2017 年 62 巻 3 号 p. 95-116
The ca. 17 cal. ka BP eruption at Nantai Volcano, NE Japan, initially produced widespread Plinian fallout deposit (Nantai-Imaichi Tephra:Nt-I) and two overlying associated scoria flow deposits, i.e., dacitic pyroclast-rich, Shizu Scoria Flow Deposit (SZ) and andesitic pyroclast-rich, Takanosu Scoria Flow Deposit (TKS). A∼2.8m thick outcrop of the Nt-I at Nikko City, 7.5km ESE of the volcano, consists of a basal phreatic fall bed (∼2cm thick) and eleven overlying fall units (units 1-11 in ascending stratigraphic order) defined by componentry, size grading, and chemical composition of the pyroclasts. The total lack of clear boundary structures between each unit suggests that the Nt-I was generated by the pyroclasts falling from continuous eruptive column. Grain size analyses of the Nt-I shows that column height rapidly increased and reached its climax soon after the eruption began, and then oscillated slightly and declined until the end of the Plinian phase. The composition of the pyroclasts shows that the Nt-I resulted from the tapping of a stratified magma chamber, in which dacitic magma capped hybrid andesitic magma. Light-colored, microlite-free, dacitic pumice (DWP) predominates from unit 1 through unit 9. In contrast, moderately vesicular andesitic scoria (AGS) is a major constituent of units 10 and 11. Microlite-rich dacitic obsidian (DOB) is present from unit 1 through unit 3, but was not observed above unit 3. Microlite-rich dacitic scoria (DBS) is present from unit 1 through unit 8, and coexists with DOB in single pyroclast. A plausible explanation for the common eruption of a small amount of microlite-rich pyroclasts along with the predominant DWP is that the microlite-rich pyroclasts represent fragments of the degassed margins of the conduit through which the dacitic magma rose. As the eruption advanced, the passageway may have widened, and the microlite-rich magma along the conduit wall was eroded and ejected along with the DWP. The density of the DWP remained constant from unit 1 through unit 8, and then increased at unit 9. The incorporation of slightly denser, dacitic pyroclast into the column is likely to have destabilized the eruption column. The destabilization caused partial collapse of the column and generated the intra-Plinian Shizu Scoria Flow Deposit, whose particle density is similar to that of unit 9. In contrast, the ejection of dense AGS combined with the incorporation of dense lithics into the eruption column is likely to have destabilized the column, and triggered total column collapse that formed the post-Plinian Takanosu Scoria Flow Deposit.