Heterogeneous pumice populations of the 52 ± 3 ka Maninjau caldera-forming eruption, West Sumatra, Indonesia: Evidence of multiple magma reservoirs feeding a large silicic eruption

Abstract

Three color variations of grey members (including grey and banded juvenile clasts) were observed in the 52 ka ignimbrite deposits of Maninjau caldera, Indonesia; namely dark grey (DGM), pale grey (PGM), and light grey (LGM). All grey members were phenocryst-rich ( 24, 20, and 31 % for DGM, PGM, and LGM, respectively) and comprise plagioclase, pyroxene, amphibole, biotite, and oxides as the main phenocryst phases; however, apatite is exclusively present in DGM. Plagioclase with unzoned and coarsely sieved texture was observed in all grey members, while finely sieved and oscillatory zoned textures were exclusive in LGM. Notably, DGM is characterized by the highest MgO value among all grey members, followed by PGM and LGM (∼0.72, 0.46, and 0.34 wt% MgO under ∼74.0 wt% SiO₂, respectively). Based on the amphibole geothermobarometer and plagioclase hygrometer, we found that all grey magmas were stored at a relatively similar range of pressure and water content, but DGM yields a higher apparent temperature than those of PGM and LGM. Such distinctive petrography and chemical characteristics, coupled with different temperature conditions strongly suggest that each grey member originated from different magma bodies, which were stored below the most voluminous white magma (the source of white pumice). The sudden decompression of the white magma via overpressure causes destabilization to the smaller grey magmatic bodies, allowing them to rise and erupt as grey and banded pumices during the final eruption stage. Our results enrich the evidence of the formation of multiple magma reservoirs in large-silicic magmatic systems, which might be a common behavior before large eruptions. Moreover, our detailed glass compositions for each juvenile type may be useful for further regional tephrochronology studies.