Late Pleistocene synchronous caldera-forming eruptions in north and south of Japan: paleomagnetic and tephrochronological evidence from the Kutcharo II/III and Aso-4 tephras
Abstract We conducted paleomagnetic analysis of two late Pleistocene caldera-forming eruption deposits, the Aso-4 tephra from the Aso caldera in Kyushu and Kp II/III deposits from the Kutcharo caldera in Hokkaido Japan, to constrain the time scales of the successive tephra layers and evaluate their...
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2025-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-025-02230-9 |
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| author | Shohei Shibata Takeshi Hasegawa Akihiro Tanimoto Nobutatsu Mochizuki Makoto Okada |
| author_facet | Shohei Shibata Takeshi Hasegawa Akihiro Tanimoto Nobutatsu Mochizuki Makoto Okada |
| author_sort | Shohei Shibata |
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| description | Abstract We conducted paleomagnetic analysis of two late Pleistocene caldera-forming eruption deposits, the Aso-4 tephra from the Aso caldera in Kyushu and Kp II/III deposits from the Kutcharo caldera in Hokkaido Japan, to constrain the time scales of the successive tephra layers and evaluate their chronological relationships. Aso-4 tephra covers most of the Japanese archipelago and is known as a representative, late Pleistocene time marker. Kp II/III deposits are distributed in eastern Hokkaido and subdivided into three subunits (Kp III, Kp III -ash, and Kp II in ascending order). We investigated the detailed stratigraphy of Aso-4 tephra and Kp II/III deposits. Kp II/III deposits directly overlie Aso-4 tephra at the observed outcrop, while a thin (< 1 cm) brown weathered ash layer recognized between Kp III-ash and Kp II indicates an eruption hiatus. Oriented cube samples were collected from Aso-4 tephra and Kp II/III deposits and were subjected to thermal demagnetization experiments to determine their characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM). The mean ChRM directions for Kp III, Kp III-ash, and Kp II are distinguishable at the 95% confidence interval (α95). Based on the angular difference in ChRM directions and the maximum rate of change observed for the archaeomagnetic secular variation curve in Japan, we suggest that the time gaps between Kp III and Kp III -ash was at least 71 ± 34 years and that between Kp III -ash and Kp II was at least155 ± 28 years. Mean ChRM direction of the Aso-4 tephra was also well determined (α95 = 3.0°) and shows good agreement with the published data. Mean ChRM direction of the Aso-4 tephra is indistinguishable from that of the Kp III which directly overlies Aso-4 tephra. These results indicate that both caldera-forming eruptions of Kp III in Hokkaido and Aso-4 in Kyushu occurred only within a few decades. They can be considered to be an example of “synchronous caldera-forming eruptions” where they are located > 1,500 km apart. Graphical Abstract |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-f080f2f0e9af4f6fbf2d516a9c5c61402025-08-20T03:42:23ZengSpringerOpenEarth, Planets and Space1880-59812025-07-0177111810.1186/s40623-025-02230-9Late Pleistocene synchronous caldera-forming eruptions in north and south of Japan: paleomagnetic and tephrochronological evidence from the Kutcharo II/III and Aso-4 tephrasShohei Shibata0Takeshi Hasegawa1Akihiro Tanimoto2Nobutatsu Mochizuki3Makoto Okada4Faculty of Science, Niigata UniversityDepartment of Earth Science, Ibaraki UniversityDepartment of Earth Science, Ibaraki UniversityDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto UniversityDepartment of Earth Science, Ibaraki UniversityAbstract We conducted paleomagnetic analysis of two late Pleistocene caldera-forming eruption deposits, the Aso-4 tephra from the Aso caldera in Kyushu and Kp II/III deposits from the Kutcharo caldera in Hokkaido Japan, to constrain the time scales of the successive tephra layers and evaluate their chronological relationships. Aso-4 tephra covers most of the Japanese archipelago and is known as a representative, late Pleistocene time marker. Kp II/III deposits are distributed in eastern Hokkaido and subdivided into three subunits (Kp III, Kp III -ash, and Kp II in ascending order). We investigated the detailed stratigraphy of Aso-4 tephra and Kp II/III deposits. Kp II/III deposits directly overlie Aso-4 tephra at the observed outcrop, while a thin (< 1 cm) brown weathered ash layer recognized between Kp III-ash and Kp II indicates an eruption hiatus. Oriented cube samples were collected from Aso-4 tephra and Kp II/III deposits and were subjected to thermal demagnetization experiments to determine their characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM). The mean ChRM directions for Kp III, Kp III-ash, and Kp II are distinguishable at the 95% confidence interval (α95). Based on the angular difference in ChRM directions and the maximum rate of change observed for the archaeomagnetic secular variation curve in Japan, we suggest that the time gaps between Kp III and Kp III -ash was at least 71 ± 34 years and that between Kp III -ash and Kp II was at least155 ± 28 years. Mean ChRM direction of the Aso-4 tephra was also well determined (α95 = 3.0°) and shows good agreement with the published data. Mean ChRM direction of the Aso-4 tephra is indistinguishable from that of the Kp III which directly overlies Aso-4 tephra. These results indicate that both caldera-forming eruptions of Kp III in Hokkaido and Aso-4 in Kyushu occurred only within a few decades. They can be considered to be an example of “synchronous caldera-forming eruptions” where they are located > 1,500 km apart. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-025-02230-9Paleomagnetic directionChronologyCaldera-forming eruptionKutcharo volcanoAso volcanoAso-4 |
| spellingShingle | Shohei Shibata Takeshi Hasegawa Akihiro Tanimoto Nobutatsu Mochizuki Makoto Okada Late Pleistocene synchronous caldera-forming eruptions in north and south of Japan: paleomagnetic and tephrochronological evidence from the Kutcharo II/III and Aso-4 tephras Earth, Planets and Space Paleomagnetic direction Chronology Caldera-forming eruption Kutcharo volcano Aso volcano Aso-4 |
| title | Late Pleistocene synchronous caldera-forming eruptions in north and south of Japan: paleomagnetic and tephrochronological evidence from the Kutcharo II/III and Aso-4 tephras |
| title_full | Late Pleistocene synchronous caldera-forming eruptions in north and south of Japan: paleomagnetic and tephrochronological evidence from the Kutcharo II/III and Aso-4 tephras |
| title_fullStr | Late Pleistocene synchronous caldera-forming eruptions in north and south of Japan: paleomagnetic and tephrochronological evidence from the Kutcharo II/III and Aso-4 tephras |
| title_full_unstemmed | Late Pleistocene synchronous caldera-forming eruptions in north and south of Japan: paleomagnetic and tephrochronological evidence from the Kutcharo II/III and Aso-4 tephras |
| title_short | Late Pleistocene synchronous caldera-forming eruptions in north and south of Japan: paleomagnetic and tephrochronological evidence from the Kutcharo II/III and Aso-4 tephras |
| title_sort | late pleistocene synchronous caldera forming eruptions in north and south of japan paleomagnetic and tephrochronological evidence from the kutcharo ii iii and aso 4 tephras |
| topic | Paleomagnetic direction Chronology Caldera-forming eruption Kutcharo volcano Aso volcano Aso-4 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-025-02230-9 |
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