). The timescale of palagonitization was short and coincident with the emplacement and cooling of syn-eruptive intrusions. The mapped intensity of palagonitization and thermal modelling are used to define a ‘palagonite window’ as a function of time and distance from heat sources (i.e. dikes).