Philippine Journal of Volcanoh June and December 1985 Vol. 2 Nos. 1&2 Official bi-annual publication of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology , ‘National Science and Technology Authority ISSN 0116-0109156 PROFILE MORPHOLOGY AND INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF MAYON VOLCANO Raymundo S. Punongbayan and Hernulfo B. Ruelo ABSTRACT Constructed profile diagrams across Mayon Volcano showed seven distinct slope segments from summit to base. Mayon'ssingle-vent plumbing system and the type and distribution of volcanic ejecta characterizing pre- determined slope segments seem to have greatly influenced its shape. Piling ‘up of lava agglutinates at the summit causes the upward propagation of the vent and wobbling of the crater lip which in tum, result in the random distribution of flow ejecta around the edifice. Using the assumption that ‘past and present-day eruptions of Mayon Volcano are more or less similar, and correlating the type of the volcanic ejecta with slope angle and distance from the summit, its possible internal structure is viewed as a succesion of limitedly overlapping deposits of pyroclastic flows, airfall, lava lows, and debris flows, with a vertical ple of lava agglutinate cappings strung together by a centeal vent INTRODUCTION Mayon Volcano is known for its highly symmetrical cone. This shape was maintained even after the formation of a deep gully at its southeastern upper slopes after the 1984 eruption, Since 1616 and 44 recorded eruptions after, the edifice has con- tinued to be described as 2 perfect cone. One ready explanation is the maintenance of relatively moderate eruptions thru time from a single vent. This, however, appears to be too convenient for other factors may have influenced the sustenance of the geometry of Mayon Volcano as it slowly builds up its edifice upon the Bicol Plains. We shall present these other factors and discuss the role they play in maintaining the highly symmetric shape of Mayon Volcano thru time. Mayon Voleano is an example of an active composite volcano, To depict its internal structure, the cross-sectional views presented only show alternating layers of lava flows and pyroclastic materials, Based on evaluation of available data, we believe that such a presentation is not only simplistic but also very misleading, Newhall (1977) presents an improved version for describing the internal structure of a composite volcano, particularly of Mayon Volcano, but this version failed to incorporate two key ejecta types. We shall attempt to give an alternative scheme for inferring and representing the internal constitution of a volcano based on the distribution of volcanic ejecta on the slopes and characteristics of the slopes of Mayon Volcano. 187 PROFILE MORPHOLOGY Four cross-sectional profile diagrams (Fig. 1) across Mayon. Volcano were constructed along the E-W, N-S, NE-SW and NW-SE directions for the purpose of determining slope angle variations as a function of distance from the summit. For each opposing slopes in the profile diagrams, seven slope segments can be esta- blished based on changes in the values of slope angle. The seven slope segments, which start from the summit and terminate at the basal section of the edifice, are correspondingly labelled as Segments A to G (Fig. 2) The obtained slope angles per slope segment are listed in Table 1 Each slope segment does not shew much variation in slope ‘angle as measured from the eight opposing slopes of the profile diagrams, For example, the measured slope angle for segment A only varies from 35 to 40 degrees and yielded an average of 37 degrees for all the eight opposing slopes. Apparently, a five to six degree difference between the obtained lowest and highest values of slope angle within a given segment is not sufficient to significantly upset the symmetrical building up of the Mayon Volcano cone. ‘Mayon Volcano, when viewed from all directions, presents convex-upward opposing slopes which approach a parabolic curvilinear pattern from base to summit. There is also no distinet elongation of the cone along any given direction. Consequently, the geometrical form of Mayon Volcano can be derived by rota- ting the lower half of a parabolic curve about a vertical axis passing through the summit crater. Based on clustering of the measured slope angles within discrete ranges, the surface of Mayon Volcano