Field work on the northern slopes of Kronotsky volcano in July–August 2023

Abstract

In July-August 2023, field work was carried out on the northern slopes of Kronotsky volcano in the territory of the Kronotsky State Reserve, which is rarely visited by researchers. The aim of our work was to sample lavas that build the volcanic edifice in this sector, and also to search for traces of the volcano’s explosive activity in the Holocene. This report lists and illustrates interesting findings and the main results of the work. In particular, lava flows, dikes and pyroclastic horizons were sampled at altitudes ranging from 780 to 2200 m; several cinder and lava cones were discovered; samples of cognate inclusions and xenoliths were found. In addition, Holocene soil-pyroclastic sections, presumably containing tephra horizons from Kronotsky volcano, were documented in detail and sampled.

Keywords

• kronotsky volcano
• basalts
• geochemical evolution
• cognate inclusions
• tephra