K-Ar Chronology of the Volcanic Eruptions in the Canarian

Archipelago: Island of La Gomera(1)

Depart. de Gdologie CNRS L.A. 10 Universitd Clermont II

J.M. CANTAGREL
5, rue Kessler - 63000 Clermont-Ferrand (France).
A. C E N D R E R O Depart. de Geologfa, Universidad de Santander (Spain).
Depart. de Petrologfa, Universidad Complutense, Ciudad
J.M. F U S T E R
Universitaria - 28040 Madrid (Spain).
U.E.I. de Petrologfa, Inst. Geolog[a Econ6mica, CSIC-Universidad
E. IBARROLA Complutense, Ciudad Universitaria - 28040 Madrid (Spain).
Depart. de Ggologie CNRS L.A. 10 Universitd Clermont II
C. JAMOND
5, rue Kessler - 63000 Clermont-Ferrand (France).

ABSTRACT en e n s e m b l e avec les 17 d~ja publi~es par

A geochronological study of the Island of La
Gomera (Canaries) has b e e n carried out by the
K-Ar method. T h e 26 new ages obtained, to-
gether with the 17 previous determinations,
show t h a t above the main unconformity of the
island, separating the ~ b a s a l complex>~ from
the later volcanic series, there is a unit of
((lower old basalts>> more t h a n 10 m.y. old.
Polymictic volcanic breccias were emplaced
between 10 and 9 m.y. ago. T h e ~ u p p e r old
basalts>> above t h e m were formed between 9
and 6 m.y. ago, with a peak of activity around 7
m.y. After a period of erosion (6-5 m.y.), a thick
series of (~young basalts>> associated with
trachytic and phonolitic domes and flows, were
rapidly emplaced between 4.5-4 m.y. ago.
Finally, local basaltic activity took place 2.8
m.y. ago. T h e age of the basal complex is not
well known, although three ages (14.6, 15.5 and
19.3 m.y.) have b e e n obtained for some alka-
line intrusives which seem to r e p r e s e n t the
youngest events in the complex.
d'autres auteurs, m o n t r e n t que par dessus la
discordance principale de l'~le, qui s~pare le
~complexe de base>~ des s~ries volcaniques
post~rieures, il existe une unit~ de ~ b a s a l t e s
anciens i n f ~ r i e u r s , avec un ~ge sup~rieur ~ 10
m.a. D e s br~ches volcaniques polyg~niques ont
et~ emplac~es entre les 10 et 9 m.a. Les
(~basaltes anciens s u p ~ r i e u r s , qui se trouvent
au-dessus, ont un ~ge entre 9 et 6 m.a., avec
une activit~ m a x i m u m autour des 7 m.a. Apr~s
une p~riode d'~rosion entre 6 et 5 m.a., on
trouve une s~rie tr~s ~paisse de ~ b a s a l t e s
j e u n e s , associ~s avec des d 6 m e s et des coulees
trachytiques et phonolitiques, d o n t i'emplace-
m e n t a eu lieu tr~s r a p i d e m e n t entre les 4.5 et
4 m.a. F i n a l e m e n t une activit~ basaltique
locale aurait un age dans les 2,8 m.a. L'age du
complexe de base reste indetermin~, quoique il
existe trois d~terminations (14.6, 15.5 et 19.3
m.a.) pour des intrusions alcalines qui
s e m b l e n t correspondre aux plus jeunes ~v~ne-
m e n t s dans le complexe.

RESUME INTRODUCTION

L'ile de La Gomera a ~t~ etudi~e du point de T h i s p a p e r p r e s e n t s t h e f i r s t r e s u l t s of

rue g~ochronologique par la m~thode K-Ar.
26 nouvelles d~terminations d'age, consider~es
(r) Research funded u n d e r Project n. 1771.
CAYCIT. Spain.
a g e n e r a l g e o c h r o n o l o g i c a l s t u d y of t h e
C a n a r y I s l a n d s , w h i c h is b e i n g c a r r i e d o u t
by a joint group from the following
Universities: Complutense (Madrid), La
Laguna (Tenerife), Santander, and Cler-
mont-II (France).

