Curie isotherm depth from aeromagnetic data constraining shallow heat source depths in the central Aeolian Ridge (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)

R. de Ritis, D. Ravat, G. Ventura, M. Chiappini

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Salina, Lipari, and Vulcano volcanic ridge and the surrounding sea sectors (Aeolian Archipelago, Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) are characterized by vents responsible for a recent (<40 ka-1889/1890 AD) effusive and explosive subareal activity and repeated, 56 to 7 ka in age, submarine explosive eruptions from source areas located between Lipari and Vulcano. A spectral depth estimation of the magnetic bottom using a fractal method on aeromagnetic data from Vulcano, Lipari, and Salina volcanic ridge allows us to constrain the Curie isotherm depth. The elevated portion of the isotherm is between 2 and 3 km below Salina and Vulcano and about 1 km below Lipari. The Curie depth results in the context of other geological and geophysical evidence suggest that the rise of the Curie isotherm is mainly due to the occurrence of shallow heat sources such as magma ponds and associated hydrothermal systems. The short-wavelength magnetic anomaly field reflects magnetic contrasts from highly magnetized volcanic bodies, low-magnetization sediments, and hydrothermally altered rocks. Borehole temperature data verify the Curie temperature derived from the magnetic methods on the island of Vulcano. We conclude that the whole Vulcano, Lipari, and Salina volcanic ridge is active and should be monitored.

Original languageEnglish
Article number710
Pages (from-to)1-11
Number of pages11
JournalBulletin of Volcanology
Volume75
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2013

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgments This study was funded by INGV. Discussions with colleagues of INGV and Cosenza, Catania, Bologna, Napoli Universities were appreciated. We thank two anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful and perceptive comments and suggestions. We also thank the Associate Editor, Dr. Takao Ohminato, for his comments, suggestions, and editorial handling. All of these reviews improved the logic, the defense of arguments, and the non-expert readability of the paper substantially.

Keywords

  • Aeolian Archipelago
  • Curie isotherm
  • Magnetic spectral depths
  • Tectonics
  • Volcanism

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geochemistry and Petrology

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