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Defining the magma storage conditions of a volcanic system is a major goal in modern volcanology due to its direct implications for the style of a possible eruption and thus on the associated risk of any crisis and the necessary management and mitigation strategies. Below 200 MPa and at equivalent depths, the strongly non-ideal behaviour of the H-C-O-S-Cl-F system in the silicate melt causes unmixing of the fluid phase to form an H2O-rich vapour and a hydrosaline phase in equilibrium with the silicate melt, both responsible for buffering the chlorine (Cl) concentration. Following this equilibrium, the Cl concentration in melts may be used as a geobarometer for alkaline magmas. Systematic application of this method to the main explosive eruptions of Mount Somma-Vesuvius highlights two main magma ponding zones, at ~180–200 and ~100 MPa. At these pressures, the maximum pre-eruptive H2O contents for the different magma compositions can be estimated; the results obtained, largely in agreement with the current literature, therefore confirm the validity of the method. The Cl geobarometer may help scientists to define the variation of the magmatic reservoir location through time and thus provide strong constraints on pre-eruptive conditions, which are of utmost importance for volcanic crisis management.

International audience; The 2007 caldera-forming eruption of Piton de la Fournaise (PdF) erupted the largest volume of magma (210 Mm3) recorded at this volcano in at least three centuries. Major and trace element and Sr–Nd isotope data for bulk-rocks, groundmasses and olivine phenocrysts have been combined with melt inclusion data (major, trace and volatile elements) to track magma evolution over the whole eruptive sequence. We show that each eruptive phase had a distinctive geochemical and petrological signature and that caldera collapse on 5 April was preceded by a marked shift in bulk magma composition and crystal content and size. Aphyric basalt erupted at the beginning of the sequence (February 2007) had relatively high Sr isotope ratio (87Sr/86Sr = 0·70420–0·704180) and low Nd isotopic ratio (143Nd/144Nd = 0·51285–0·51286). Olivine-basalts extruded on 2–5 April just before caldera collapse are less enriched in radiogenic Sr (87Sr/86Sr = 0·70412–0·70416), but characterized by the same Nd isotopic composition. This magma is interpreted as a new deep input, which pressurized the shallow PdF plumbing system and triggered the 2007 activity. Post-collapse oceanite lavas represent the main volume of magma extruded in 2007. Their bulk-rocks and groundmasses have 87Sr/86Sr (∼0·70418) intermediate between those of February and 5 April, and similar to those of the March 2007 and 2001–2006 lavas. We show that the Steady State Basalts (SSB) commonly erupted at PdF are hybrid melts, which result from multistep mixing between ‘alkaline’ and ‘transitional’ end-members. Our results lead us to propose a new model of the PdF plumbing system to reconcile the petrological, geochemical and geophysical observations: (1) the shallow portion (above sea level) of the PdF plumbing system hosts several small sills, in which magma experiences variable degrees of degassing, cooling and crystallization; (2) oceanite lavas result from the withdrawal of shallow harrisitic mushes stored at low pressures (

The eruptive history of Mt. Somma–Vesuvius is characterised by large explosive events: Pomici di Base eruption (22,030 ± 175 yr cal BP), Mercato (8890 ± 90 yr cal BP), Avellino (3945 ± 10 yr cal BP) and Pompeii (79 AD). Pre-eruptive conditions and sin-eruptive degassing processes of the Avellino eruption, the highest-magnitude Plinian event, have been investigated, using volatile contents (F, Cl, H 2 O) in melt inclusions and residual glass, and textural characteristics of pumice clasts of the 9 fallout layers sampled in detail in a representative sequence. The sequence displays an up-section sharp colour change from white to grey, corresponding to variations in both magma composition and textural characteristics. The pre-eruptive conditions have been constrained by systematic measurements of Cl content in both melt inclusions and matrix glass of pumice clasts. The pumice glass composition varies from Na-rich phonolite (white pumice) to K-rich phonolite (grey pumice). The measured Cl values constantly cluster at 5200 ± 400 ppm (buffer value), whatever the composition of the melt, suggesting that the entire magma body was saturated with sub-critical fluids. This Cl saturation constrains the pre-eruptive pressures and maximum H 2 O contents at 200 ± 10 MPa and 6.3 ± 0.2 wt.% H 2 O for the white pumice melt and 195 ± 15 MPa and 5.2 ± 0.2 wt.% H 2 O for the grey pumice melt. The fluid phase, mainly composed of a H 2 O-rich vapour phase and brine, probably accumulated at the top of the reservoir and generated an overpressure able to trigger the onset of the eruption. Magma degassing was rather homogeneous for the white and grey eruptive units, mostly occurring through closed-system processes, leading to a typical Plinian eruptive style. A steady-state withdrawal of an H 2 O-saturated magma may explain the establishment of a sustained Plinian column. Variation from white to grey pumice is accompanied by decrease of mean vesicularity and increase of mean microcrystallinity and permeability related to significant vesicle coalescence. Despite this, the ascending magma column still evolves under closed-system degassing, without significant gas loss through conduit walls. The Avellino eruption shows numerous similarities with the 79 AD Pompeii eruption in pre-eruptive conditions, degassing processes and eruptive style which are discussed here.