Bull. Volcanol., Vol. 47-3, 1984

598 J.M CANTAGREL A. CENDRERO
The aim of the general study is to
obtain a detailed picture of the volcanic
evolution of the Canarian Archipelago
during the Tertiary and Quaternary, to
determine the duration of periods of
volcanic activity and volcanic quiescence
(if any), to define the rates of emission of
volcanic materials in the different periods,
to correlate volcanic activity in the differ-
ent islands and to establish whether there
has been a defined spatial migration of
volcanic activity through time.
The Canarian Archipelago is constituted
by seven islands located on the eastern
margin of the Atlantic Ocean. The
magmatic activity (submarine volcanism,
intense dyke injection, plutonic intrusions
and subaerial volcanism) occurred during
the Caenozoic. The emerged volcanic
edifices have been built during the last 20
m.y. Generally the erupted magmas are
highly alkaline: alkali basalts and basan-
ites, ankaramites and trachybasalts with
more differentiated trachytic and phono-
litic domes and flows. This bimodal
volcanism is well represented in the
central islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria
and to a lesser extent in La Palma). By
contrast, in the western islands (La
Gomera and Hierro) and the eastern
islands (Lanzarote and Fuerteventura),
the salic materials are rather rare. The
historic activity is characterized by alkali
basaltic flows and cinder cones from fairly
moderate eruptions. In spite of their vicin-
ity to Africa, no continental influence has
been noticed by previous petrological and
geochemical studies (HERNANDEZ-
PACHECO and IBARROLA, 1973; FUSTER,
t981).
GEOLOGY OF LA GOMERA
La Gomera is together with Fuerteven-
tura and La Palma, one of the islands in
which the basal complex of the Canaries
crops out. The geology of this island has
been studied by G A G E L (1925),
BLUMENTHAL (1961), BRAVO (1964),
CENDRERO (1970, 1971), HAUSEN (1971),
and CUBAS (1978).
- J,M. FUSTER - E. IBARROLA - C. JAMOND
There are two main geological units in
La Gomera: the basal complex and the
later volcanic series. The basal complex is
formed, as in ~ e r t e v e n t u r a and La
Palma, by basic plutonic rocks, submarine
sediments and volcanic materials, cut by a
very dense dyke network. The later
volcanic materials include tabular series of
basaltic lavas and pyroclastics as well as
trachytic and phonolitic domes and flows.
Table 1 shows the volcano-stratigraphic
sequence proposed for La Gomera by
different workers. Figure 1 is a simplified
geological map of the island.
1. Basal Complex
The oldest unit within the basal
complex is the submarine series (2), formed
by basaltic and trachytic pillow lavas and
tufts, very poorly preserved, and by free
grained, thin layered, pelitic, siliceous
and carbonate sediments. There are no
paleontological data from La Gomera, but
the facies of the sediments are very
similar to those of Fuerteventura, where
there is evidence of a Cretaceous age.
These materials appear only in the north-
western part of the island, as small
screens within an extremely dense
network of dykes, which amounts to more
than 90% of the volume of the unit.
The plutonic rocks (2, 3), originally
interpreted as the oldest materials of the
island (CENDRERO,1971) are now consid-
ered to be later intrusives within the
submarine series. Nevertheless, the field
relations between both units are not clear
in this island because of the very dense
dyke swarm. The present interpretation is
based to a great extent on analogies
with Fuerteventura and La Palma
(STILLMAN et al., 1975; HERNANDEZ-
PACHECO, 1973).
Wehrlites, pyroxenites, olivine gabbros,
gabbros and syenites are present in the
plutonic unit. The basic rocks (2), often
(2) Numbers between brackets correspond to
the legend in Figures 1 and 2.
 K-AR CHRONOLOGY OF THE VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS IN THE C#d'qAIR,IA~N ARCHIPELAGO 599

[7°120'

C/ z~ o

28 ° 28 °
i5- T

z d;,

;J ..... -: . - _ _ , ;:::

:GO.2] j -

: ~ ,, G0.7~'?'%, ,'"L -" ~,. '

,A~E 3RAN REY
28 °
~z~ , g'....xQ SAN SEBASTAN
25

i--q5

PLATA OE SAN~AGO ~- .--

3 4 SKI.' II' G 0 . 4 3

"6.5:,Go.2s Age in M.y. (this work) with sample number; / 5 . 2 Age in M.y. Dyke (Feraud, 1,981);
5:z- Age in M.y. (Abdet-Monem, ],97]).
FIG. 1 - Simplified geological map of La Camera (after BRAVO, 1964 and CENDRERO, 1971).
Basal complex: 1. Submarine volcanics and sediments; 2. Basic plutonic rocks; 3. Syenite intru-
sives; 4. Trachytic-phonolitic series.
Later volcanic series: 5. Lower old basalts; 6. Polymictic volcanic breccias; 7. Upper old basalts;
8. Young basalts; 9. Salic domes and flows.

