The 15 January 2022 Hunga eruption, Tonga – first petrographic and geochemical results

Abstract

<p>The phreatoplinan eruption of the shallow submarine Hunga Volcano Tonga formed global air-pressure waves, regional tsunami and an up to 55 km-high eruption column. Despite its large explosive magnitude, the magma erupted were similar to past compositions, and comprised crystal poor (<8 wt% total; plag>cpx>opx) andesite with ~57-63 wt% silica glass. Low magnitude Surtseyan eruptions in 2009-2015 formed from small pockets of andesite that ascended slowly, resulting in high microphenocryst and microlite contents. Large eruptions, including events in ~AD200 and AD1100 and the 2022 event drew magma rapidly from a ~5-7 km deep mid-crustal reservoir. Rapid decompression and quenching (augmented by magma-water interaction) records the heterogeneity of the reservoir, with mingled glass textures and cryptic mixing of subtly different melts. The 2022 feldspar phenocrysts show more mafic melt inclusion compositions than host glass, clear uniform cores and thin rims evidencing ~1 month-long changes caused by decompression, rise and internal mingling of subtlety different melts. CPX phenocrysts show uniform cores a variety of more mafic and similar melt inclusions to the bulk glass, and thin overgrowth rims reflecting only decompression and mingling. Lithic fragments (<8wt%) include common hydrothermal minerals (sulphides, quartz etc). Without evidence of a mafic trigger, or crystalisation induced overpressures, this extremely violent eruption was triggered by top-down processes that led to rapid exhumation/decompression of magma and very efficient explosive magma-water interaction. This could include any, or all of: flank collapse; hydrothermal seal fracturing and ingress of water into the upper magma system and caldera collapse. Subsequent earthquakes suggest that the crustal magma system was rapidly recharged in the days following the eruption.</p>