Step-filling and development of a three-layer magma chamber: the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff case history. Orsi, G., Civetta, L., D'Antonio, M., Girolamo, P. D., & Piochi, M. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 67(4):291--312, September, 1995.
Step-filling and development of a three-layer magma chamber: the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff case history [link]Paper  doi  abstract   bibtex   
The Neapolitan Yellow Tuff, the product of the largest known trachytic phreatoplinian eruption, gives a good opportunity to investigate the filling mechanisms and internal dynamics of a trachytic magma chamber. A detailed study of the geochemical, mineralogical and isotopical features of the deposit was carried out to investigate the behaviour of the magma chamber before the eruption. The collected data show three distinct compositional groups separated by gaps. Single depositional units contain glass shards formed contemporaneously. Although each of these shards is homogeneous they display the same compositional variations and gaps detected in pumice clasts. This feature is taken as an evidence for interpreting the detected compositional gaps as real gaps in the chamber. Therefore the chamber was filled by three distinct magma bodies separated by compositional gaps. The uppermost magma was alkali-trachyte and highly homogeneous, likely a consequence of vigorous convection. The intermediate magma was trachyte with a slight and continuous compositional variation, likely resulting from less intense convection. The lowermost magma was compositionally zoned from alkali-trachyte to latite downward. This compositional zonation was most likely acquired during uprise from a deeper reservoir. The three magmas entered the chamber sequentially from the uppermost to the lowermost. The latter entered the chamber short before the beginning of the eruption. Its input was interpreted as a possible triggering factor for the eruption. The results of this study strongly support a step-filling mechanism for the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff magma chamber and allow definition of the temporal succession of input of magma batches. Furthermore they also suggest that the magma bodies did not mix although, at least the uppermost two, coexisted inside the chamber for a time long enough to allow internal homogeneization by convection.
@article{ orsi_etal:1995,
  abstract = {The Neapolitan Yellow Tuff, the product of the largest known trachytic
	phreatoplinian eruption, gives a good opportunity to investigate
	the filling mechanisms and internal dynamics of a trachytic magma
	chamber. A detailed study of the geochemical, mineralogical and isotopical
	features of the deposit was carried out to investigate the behaviour
	of the magma chamber before the eruption. The collected data show
	three distinct compositional groups separated by gaps. Single depositional
	units contain glass shards formed contemporaneously. Although each
	of these shards is homogeneous they display the same compositional
	variations and gaps detected in pumice clasts. This feature is taken
	as an evidence for interpreting the detected compositional gaps as
	real gaps in the chamber. Therefore the chamber was filled by three
	distinct magma bodies separated by compositional gaps. The uppermost
	magma was alkali-trachyte and highly homogeneous, likely a consequence
	of vigorous convection. The intermediate magma was trachyte with
	a slight and continuous compositional variation, likely resulting
	from less intense convection. The lowermost magma was compositionally
	zoned from alkali-trachyte to latite downward. This compositional
	zonation was most likely acquired during uprise from a deeper reservoir.
	The three magmas entered the chamber sequentially from the uppermost
	to the lowermost. The latter entered the chamber short before the
	beginning of the eruption. Its input was interpreted as a possible
	triggering factor for the eruption. The results of this study strongly
	support a step-filling mechanism for the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff magma
	chamber and allow definition of the temporal succession of input
	of magma batches. Furthermore they also suggest that the magma bodies
	did not mix although, at least the uppermost two, coexisted inside
	the chamber for a time long enough to allow internal homogeneization
	by convection.},
  added-at = {2012-09-01T13:08:21.000+0200},
  author = {Orsi, G. and Civetta, L. and D'Antonio, M. and Di Girolamo, P. and Piochi, M.},
  biburl = {http://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2ab6fae07be9a86cf1ec343964b5886eb/nilsma},
  doi = {10.1016/0377-0273(94)00119-2},
  interhash = {2c641e42adf9e210c29eec5341e4b11b},
  intrahash = {ab6fae07be9a86cf1ec343964b5886eb},
  issn = {03770273},
  journal = {Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research},
  keywords = {campi-flegrei geology italy volcanoes},
  month = {September},
  number = {4},
  pages = {291--312},
  title = {Step-filling and development of a three-layer magma chamber: the
	Neapolitan Yellow Tuff case history},
  url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0377-0273(94)00119-2},
  volume = {67},
  year = {1995}
}

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