Depositional processes of the Suwolbong tuff ring, Cheju Island (Korea) |
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| Authors: | YOUNG KWAN SOHN SUNG KWUN CHOUGH |
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| Institution: | Department of Oceanography, Seoul National University, Seoul 151–742, Korea |
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| Abstract: | The Suwolbong pyroclastic sequence in the western part of Cheju Island, Korea, comprises partly preserved rim beds of a Quaternary basaltic tuff ring whose vent lies about 1 km seaward of the present shoreline. The sequence consists of breccia, lapillistone, lapilli tuff and tuff. Eighteen sedimentary facies are established and organized into six lateral facies sequences (LFS) and seven vertical facies sequences (VFS). The LFS 1, 4 and 5 begin with massive lapilli tuff which transforms downcurrent into either planar-bedded (LFS 1), undulatory-bedded (LFS 4) or climbing dune-bedded (LFS 5) (lapilli) tuff units. They are representative of relatively ‘dry’ base surge whose particle concentration decreases downcurrent with a progressive increase in both tractional processes and sorting. The LFS 2 begins with disorganized and massive lapilli tuff and transforms into crudely stratified units downcurrent. It results from relatively ‘wet’ base surge in which sorting is poor due to the cohesion of damp ash. The LFS 3 comprises well-sorted lapilli tuff and stratified tuff further downcurrent, suggestive of deposition from combined fall and surge of relatively ‘dry’ hydroclastic eruption. All seven vertical facies sequences generally comprise two facies units of coarse-grained fines-depleted lapilli tuff and an overlying fine-grained tuff. These sequences are suggestive of deposition from base surge that consists of a turbulent head and a low-concentration tail. Depositional processes in the Suwolbong tuff ring were dominated by a relatively ‘dry’ base surge. The base surge comprises turbulent and high-concentration suspension near the vent whose deposits are generally unstratified due to the lack of tractional transport. As the base surge becomes diluted downcurrent through fallout of clasts and mixing of ambient air, it develops large-scale turbulent eddies and is segregated into coarse-grained bedload and overlying fine-grained suspension forming thinly stratified units. Further downcurrent, the base surge may be either cooled and deflated or pushed up into the air, depending on its temperature. The Suwolbong tuff ring comprises an overall wet-to-dry cycle with several dry-to-wet cycles in it, suggestive of overall decrease in abundance of external water and fluctuation in the rate of magma rise. |
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