show b a n d e d s t r u c ~ e s , with parallel, T h e oldest subaerial volcanic trait is a

ondulating and crossed laminations. T h e
syenites (3) r e p r e s e n t the l a t e s t intrusions
within t h e basal complex a n d w i d e s p r e a d
alkalinisation p h e n o m e n a can be o b s e r v e d
in the o t h e r rocks, as a r e s u l t of t h e s e
intrusions. T h e dyke swarm, although
slightly less d e n s e t h a n in t h e s u b m a r i n e
series, is also p r e s e n t in the plutonic unit.
t r a c h y p h o n o l i t i c series of lavas, breccias
a n d d o m e s (4) t h a t cuts through the
central p a r t of the b a s e m e n t a n d which
s e e m s to r e s t u n c o n f o r m a b l y over it in
s o m e places. T h e t h i c k n e s s of this forma-
tion can be e s t i m a t e d as 500 m approxi-
m a t e l y . T h e unit also h a s m a n y dykes,
b u t t h e y are n o t n e a r l y as n u m e r o u s as in
600 J.M. C~NTAGREL - A, CENDRERO - J.M. FUSTER ~ E, IBARROLA - C. JAMON~

the basal complex. It is possible that the 2.1. Old Basalts

trachyphonolitic series and the syenitic
intrusions represent the same magmatic
episode (as it seems to be the case in
Fuerteventura).
2. Later Volcanic Series
The main unconformity of the island
separates the units described above from
the later volcanic series. This unconform-
ity seems to correspond to a long period of
volcanic quiescence and erosion, during
which a strong relief (with altitude differ-
ences of about 1000 m in 5 km) was
formed.
Over the unconformity there is a series
of <<old b a s a l t s , i n which three subunits
can be distinguished. The <<lower old
basalts>~ (5), with a maximum visible
thickness of 250 m, are constituted by
thin, pahoehoe lavaflows with some pyro-
clastic layers, mainly of porphyritic ankara-
mites or plagioclase basalts.
A clear unconformity marks the limit
between this lower and the middle unit,
formed by polymictic volcanic breccias (6),
with fragments up to 50 cm in diameter of
all rock types present in the older units,
including plutonic rocks. The maximum
visible thickness of these breccias is 300
m. These materials have no defined struc-

TABLE 1 - Volcano s t r a ~ g r a p h i c s e q u e n c e of La G o m e r a .

BRAVO ( 1 9 6 4 ) CENDRERO ( 1 9 7 t ) CUBAS ( 1 9 7 8 )

Young Basalts Young Basalts Young Basa}ts with

intercalated Salic
"Los Roques ~' s e r i e s "Los Roques H series Domes and Lavaf]ows.

Horizontal Basalts

Old Basalts Upper Old Basalts Upper Old Basalts

with intercalated
Sallc Domes and
Lavafiows.
Polymictic Breccias Po]ymictic Breccias Polymictic Breccias

