The occurrence and origin of prominent massive, pumice-rich ignimbrite lobes within the Late Pleistocene Abrigo Ignimbrite, Tenerife, Canary Islands

MPRILs are original depositional features, not erosional in origin and are derived from a larger pyroclastic flow. It is likely that pumice was segregated to the upper and outer regions of the parent flow causing a significant rheological contrast with the lower lithic-rich zone. The more pumice-rich parts are interpreted to have detached from the parent flow as it decelerated onto gentler slopes or interacted with topographic highs and raced ahead as mobile derivative pyroclastic flows. The flow-parallel ridge shape of MPRILs may be a result of fingering within these flows or concentration of pumice within the intermediary clefts. Deposition occurred “en masse” at the termination of the flow front. The resultant lobate deposits were then overridden and mantled by normal ignimbrite facies from either a later flow pulse or the following main part of the parent flow.