can be qualitatively ‘categorized into upper, middle, lower and basal slopes. Hence, Segments A, B, and C with slope angle ranging from 32 to 40 degrees were bunched together to represent the characteristics of the upper slopes. The upper slopes, as defined in this manner, start from the summit and extend down to elevation 150m. ‘Segmerit D comprises the cone’s middle slopes which begin at elevation 1500m and terminates at elevation S00m and have slope angles of 15 to 21 degrees. The lower slopes are represented by Segments E and F. The lower slopes extend from the 500m elevation down to the 200m level and have slope angle values of 4 to 8.5 degrees. The basal section is represented by Segment G which starts from elevation 200m and goes down to sea level. ‘The slope angle characterizing the basal section varies from 2 to 3 degrees. ee159 158 ‘ye popes 07 ono st 9838 ywozu0y Soyp9 ayy Jo 29epMS ayp J2K0 5 OF Y syNoUIRDS ado. Jo suonssod auodso1 Zummoys ouRDpoA WOKEN Jo susp yO] ZL ‘yen jogs94 0} yenbo 296 HUOZUORL ‘suoqsomp senor ouypou pu aMYDMOE BENNO “HOH 3st "ymossyvow oxy SHOE ONE, Hose HONE sures oNjong "RE ON =< Ne = 3 a0160 ‘Table 1, Slope angle variation from summit to base of Mayon Volcano along selected compns directions cuore. [eevation [MEASURED SLOPE ANGLE SEGMENT| (meterss.1.) NTs |e | w [sw|NE|SE| NW 2462 | A |39 [38 35 | 3s |38 |3s | 40) 35 | 2300 | | B as |as |36 | a6 ]37 |34 | 37 |34 2000 | | | c | sa faa [aa | a2 |22 |2a | 23 [22 1,500 | | : fede ler etlietieallts soo- | | Ez 6 | 75/85! $| 6s] 55] 5 | 65) 300 | | F alata] ale ]-] 6] - | 200 6 afafa|-|a]-|afe | L | INFLUENCE OF ERUPTION PRODUCTS ON PROFILE MORPHOLOGY ‘The recorded eruptions of Mayon Volcano since 1616 belong to the Vulcanian and Strombolian types. There was, however, one large Plinian eruption which occurred in 1814 and Newhall (1979) suspects that such eruption intervenes every now and then — perhaps every 100 years — whenever there is an influx of fresh basaltic lava in the magma reservoir. Thus, it can be safely assumed that the volcano edifice is primarily made up of pyroclastic flow and lava flow deposits with associated airfall layers and lava agglutinates, These materials are generally found at the lower to upper slopes of the volcano. The basal sections are dominated hy debris flow and lahar deposits derived mainly from the pyro- clastic flow fans and precariously perched materials at the middle and upper slopes, 161 ‘Table 2. Maximum distance reached by Mayon Voleano lva flow ‘units (linear distance from summit crater in kin) Linear distance from summit of lava flow per quadrant NW NE sw SE 43 a at 45 38. 30 4s 42 45 33 38 8s 40 43 35 so | 37 | oo 56 4 82 43 58 J ss | sa 46 | 4s AVERAGE| 41 37 42 52 Strombolian eruptions mainly contribute lava flow units in the construction of the Mayon Voleano edifice. However, the volume of lava extruded during each eruption episode is relatively small (15 to 30 millon cubic meters). The largest historical flow was emplaced during the 1928 eruption and attained a volume of 60 milion cubic meters (Faustino, 1929). The lava flow units are highly elongated, tapered towards the summit and somewhat widened and even bifurcated at their distal portion, The farthest linear distance from the vent reached by a lava flow unit is only 5.9 km and this was by the 1928 lava flow. On the average, Mayon lava flow fronts are found at about four kilometers from the vent (Table 2) Mayon lavas have moderately high viscosity, high degree of crystallinity and high yield strength. These attributes tend to retard the spreading out of the flow far from the vent, At the same time, the attained viscosity has not been high enough to produce pasty lavas which could cause formation of domes and bulges ‘on the surface of the volcano ermal162. During major Vuleanian eruptions, pyroclastic flows are produced either by backfall of pyroclastic materials from a tall of 2 dense slag of incandescent pyroclastic ejecta. As observed during the 1984 eruption of Mayon Volcano, the resulting pyro- clastic flows tended to follow preexisting ravines and gullies while moving downwards at the upper slopes. It was further observed that significant deposition of pyroclastic flow materials commonly occurred at breaks-inslope at elevations 500 to 600m (Table 3). However, there are some known occurrences of pyro- clastic flows going beyond the