Lower Old Basalts Lower Old Basalts

Trachytic-Phonolitic Trachytic-Phonolitic
Series Series
Basal Complex

Basal Complex with Basal Complex with

Dyke Swarm Dyke Swarm
 K-AR C H R O N O L O G Y OF T H E VOLCANIC E R U P T I O N S IN T H E CANARL4N ARCHIPELAGO 601

ture and they seem to be the result of In this unit the dykes are scarce, rather
intense explosive activity and/or laharic thin and frequently sinuous.
flows. Locally the <<lower old basalts >~are Figure 2 shows the general volcano-
absent and the polymictic breccias rest stratigraphic sequence of La Gomera, as
directly on the basal complex. described above.
The <<upper old basalts>~ (7), lie in
conformity over the polymictic breccias. In
the northeastern part of the island, the K - ~ GEOCHRONOLOGY
transition between these units is marked
by alternating layers of breccias and 1. Methods of Study
basaltic flows, but in the northwest there
is a clear limit separating both units. The The analytical techniques have been
main rock types in this series are porphy- described in detail elsewhere (CANTAGREL,
ritic ankaramites and plagioclase basalts,
as well some aphanitic basalts. They 2.78 m.y.
appear mainly as lava flows, but there are
also scoriae and pyroclastic layers and
some buried volcanic edifices. The
maximum visible thickness is 500 m.
In the upper parts of this unit there are
some trachytic and phonolitic layers. 8-9
There are abundant dykes in the old
basaltic series. These dykes are, logically,
more frequent in the lower units (lower
old basalts and polymictic breccias) than
in the upper ones. Some of the dykes 4.6 m.y._ _~_
seem to be practically contemporaneous 6.0 m.y.
with the series in which they appear, and
others are the feeders of the later erup-
tions.
7
9.0 m.y._
2.2. Young Basalts
12.0 m.y.
There is an other unconformity, clearly 6
visible in the western part of the island,
between the <<old basalts, and the
<<young basalts >>.
The <<young basalts>> (8) are mostly 5
porphyritic ankaramites, but the aphanitic
varieties are also frequent. Plagioclase
basalts are rare. The unit is formed, as in
the other basaltic series, mainly by lava 4
flows, but tephra layers and buried
volcanic cones can also be found in
several places. A maximum thickness of
1000 m has been estimated for the series.
Numerous salic domes and associated
flows and breccias (9) are to be found 1,2,3
cutting through this series or intercalated
in it. So, the last episodes of volcanic I
activity in La Gomera are represented by FIG. 2 Schematic volcano-stratigraphic
the emission of the basaltic, trachytic and sequence of La Gomera. The numbers on the
phonolitic rocks that cover more than the right of the column correspond to those in
half of the island. Figure 1.
602 J.M, C/~NTAGREL - A. CENDRERO
1973; CANTAGREL and BAUBRON, 1983).
The material used was represented by
(<whole rock>) samples of one or two
grams and of particle size varying from 0.3
to 1 mm. The argon was extracted by
fusion after degassing at moderate
temperature (150 °C) in high vacuum, and
dosed by isotopic dilution (spike Ar 38 =
0.8 × 10 -~° mole S T P per analysis) with a
modified MS-10 mass sprectometer. The
potassium content was analysed by atomic
absorption spectrometry. The converted
ages were calculated using the following
constants:
4°Z = 0.01167 atom %
)~ (4°K~) = 4.962× 10 -1° a -1
)~(4°K~)-i-)~'(4°Ze)=0.581 x 10-1°a -1
The analytical errors were calculated
according to the DALRYMPLE and
LANPHERE method (1969).
2. Results. Age of the Formations
The analytical results are presented in
Table 2, and in Figures 1 and 3. The loca-
tion and a brief geological description of
the analyzed samples are given in the
Appendix.
No systematic age determinations have
been carried out on the rocks of the basal
complex, because of the difficulty to fred
unaltered samples and especially because
of the very complicated geological and
thermal history of this part of the island
(submarine volcanism, intense dyke injec-
tion and repeated intrusions with related
contact metamorphism). Nevertheless, the
oldest age (15.5 m.y.) obtained comes
from a gabbroic intrusion. This result
compares reasonably well with the 14.6
and 19.3 m.y. given by ABDEL-MONEIVl
(1971) for hornblende samples from alka-
line plutonic rocks. Our experience from
the basal complex of the island of Fherte-
ventura (CANTAGREL et al., unpublished
data) shows that these results cannot be
interpreted simply in terms of the age of
- J.M. FUSTER - E, IBARROLA - C. J~LMOND
the magmatism. They probably reflect
more or less the period during which the
basal complex was tectonically uplifted
above sea level and the final cooling of
these rocks took place.
Apart from the exceptions which will be
discussed htrther on, the ages obtained
are grouped in two main periods (Fig. 3)
which show a clear correspondence with
the volcanic units described above. In one
of the groups, there are 13 determinations
in a narrow interval of 4 to 4.5 m.y.
approximately. These ages correspond to
samples from the units called by BRAVO
(1964) ~(basaltos horizontales >>, ~(basaltos
subrecientes ~ and ~ serie de Los
Roques >~, equivalent to our ~ young
basalts ,, that is, the unit above the upper
unconformity (Fig. 2). As the samples
measured are distributed throughout the
island, we can conclude that they corre-
spond to a single cycle of volcanic acti~ity.
The differences between the three units
distinguished on BRAVO's (1964) geological
map are, therefore, due to lithological
composition and to their position in
relation to the erosion surface established
over the old basalts. The ((basaltos
horizontales, and the ~<basaltos subre-
cientes>> are, in fact, the same unit as
proposed by CENDRERO (1971). The
island at the time of emission of these
materials must have had a shield shape,
similar to the present one, with gentle,
nearly flat relief in the center and strong-
er slopes in the outer parts.
The available ages of the salic domes
and flows (4-4.5 m.y.) do not allow to
establish whether they represent one or
several periods of emission. The position
of the salic domes, flows and pyroclastics,
intercalated within the young basalts, as
pointed out by CUBAS (1978), suggests
that there were several brief cycles of
alternating basaltic-salic lava emission,
which could only be discriminated by
m e a n s of detailed geological studies, but
difficult to define with the geochronologi-
cal tool, because of the short time span
they covered.
Samples GO-63 and GO-59, from
phonolitic domes cutting through the
trachy-phonolitic fragmentary material,
 K-AR CHRONOLOGY OF THE VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS IN THE CANAR/AN ARCHIPELAGO 603

TABLE 2 - K-At analytical results.

