Hydrothermal activity and associated subsurface processes at Niuatahi rear-arc volcano, North East Lau Basin, SW Pacific: Implications from trace elements and stable isotope systematics in vent fluids

Hydrothermal activity is abundant in the area between the North Eastern Lau Spreading Center and the Tofua intra-oceanic island arc with multiple active sites in the rear-arc at the Mata and Niuatahi volcanoes. We report geochemical data for high-temperature vent fluids sampled from within the caldera of Niuatahi volcano. Hydrothermal fluids were sampled from three vent sites: South Central, Southwestern Cone and Northern Cone located in water depths between 1607 and 1699 m. Maximum temperatures of 334 degrees C were measured and pH values were as low as 2.8. The vent fluids were characterized by depletions in Mg, SO4 and U as well as an enrichment of (trace) metals (e.g., Fe, Mn, K, Li) and dissolved gases (e.g., H2S, CO2, H-2) relative to seawater. Water-rock ratios calculated based on concentrations (K, Li, Rb, Cs, REE) and isotope ratios (delta Li-7, delta B-11, Sr-87/Sr-86) suggest fluid-rock interactions under rock-dominated conditions at all three vent sites. The South Central vents lie closest to the site of most recent volcanic activity in the Niuatahi caldera. Vent fluids are characterized by relatively low Cl concentrations (as low as 292 mmol/kg) that are indicative of sub-critical phase separation. These fluids also had the lowest pH values (2.8-3.1), highest H2S and lowest H-2, CH4 and CO2 concentrations of the three sites. The dD and delta O-18 values suggest that H2O and CO2 were added in small amounts by subduction-related volcanic vapors. However, there was no evidence for magmatic SO2 input in the vent fluids at the time of sampling in 2018. Vent fluids from the Northern and Southwestern Cone sites on the caldera ring fault had a similar chemical composition, despite being situated at opposite sides of the caldera. Fluids from these sites had lower Fe/Mn ratios (< 1) and H2S concentrations than those from South Central suggesting that they were affected by subsurface cooling and sulfide precipitation. This study indicates variations of the Niuatahi hydrothermal vent sites depending on the location within the caldera with variable effects of fluid-rock interaction and magmatic input on fluid compositions in agreement with previous work on fluid S isotopes and sulfides. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

This study presents the geochemical characteristics of high-temperature hydrothermal fluids sampled from the caldera of Niuatahi volcano, indicating variations in fluid compositions at different vent sites due to fluid-rock interaction and magmatic input.