Quaternary volcanics from the Broken Top volcano area, Oregon High Cascades: Varied low pressure processes in calc-alkaline magma chambers

Broken Top (BT) is a Quaternary composite volcano in the central Oregon High Cascades. Volcanics in the vicinity of BT range from basalt to rhyodacite with a paucity of andesite. Most pre- and syn-BT lavas were generated through low pressure crystal fractionation (CF) in small, short-lived chambers. Mixing superimposed on CF generally involved magmas with minimal compositional differences. Lavas erupted from BT are dominantly phenocryst-rich bas. andesite which exhibits evidence for a mixing origin. Whole-rock and phenocryst compositions suggest mixing between basalt and andesite. The andesite can be explained by low pressure CF of the basalt. Latest BT activity consisted of bas. andesite, dacite, and rhyodacite lavas which were generated through CF. During BT activity, andesite was produced by CF during rapid sidewall crystallization and ponded at the top of the chamber. Mixing most likely took place during eruptive events, but evidence for a persistent presence of mixed (hybrid) magma in the chamber suggests incomplete evacuation of mixed magma. With time, the andesite layer became less significant due to decreasing rates of sidewall crystallization and/or frequent eruption/replenishment, more widespread crystal settling resulted in eruption of CF-generated bas. andesite and low-Si dacite. Rapid crystallization of dacitic magma followed by buoyant segregationmore » yielded rhyodacite. These processes operating during the latest stages of the BT activity were likely similar to those operating in the short-lived chambers. Paucity of CF-generated andesite is explained by: (1) low density crust which retards andesite ascent, and (2) rapid crystallization over the dacite range. While significant amounts of andesite were produced in the longer-lived BT system, it rarely erupted unmixed.« less