Semp}e n ° Fietd n ° Rock Type Location ~K 40Ar* %Ar Age

....ng/9 Arm

Y0u~g ~S~uF~t4:
R.10371 G0.17 Trachybasaltic f|ow Mirador Arure 1.38 0.266 56.4 2.78~0.06
R. IO26Z GO.53 Basaltic flow Canada Grande 1.30 0.389 64.4 4.30+-O.10
R. IO374 GO.49 Trachybasaltic flow Agulo 1.23 O.371 69.8 4.35+-O.15
R.IO261 G0.23 Trachybasaltic flow Vaile Gran Rey 1.16 0.355 77.9 4.40+-0.20
R.IO373 GO.27 Trachybasaltic flow Agando 1.52 0.473 52.6 4.50+-O.IO

SaZZc domes a~d lavaflo~:

R.10271 GO.9 Trachytic dome Roque Blanco 4.01 1.090 40.2 3.93+-0.08
R.I0270 G0.43 Trachytic scoriae cone Volcan Caldera 2.56 0.747 44.7 4.20+-0.08
R.I0267 G0.47 Trachytic flow Calvario Alajer6 3.44 1.020 39.0 4.26+-0.08
R.I0266 G0.25 Phonolitic dome La Zarcita 3.77 1.120 44.2 4.28+-0.09
R. I0268 G0.39 Phonolitic dome Fortaleza Chipude2.79 0.844 41.0 4.36+-0.09
R. I0269 G0.63 Phonolitic dome Roque del Cano 3.85 1.160 41.8 4.36~O.O9
R. I0264 GO.I Trachybasaltic flow Lomo del Camello 2.04 0.642 61.9 4.50+-0.10
R.I0263 G0.45 Trachytic flow Barranco Qulse 2.40 0.758 47.1 4.55+-0.09
R. I0369 GO.7 Trachytic flow Degollada Peraza 1.98 0.635 53.6 4.60+-O.10
R.I0726 GO.59 Phonolitic dome Macayo 3.94 1.265 84.2 4.63+-0.27

U p p ~ old 6as~Z~ :
R.I0389 GO.81 Trachybasaltic flow Punta de Ava|o 1.17 0.479 50.1 5.90+_O.15
R. IO265 GO.5 Basaltic flow Barraneo Hondo 1.23 0.553 58.6 6.50+_O.15
R. I0258 G0.71 Basaltic flow Main road,Km7.8 1.41 0.664 45.6 6.80+O.15
R. I0375 GO.67 P1agioclase basaltic flowRaso de Juel 1.37 O.683 40.2 7.20+-O.15
R.10260 GO.11 Oceanitic basaltic flow Barranco Santiago1.01 O.510 60.7 7.30+_0.20
R. IO372 G0.21 Basaltic flow Ermita de los 1.30 O.669 68.3 7.40+O.20
R e .
R.I0370 GO.13 Basaltic flow Barranco ~n~,agol.34 0.693 52.8 7.50+-O.15
R. I0376 G0.75 Ankaramitic flow Las Lajas 0.568 O.314 71.4 8.00+_0.25
R. I0259 G0.33 Basaltic flow Erquito 1.21 0.754 60.6 %00+0.20

LO:~ old 6a~aZts:

