Subaqueous Volcanism, from Ancient Successions to Modern Volcanoes and Modelling

The physical and chemical properties of water make subaqueous volcanic eruptions significantly different from similar eruptions occurring in subaerial environments. Processes like magma fragmentation, transport and deposition are controlled by a number of parameters that are different for water and air. Water density, heat capacity of water and water depth, among many others, provide distinctive features to subaqueous eruptions. Instability and mass wasting of subaqueous volcanoes and remobilization of volcanic deposits are common processes of syn-eruptive and post-eruptive scenarios.

Field-based research on subaqueous volcanism has been traditionally undertaken by the study of ancient volcanic successions. However, an increasing number of field-based studies devoted to modern sea-floor volcanoes have challenged many of the paradigms of subaqueous volcanism. Hydrothermal processes, sulfur deposition and biotic communities in sea-floor volcanoes and related structures have changed our current understading of sea-floor volcanism. On the other hand, experiments and modeling of magma-water interaction processes have notably contributed to the understanding of the physics of subaqueous eruptions.

This Research Topic aims to characterize the state of the art of subaqueous volcanism by bringing together contributions from field-based studies, either from ancient and modern volcanoes, experiments and modelling. Reviews, historical perspectives and theoretical studies on the broad topics of subaqueous volcanic eruptions, magma-water interaction and sea-floor volcanoes are welcome.