Pauzhetka Caldera (South Kamchatka): Еxploring Temporal Evolution and Origin of Voluminous Silicic Magmatism

The Pauzhetka Caldera (27 × 18 km) was formed in the South Kamchatka during the Golygin Ignimbrite eruption (420–440 ka), the largest known eruption in the region in the past 1 Myr. The eruption was preceded by the 3 Ma-old mafic and intermediate volcanism. After the caldera-forming eruption, a variety of products, from basalt to rhyolite, were ejected within the caldera. For understanding the origin of voluminous silicic magmatism in thin mafic South Kamchatka crust, we used geochemical and isotope data. Our research has characterized the major and trace element composition of Golygin ignimbrite, intra-caldera hydrothermally altered deposits, pre-caldera (Mt. Orlinoe Krylo, Mt. Klyuchevskaya) and post-caldera (Kambalny Ridge, Chernye Skaly) eruptive centers. The Sr–Nd isotope composition of the Golygin ignimbrite and some eruptive post-caldera products was investigated. The isotope variations indicate that parental magmas for all rocks of the Pauzhetka area were obtained from a weakly evolved source derived through fluid-assisted melting of a subducted slab. Geochemical data support that the formation of most magmas of the Pauzhetka caldera was mainly controlled by fractional crystallization in the lower to middle crust. MELTS-modelling agrees with geochemical data. The fractional crystallization of Kambalny basalt with 2 wt % H₂O at 6 kbar provides the best fit to the observed composition of the Golygin dacite.