Variable H2O content in magmas from the Tongariro Volcanic Centre and its relation to crustal storage and magma ascent

The water content of crystal-hosted glass inclusions from Mt. Ruapehu has been determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) at the IR beamline of the Australian Synchrotron. The results are compared with those from previous investigations as well as with calculated melt water concentrations in other magmas from the Tongariro Volcannic Center (TgVC). It is shown that low and high water content in different magmas can be related to distinct styles of magma ascent and intermittent crustal storage. The first style is related to frequent small magma batches erupted from the central volcanoes of Mt. Tongariro and Mt. Ruapehu. It produces highly porphyritic two-pyroxene-plagioclase andesites which generally show water contents below 3 wt%. The second style is sourced from mid-crustal intrusions which are characterized by highly differentiated hornblende dacites with dissolved water concentrations of up to 6 wt% H2O.