Progressive mixed-magma recharging of Izu-Oshima volcano, Japan: A guide to magma chamber volume

- Izu-Oshima volcano of Izu-Bonin arc shows systematic temporal geochemical variation.
- Evidence of interaction between frontal arc and reararc magmas was obtained.
- Temporal geochemical variation provides constraints on magma supply and its storage.

To discover how magmas move and interact beneath an arc we have examined the temporal and spatial evolution of the largest Izu-Bonin frontal arc volcano Izu-Oshima and the adjacent Izu-Tobu field of backarc volcanoes. Extensive 14C ages and geochemical analysis of subaerial satellite cones as well as other effusives has enabled us to construct a well-constrained ∼14ka record of Izu-Oshima volcanism.The geochemistry of Izu-Oshima is found to change systematically through the last 14 000 yr. Ba/La, Pb/Ce, 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd and 206Pb/204Pb all decrease between 10 ka and 5 ka before increasing between 5 ka and the present, while La/Yb and Nb/Zr show the reverse. These changes in composition match the addition of Izu-Tobu (backarc) magma to the Izu-Oshima plumbing system with a maximum of a 40% Izu-Tobu at around 5 ka. Progressive but asymptotically declining changes in composition through the 10-5 ka period are found to fit a model where pre-mixed magma is episodically added to, and mixed with, a chamber beneath Izu-Oshima. The 5-0 ka period reverses this trend, but is again progressive and declining, suggesting a switch to a progressive influx of pure Izu-Oshima frontal arc magma. Combining flux and eruption volume estimates with the observed geochemical mixing rates indicates that the accessible melt volume of the Izu-Oshima magma system is ∼16km3. Interaction and pre-mixing between the fluid-dominated frontal arc melt and the sediment-bearing backarc magmas must occur at deeper levels within the arc crust. This deep reservoir receives a continuous feed from the frontal arc mantle, but may periodically intercept rising magmas from the backarc source to produce episodes of magma mixing on timescales of ∼5000yr.This study demonstrates that interaction between frontal arc and backarc magma needs to be considered to achieve better understanding of material transfers and elemental budgets at subduction zones.