The 55- to 60-ka Te Whaiau Formation: a catastrophic,avalanche-induced,cohesive debris-flow deposit from Proto-Tongariro Volcano,New Zealand |
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| Authors: | Jérôme A Lecointre Vincent E Neall Cleland R Wallace Warwick M Prebble |
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| Institution: | 1.Soil and Earth Sciences Group, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North,New Zealand;2.Department of Geology, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland,New Zealand |
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| Abstract: | Te Whaiau Formation is a massive volcaniclastic deposit interbedded within gravelly and sandy volcanogenic sediments of the northwestern Tongariro ring plain. The ca. 0.5-km3 deposit comprises a clay-rich, matrix-supported diamicton with lithological and physical properties that are typical of a cohesive debris-flow deposit. Clays identified in the matrix are derived from hydrothermally altered andesite lava and pyroclastic rocks. The distribution pattern of the deposit, and the nature of the clay matrix, point to a source area that was located in the vicinity of Mt. Tongariro's current summit (1967 m). Most of the proximal zone is buried under late Pleistocene lavas forming the northwestern flank of the massif. In contrast, the medial and distal zones are well exposed to the northwest in the Whanganui River catchment. Lithofacies exposed in these latter zones contain isolated volcaniclastic megaclasts and well-preserved, jointed blocks of andesite. Small hummocks, up to 5 m high, are present only in the distal margins of the deposit. Based on these observations, possible source areas and analogy with similar deposits elsewhere, we infer that Te Whaiau Formation was initiated as a fluid-saturated debris avalanche that transformed downstream into a single, cohesive debris flow. It is interpreted that the mass flow was initially confined to the northwestern flank of Tongariro before spreading laterally onto the lowlands to the northwest. The resulting heterolithological diamicton filled stream channels in the western sector of the Tongariro ring plain. At 15 km from source, the debris flow encountered an elevated terrain, which acted as a barrier to further spreading to the north. The stratigraphy of the cover beds and K/Ar data on an underlying lava indicate that Te Whaiau Formation was emplaced between 55 and 60 ka, a cool period characterized by intense volcaniclastic sedimentation around the Tongariro massif. Jigsaw-fit fractured volcanic bombs suggest that an explosive eruption through hydrothermally altered rock and pyroclastic deposits probably triggered the mass flow. The characteristics of the deposit indicate that a large portion of the proto-Tongariro edifice collapsed en masse to form the initial avalanche. Hence, we infer that the current morphology of Tongariro volcano is derived not only from glacial erosion, but also from gravitational failure. Prehistoric eruptions and current geothermal activity on the upper northern and western slopes of the Tongariro massif suggest that avalanche-induced debris flows must be considered a potential future volcanic hazard for the region. |
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