Structure and evolution of the Rockeskyllerkopf Volcanic Complex, West Eifel Volcanic Field, Germany

• Published in: Bulletin of volcanology 2010-10, Vol.72 (8), p.971-990
• Main Authors: Shaw, Cliff S. J., Woodland, Alan B., Hopp, Jens, Trenholm, Nesha D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cinder cones; Crystalline rocks; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Geochemistry; Geology; Geophysics/Geodesy; Igneous and metamorphic rocks petrology, volcanic processes, magmas; Lava; Lava flows; Magma; Mineralogy; Natural hazards: prediction, damages, etc; Petrology; Research Article; Sedimentology; Unconformity; Volcanic eruptions; Volcanic fields; Volcanoes; Volcanology
• ISSN: 0258-8900; 1432-0819
• DOI: 10.1007/s00445-010-0380-9

The Rockeskyllerkopf Volcanic Complex (RVC) comprises three overlapping monogenetic volcanic centers: Southeast Lammersdorf (SEL), Mäuseberg (M) and Rockeskyllerkopf (RKK). Each volcanic center comprises proximal wall deposits with a well defined crater wall unconformity and crater fill deposits that partially to completely cover the outer crater wall. The SEL Center is a phreatomagmatic tuff ring composed of lithic rich tephra deposited by pyroclastic falls and surges. The second center, Mäuseberg, with its crater to the northwest of the SEL Center is predominantly magmatic. Topographic and outcrop patterns suggest that this center may have formed a series of overlapping scoria cones along a N–S trending fissure. The youngest center, RKK, which lies on a poorly developed palaeosol within the earlier Mäuseberg deposits, comprises a well developed proximal crater wall sequence. This sequence of magmatic, likely Strombolian, fall and grain avalanche deposits passes upward into a crater fill sequence that comprises variably welded bombs. The final eruptions in the center were massive lava flows that were ponded within the RKK crater. Ar–Ar age dating of reequilibrated fragments of phlogopite megacrysts in the SEL lavas indicates volcanic activity began at 474 ± 39 ka. Literature K–Ar dates for the youngest lava flows in the RKK Center give ages of 360 ± 60 to 470 ka. Our interpretation of the age data and the presence of the poorly developed palaeosol between the Mäuseberg and RKK centers indicates that volcanism in the RVC began around 470 ka with the eruption of the SEL and Mäuseberg centers followed a few thousand years later by the eruption of the RKK Center.