Variable controlling factors lead to contrasting patterns of volcanism in the Changbaishan volcanic area (Tianchi-Longgang), China-North Korea: Insights from morphometry and spatial-temporal analyses

Abstract

The coexistence of monogenetic and polygenetic volcanoes is a common phenomenon in volcanic areas. However, the genetic relationship between monogenetic and polygenetic systems and the factors controlling their distinct eruptive styles are not well understood. In active volcanic areas, analysing the clustering and vent alignment of monogenetic volcanoes, as well as examining the geomorphology and relative ages of scoria cones, offers quantitative insights into magma supply rates, volcano type distribution, and volcanic development trends. Our study presents geomorphological and spatio-temporal analyses of the co-existing monogenetic volcanoes in the Longgang Volcanic Field (LVF) and those associated with a polygenetic volcano (Tianchi) in the Changbaishan Volcanic Area, China. The distance between the two volcanic areas is around 150 km. Monogenetic vents in the LVF exhibit greater density compared to the dispersed system associated with Tianchi. The LVF vents also show better alignment, particularly in the direction of pre-existing basement faults (NE-SW, NW-SE and EW). By using scoria cone morphometric parameters and features, we estimated the relative ages and erupted volumes of monogenetic volcanoes in the LVF and the Tianchi area. We classified the cones of the two volcanic systems into five eruptive periods and found that, despite similar magma sources and output rates over approximately 870 kyr, differing numbers of scoria cones across age classes suggest that Tianchi's magma system influences its associated monogenetic volcanic plumbing. Furthermore, the continuous rise in output rates of monogenetic volcanoes in the Tianchi area highlights the increasing magma supply sustaining Tianchi volcano. Together, these interpretations are consistent with the two systems being controlled by different factors: the Tianchi monogenetic volcanic system is more controlled by magmatism, whereas the LVF is more strongly controlled by local tectonic structures, alongside an increasing magma supply causing the formation of progressively larger individual volcanoes. In volcanic areas, analysing monogenetic volcanoes' spatial-temporal distribution, volumes and recurrence rate provides a framework to evaluate magma supply rates and tectonic associations, which are key to the development of different volcano types.