break-in-slope and being depo- sited at the basal sections of the volcano. For example, during the 1897 eruption, a pyroclastic flow surged all the way to the coastal area of Sto. Domingo. Toble 3. Emplacement parameters of major 1984 pyroclastic fans Linear distance | Slope angle of | Breakin. Pyroclaste fan (PF) from crater (in km) | depositional | slope surface ICAMALIG PF 4205S @ 19° [Must PF 320039 10° 19° IMISERICORDIAPF| 38:0 46 2° 20° BONGA PF 40106.0 ° 20° Commonly associated with the Vulcanian eruptions of Mayon Voleano are airfall materials mostly in the form of ballis- tically ejected blocks, bombs and lapilli fragments. These materials are formed by explosive sub-aerial fragmentation of solidified and partly solidified pieces of forcibly erupted lava. They tend to be deposited at the upper slopes of the volcano. The deposits are loosely consolidated and have high permeability-high porosity characteristics, The associated finer fractions — fine lapilli and ash fragments — easily become airborne and are deposited at the middle and lower slopes and even beyond the edifice especially the ash component. ‘The summit and near-summit sections of the Mayon Voleano cone are characterized by deposits of agglutinated and annealed lava. The materials for these deposits are derived from minor and ‘major activities during the eruption episodes of the volcano and 163 such activities can be in the form of lava fountaining and spatter- ing, boiling over of incandescent ejecta during formation of pyro- clastic flows and short-term overflowing of lava from the crater. Associated with these deposits are some detached proximal ends of lava flow units. It is the presence of these relatively solid deposits which makes it possible for Mayon Volcano to attain a slope angle of 35 to 40 degrees at its summit area. ‘The earlier deposited pyroclastic flow materials can be remobilized during periods of high precipitation rate to be rede- posited later as lahars at the basal sections of the volcano, The amount of time required by the pyroclastic flow-to-lahar trans- formation varies from zero hour to several years to infinite. The resulting lahar deposits, together with debris flow deposits due to mass movement of loosely held materials at the middle and upper slopes, contribute to the lengthening and flattening of basal sections of the edifice. DISTRIBUTION OF VOLCANIC EJECTA A generalized map, based on primary field data and those of Newhall (1977), delineating the distribution of the various ejecta of Mayon Voleano is shown in Fig. 3. Specifically, the map shows only the dominant type of ejecta occupying the different slope categories of the present surface of the voleano. Thus, the dominant ejecta at the middie and upper slopes are lava flows and airfall materials and those at the lower slopes are pyroclastic flows. Lava agglutinates are confined to the volcano summit while lahar or mudflow deposits are concentrated on the basal slopes. The inferred transition from one dominant ejecta type to another from the summit to the base is shown in Fig. 4, As pre- sented in this pictograph, the distribution of the various ejecta of Mayon Volcano is generally slope dependent and partly governed by distance of the depositional surface from the summit crater, Expectedly. airfall deposits exhibit gradual tapering towards the base but the rest of the ejecta types shows either nearly abrupt appearance or disappearance at clearly defined slope sectors. For example, pyroclastic flow deposits may be encountered beginning at elevation 2000m but these are mostly gully-confined and negligibly small, Almost abruptly, beginning at clevation 500m down to the 200m level, pyroclastic flow fans become the dominant deposit. Lava flow units, on the other hand, dominate over the deposits of the other ejecta types starting from the 2000m elevation but extending only down to the 500m level.164 ~ bominatly a Map showing distribution of voleanie ejecta and debris flow deposits ‘on the slopes of Mayon Volea Fig.3 middle slope 165 elevation 2,462 m 2,300 m Lava agglutinates FEE} Airfall deposits Lava flow deposits Pyroclastic flow deposits a4 EZY Debris flow deposits Fig. 4 Pictograph showing relative abundance of Mayon Volcano ejecta deposits from summit to base of the edifice.16 INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF MAYON VOLCANO EDIFICE Based on the foregoing