Epiclastic deposits associated with large-scale landslides and the formation of erosive calderas in oceanic islands: The example of the La Palma Island (Canary Archipelago)

The growth and evolution of the La Palma Island has frequently been punctuated by high magnitude mass-wasting events triggered by gravitational collapses of volcanic edifices and by the erosion of the Caldera de Taburiente. These episodes are evidenced by voluminous debris accumulations in the submarine vicinity of the island and the presence of six very-coarse epiclastic units in the geological record of the island. In this paper we study these epiclastic units in order to characterize their stratigraphic architecture and facies associations, and the mechanisms involved in the transport and emplacement of the material associated with large failures and the erosion of volcanic edifices. Emphasis is also placed on characterising the temporal sequence of processes that have occurred on the island and discussing the origin of the Caldera de Taburiente.Three of the units described - La Cumbrecita Breccias and Megabreccias, La Pared de la Caldera Breccias and Conglomerates and La Viña Breccias - are overlying the detachment surfaces of the Santa Cruz de La Palma, Playa de la Veta and Cumbre Nueva landslides, respectively. They mainly represent the products of debris avalanches and debris flows with subordinate stream-flows filling the scars of the landslides. Unit 4, Las Angustias Breccias and Conglomerates, is interpreted as debris-flow or lahar deposits generated by landslides during the growth of the Bejenado Volcano. The uppermost units, the Tazacorte Conglomerates and El Riachuelo Conglomerates, represent water-laid deposits related to the excavation and erosion of the Caldera de Taburiente, and the incision of a valley between the Bejenado Volcano and the Cumbre Nueva scarp, respectively.Our results provide new and valuable data about cyclic events of construction-destruction of volcanic edifices worldwide, and their related processes and deposits.

► 6 epiclastic units are related to mass-wasting events of La Palma island. ► 4 of these epiclastic units are related with giant volcanic sector collapses. ► The other two units are a result of the erosion of the Caldera de Taburiente. ► The geological evolution of La Palma island is elucidated. ► An evolutionary model of cycles of construction-destruction of volcanoes is proposed.