TITLE:
Volcanology and Archaeology for Better Understanding the History of Campi Flegrei: Post-NYT Bradyseisms and More Rapid Deformation
AUTHORS:
Angelo Paone, Sung-Hyo Yun
KEYWORDS:
Phlegraean Fields, Volcanoes, Bradyseism, Volcano-Stratigraphy, Archeology
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.8 No.3,
March
12,
2018
ABSTRACT: The Campi Flegrei volcanic district includes insular (Ischia and Procida
Islands) and peninsular volcanic activity (Campi Flegrei volcanic field) with
the link to older activity till Ponza Island. The history of this area has been
studied in detail since the eruption of the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI, age: 39
ky BP, volume: 200 - 300 km3), which makes this one of the most powerful eruptions in Europe. In the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT: age: 15.0 ky BP, volume: 50 km3),
another powerful eruption occurred. Activity younger than the NYT can be
subdivided in three epochs which include 70 recognized ephemeral eruptions. The
volume of these individual eruptions is between 0.4 and 1 km3 (DRE). Probably, the long-lasting magma reservoirs (i.e., CI and NYT) represent eruptions
that are fed by deep magma reservoirs. In deep reservoirs (>10 km), magmas stagnate,
differentiate and are probably modified by crustal components (Hercynian
basement). The long-lasting reservoirs are also the ones that feed the
ephemeral shallow magmatic system (2 - 5 km) that gave rise to the post-caldera magmatic epochs. However, the magmas
of the post-caldera epochs are isotopically heterogeneous and made by several
components (i.e., least evolved (as
an example the Minopoli eruption, 9500 y BP), CI, and NYT components). Mixing
between ephemeral shallow reservoirs occurs. Mixing of long lasting reservoirs
also occurs; and also during explosive eruptions. The concentration of earthquakes
and the deformation history suggest that Campi Flegrei could erupt again with
an ephemeral eruption, especially if the uplift will reach 5 - 6 m like
Monte Nuovo eruption, given existing uplift of 1970-72 and 1983-84.