discussion, the usual presentation of the internal structure of Mayon Volcano or of any composite ‘volcano as alternating layers of lava flows and pyroclastic materials, appears to be not in agreement with the observed distribution of recently emplaced volcanic ejecta. With the exception of the airfall materials, none of the other ejecta types has the capacity to completely enshroud the edifice from the summit down to its base. As mentioned earlier, the deposits of pyroclastic and lava flows are slope sector specific. Consequently, as the voleano continues to erupt, separate successive girdles of limitedly over- lapping deposits of pyroclastic and lava flows are formed around the edifice. Thus, these major ejecta types of Mayon Volcano have limited upslope and downslope distributions. Obviously, the above generalizations have no applications uring cone construction of Proto-Mayon Voleano. Assuming that the eruption style of Mayon Volcano has not materially changed over time, it is to be expected during this stage that the various ejecta had been emplaced at random, their distribution more widespread relative to the dimensions of the incipient cone and their overlapping relationships more pronounced. From this stage onwards, there must be a critical height atttained by the voleano edifice where the present distributional pattern being followed by the voleanic ejecta had commenced to operate. Based on the inferred configurations of the edifice as it grew into its present dimensions and the volume as well as downslope extent, of lava flows extruded during each eruption episode, the said critical height was inferred to be at about 1500m. The lava agglutinates, due to their restricted affinity to the summit area of the volcanic cone, can be assumed to be entirely independent of the successive heights reached by the edifice. Thus, from Proto-Mayon Volcano to the present, a vertical succession of lava agglutinates shaped like mushroom caps and strung together by the upwardly propagating volcanic vent can be imagined to occupy the central axis of the cone. Combining all of the above observations, inferences and generalizations, an alternative scheme for depicting the internal structure of Mayon Volcano can be devised and is illustrated in Fig. 5 CGEM tere ctotiones copes ao Debris flow deposits PASI! wees Gis in showing in fice, Thickness the Fig.5 Generalized cross-sectional diagram of Mayon Volean {erred distribution of volcanic materia of the various deposits not to scale. 167168 MAYON VOLCANO AS A PERFECT CONE ‘The highly symmetrical form of Mayon Volcano owes its origin to the sustained interplay of several factors. The commonly siven ones are eruptions thru a single vent, lack of wide variations in the physico-chemical characteristics of the erupted lava to preclude internal and external lava doming, relatively mild erup- tions, absence of large-scale sectoral collapse anywhere on the volcano slopes, and randomized syn-eruption and post-eruption distributions of voleanic ejecta. All these, taken together, can indeed be used for explaining the highly symmetrical shape of Mayon Volcano and why this shape still remains despite many repeated eruptions. However, there is one key factor which heretofore is being ignored and that is the role played by the Java agglutinate cappings in the shaping of Mayon Voleano edifice and in preserving its near-perfect symmetrical cone, Lava agglutinate ceppings (Fig. 6) are emplaced at the summit and near-summit slopes particularly during the major eruptions of Mayon Volcano. Because these cappings, as described earlier are composed predominantly of coherent units of volcanic ejecta, they tend to preserve the post-eruption dimensions of the near surface extension as well as the incremental elongation of the vent, This ultimately results in the formation of a vertical pile of lava agglutinate cappings and the upward propagation of a vertical vent (Fig. 5). Thus, the lava agelutinate cappings somehow serve to guarantee that the eruptions of Mayon Volcano shall take place thru a single vent and that the vent shall retain its vertival orientation thru time. The observed random outpouring of lava flows and ejection of pyroclastic flows from the central crater over the slopes of Mayon Voleano could be attributed to the combined effects of the cone having small crater diameter (150m) and very steep slopes from