Time-window into the transcrustal plumbing system dynamics of Dominica (Lesser Antilles)

Dominica, one of the most magmatically active islands of the Lesser Antilles through its four active volcanoes, is likely host under its central part, below Morne Trois Pitons-Micotrin, to a well-established transcrustal mush system. Pre-eruptive spatiotemporal magma dynamics are examined for five, explosive, pumiceous eruptions of this volcano in the last 24 kyrs through a combined Crystal System Analysis and intracrystalline Fe-Mg interdiffusion timescales modelling approaches. Before all eruptions, two magmatic environments of close compositions have interacted. These interactions began similar to 10-30 years prior to the four smaller of these eruptions, with more sustained mixing in the last decade, accelerated in the last 2 years. This contrasts with the largest pumiceous eruption, involving deeper magmas, with magma interaction starting over roughly a century but with various patterns. This suggests a possibility that increasing reactivation signals could be registered at the surface some years before future eruptions, having significant implications for volcanic risk mitigation.

Automated summary

Dominica, an island with four active volcanoes, likely hosts a well-established transcrustal mush system, with interactions between different magmatic environments observed before five pumiceous eruptions in the past 24 thousand years. The study suggests that reactivation signals could be detected several years prior to future eruptions, which has significant implications for volcanic risk mitigation.