Here I will discuss the specifics of the Volcanic Subduction System in Kamchecka Russia.
Tectonic Setting
The tectonic setting is the plate margin of the Pacific plate and the Eurasian plate. The Pacific Plate was subducting below the Eurasian plate. This creates the volcanoes on the Eurasian Plate. The melting that is occurring here is due to the introduction of water into the system.
I will also list some of the major volcanic products and features evident in this area. The major volcano range present is named the Sredinny Range. There are basalt planes called the Kamtchecka Basalt plane. It makes up the Kamtchecka peninsula. The kuril trench is the point where the Pacific Plate is subjecting under the Eurasian Plate. The Kuril Islands are products of volcanism occurring on the oceanic crust of the Eurasian Plate. This volcanism forms small volcanic islands.
Notable Volcano
One Notable volcano is Sheveluch, It is located on the main peninsula. This volcano has been very active since 1999. This volcano started erupting in late 1999 and is still continuing to erupt to today. In the 1990s there were several small eruptions. It is a very active volcano and has many eruptions since its formation 65,000 years ago. One of the major volcanic landforms, in addition to the strata volcanoes, is the lava dome found at the center of the top of the volcano. That is where it erupts from.
Geochemistry
Here I will discuss the geochemistry of the magma derived from the volcanoes at the volcanoes in Kamchecka, Russia.
Harker Diagrams
The Harker Diagrams below illustrates the changes that occur in the magma chambers of a subduction zone volcano. Below illustrate the dramatic trends that occur when the magma begins to crystalize or some of it is erupted. The low levels of Magnesium indicates that it might have crystalized out of the magma before it was erupted. Iron and Calcium also decreased quickly due to their ability to also crystalize out of solution with relative ease. This is also illustrated by the Magnesium number.
The trend exhibited by the trend exhibited of in the Alkalies. The increase in the alkalies illustrates the amount of incompatible in the melt. This is due to their large size and inability to go into the melt. The alkalies present appear to go through a slight decrease. This might indicate that the magma started to crystalize the incompatibles. This occurs when the magma has sat in the crust long enough for the incompatibles to start to crystalize out of the melt.
REE/Chondrite
TSA Plot
AFM Plot
Rocks and Thin Sections
Intrusive
Hand Sample
Handsample P63
Plane Polarized Thin Section
Crossed Polarized Thin Section
Identification Diagram
Extrusive
Hand Sample
Plane Polarized Thin Section
Crossed Polarized Thin Section
Identification Diagram
This image illustrates the classification of this rock. It is a Rhyolite. It is composed of 58% Quartz, 38% Alkali and 4% Plagioclase.