the summit down to elevation 230m, This may be theoretically possible if one invokes that the ejecta can be pro- pelled towards any direction from a small point source and highly tapered conical surface, We suspect, however, that the lava aggluti= nate cappings also played a key role in determining which sectors of the voleano slopes shall be the sites of deposition of lava and pyroclastic flows, During the 1984 eruption of Mayon Volcano, one lava flow unit was emplaced at .the southwest slope and five pyroclastic flow fans were distributed on the east, southeast, south, southwest and northwest slopes. Generally speaking, during the first phase i. Fig. 6 Acrial view of summit crater showing lobes of newly deposited lava agglutinates capping, (Photo taken on 23 October 1984 by J. V. Fig.7- Mayon Voleano summit and upper slopes as viewed from the south- west. Note pronounced tilt of the crater rim to the southeast. (Photo- ‘paph tenon 23 October 1984 by LB. Ruelo) cE El170 of the 1984 eruption (9 to 18 September), volcanic ejecta were dumped on the northwest to southwest sectors of the volcano; during the resurgence on 23-25 September, the ejecta affected the south, southeast and east sectors. Thus, during Phase 1, lava and pyroclastic flows were directed towards the middle’ and Jower slopes within the northwest and southwest quadrants; during Phase 2, pyroclastic flows were deposited only on the lower slopes within the southeast quadrant, It was noted during the transition period between Phase 1 and Phase 2 that the outline of the volcano summit exhibited a Pronounced tilt towards the southeast. Although ground defor. mation studies revealed that Mayon Volcano experienced infla. tion prior to eruption resurgence, the determined inflation mag. nitude was not sufficient to account for the noticeable tilt of the Volcano summit towards the southeast. The more probable explanation is that the observed tilt was due to a preferential buildup of lava agghutinates on the northwest and southwest Segments of the crater lip during Phase 1 of the 1984 eruption, Such buildup inhibited unloading of flow ejecta towards the Rorthwest and caused this to be directed towards the southeast luring the eruption resurgence on 23 September. Based on analy. ts of recently generated topographic map of Mayon Voleane, Umbal (1985) deduced that prior to Phase 1 eruption, the voleane Summit was characterized by notches on the northwest and souti Wwest sectors. These notches thus predetermined towards what Girections the flow ejecta of Phase 1 shall be dumped and on what part of the crater lip there shall be preferential buildup of lava ag- alutinates, It is likely that selective piling up of lava agglutinates around the crater lip is a common occurrence during the major eruptions of Mayon Volcano, The net result of this is a wobbling effect on the crater lip, Thus, the random distribution of flow ejecta around the Mayon edifice is a consequence of a wobbling crater lip as itr Guced by the nonuniform development of the lava agghitinate cappings over the volcano simmit, At present, the crater lip remains tilted to the southeast (Fig. 7) and connects with the recently entrenched Bonga Gully at the southeast middle and upper slopes. During the next eruption of Mayon Volcano, flow ejecta can be predicted to be directed by the Bonga Gully. If the eruption shall be of the Strombolian type, then the Bonga Gully may be partly or completely healed and the crater lip may start wobbling towards another direction, If it shall 1 be Vaeanian, then the Bonga Gully may be further deepened and widened and the crater lip may maintain its present fit to the southeast because of the highly erosive nature of pyroclastic flows while moving at the upper and middle slopes. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS do Arboleda and Luts We remain grateful to Mess. Rona Might forte asian toned tos we prea ti cot. We ao aprecite with thanks the hel comments and Sutgestions of Mes, Emmanuel Ramos, Rolly Rimando a Jesse Umbal. REFERENCES Faustino, Leopoldo A. 1929. Mayon Volcano and its eruptions. Philippine Journal of Science. 40: 1-43. 7. Gzloy and pelo of Mayon Yon, ert, Crops, 1977. ano ade oe “Souths Lizen, Pallphes M's. Tass, Unventy a al (Davis), 292 pp. (unpublished), sof Mayo Veen, aly ees oa \ Fane ete eens oe Geotea Rea neh Umbal, Jese V. 1985, Personal Communication,