Morphology and structure of the 1999 lava flows at Mount Cameroon Volcano (West Africa) and their bearing on the emplacement dynamics of volume-limited flows

The morphology and structure of the 1999 lava flows at Mount Cameroon volcano are documented and discussed in relation to local and source dynamics. Structures are analysed qualitatively and more detailed arguments are developed on the processes of levee formation and systematic links between flow d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geological magazine 2011-01, Vol.148 (1), p.22-34
Main Authors: Suh, C. E, Stansfield, S. A, Sparks, R. S. J, Njome, M. S, Wantim, M. N, Ernst, G. G. J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
Bakingili Cameroon
breccia
Cameroon
channels
compression tectonics
emplacement
eruptions
Europe
Flow channels
Geomorphology
hawaiian-type eruptions
igneous rocks
Italy
landforms
Lava
Lava flows
Levees
mineral composition
Mount Cameroon
Mount Cameroon eruption 1999
Mount Etna
Overflow
pahoehoe
petrology
Quaternary geology
Sicily Italy
Southern Europe
tectonics
textures
volcanic breccia
volcanic features
volcanic rocks
volcanism
Volcanoes
West Africa
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Summary:The morphology and structure of the 1999 lava flows at Mount Cameroon volcano are documented and discussed in relation to local and source dynamics. Structures are analysed qualitatively and more detailed arguments are developed on the processes of levee formation and systematic links between flow dynamics and levee-channel interface geometry. The flows have clear channels bordered by four main types of levees: initial, accretionary, rubble and overflow levees. Thermally immature pahoehoe lava units with overflow drapes define the proximal zone, whereas rubble and accretionary levees are common in the distal region bordering thermally mature aa clinker or blocky aa flow channels. Pressure ridges, squeeze-ups and pahoehoe ropes are the prevalent compressive structures. Standlines displayed on clinkery breccias are interpreted to represent levee-channel interactions in response to changing flow levels. These data complement previous knowledge on lava flow morphology, thus far dominated by Etnean and Hawaiian examples.
ISSN:0016-7568
1469-5081
DOI:10.1017/S0016756810000312