B.I0257 G0.57 Basaltic dyke Playa de Alojera 0.830 0.588 81.9 10.20+-O.50

~ c0mp~e×:
R. I0256 G0.55 Syenite-lntrusLon Tamargada 2.64 1.660 71.2 9.10+-0.3
R.I0255 GO.51 Gabbro-lntrusion Agulo 0.274 0.295 88.5 15.5+-1.3
604 J.M. C A N T A G R E L - A. C E N D R E R O - J.M. F U S T E R - E. IBARROLA - C. JAMOND
gave ages (4.4 and 4.6 m.y.) very similar
to those measured on other salic rocks
associated with the young basalts. They
cannot be considered as part of the
trachy-phonolitic series just above the
basal complex.
The trachybasalt sample G0-43 comes
from the only remaining cone known in
the island, considered by BRAVO (1964) as
quaternary. Its 4.2 m.y. age shows that, in
fact, it is a part of the young basaltic
series.
Three samples from this unit are not in
the age group just discussed. One of them
(GO-17, 2.78 m.y.) correspond to a trachy-
basaltic flow taken about 50 m above the
unconformity near Arure. It is a well
preserved, aphanitic rock, in which there
seems to be no reason to think that the
true age has been altered. This age opens
the possibility of another, more recent
volcanic cycle, probably not very impor-
tant.
o< ~
0 I 2 3 ~ S
//I"
FZG. 3 - Distribution
The basalt GO-5 (6.5 + 0.15 m.y.), from
Barranco Hondo, collected at the base of a
thick basaltic series, could represent one
of the latest <<old basalt>> flows instead of
an early young basalt. The trachybasalt
GO-81 (5.9 +0.15 m.y.) taken near the
Punta de Avalo, to the north of San
Sebastian, is more problematic. It is an
erosive remnant from a flow of the Roque
de Alace, which clearly rests on the top of
a presumed young basalts section. As
most of the ages in this unit fall within the
4-4.5 m.y. span, we have provisionally
included these two last samples in the
<<upper old basalts>~ (see Fig. 3). An alter-
native interpretation could be that these
samples correspond to an earlier volcanic
episode of the <<young basalts>>. Some
ages of about 5.2 m.y. obtained by
FERAUD (1981) on basaltic dykes support
this idea. Nevertheless, it must be pointed
out that the field relations for GO-81 are
apparently in contradiction with these
-¢
z ~
~JL~
z ~c~ x
d
aa
I0 15 20
My.
SALIC ROCKS
/
U BASALTS
I T H I S WORK
!
DYKES(BASALTIC). (FERAUD 1,981)
I ABDEL-MONEM ET AL (I,971)
of existing K-Ar ages in La Gomera.
 K-AR C H R O N O L O G Y OF T H E VOLCANIC E R U F T I O N S IN T H E CANARIAN ARCHIPELAGO
interpretations, because it is difficult to
accept such an old age for a sample with
such position. Additional data are needed
to decide about these hypothesis.
There are 8 other determinations corre-
sponding to the ~<old basalts>>, with ages
between 10.2 and 6.8 m.y. (Fig. 3). The
oldest one is from a dyke in the <<lower
old basalts>> (CEN~RERO, 1971). The
others correspond to the <<Upper old
basalts >>and they cover a time interval of
9.0 to 6.8 m.y., with a peak around 7.2
m.y., which probably represents a period
of maximum volcanic activity.
It has been impossible to fmd suitable
material for sampling in the flows of the
(<lower old basalts>~, due to the high
degree of weathering of the rocks and to
the presence of abundant zeolites. There-
fore, we do not know the age of the lower
part of this unit. Nevertheless, sample
GO-57 (10.2 ± 1.4 m.y.) was taken from a
fairly well preserved dyke of aphanitic
basalt which cuts the lower part of the
unit and which shows outcrop characteris-
tics (sinuous disposition, lack of vertical
continuity) suggesting that it probably is
more or less contemporaneous with the
flows. If this is correct, there would be an
interval of less than 10.2 to 9.0 m.y.
between the lower and the upper effusive
units in the old basalts. During this
interval the destruction of the upper part
of the <<lower old basalts, and the emis-
sion of the polymictic breccias took place.
DISCUSSION OF THE PREVIOUS AGE
DETERMINATIONS
ABDEL-MONEM et al. (1971) provided 6
determinations for the old basalts, all of
them corresponding to the late unit.
Three of these determinations (9.09, 8.87
and 8.64 m.y. (3) fall within the interval we
have determinated for this period of
volcanic activity, but three other ages
(12.32, 11.70 and 11.55 m.y.) are clearly
(3) All the previously published data have
been recalculated with the new set of decay
constants (1977).
605
older. The problem with these ages is
their lack of consistency. All samples were
taken along the road from San Sebastian
to Hermigua, which cuts a section with
small differences in volcano-stratigraphi-
cal level. This especially is the case in the
four determinations for the center of this
section, which we have examined carefully
in order to fred a geological explanation
for the ages obtained. The ages are: LG.8
= 8.87_+0.14, LG.13 = 9.09_+0.13, LG.14
11.55_+0.72, LG.17 = 11.70-+0.82.
Sample LG.8 corresponds to the lowest
level and sample LG.17 to the highest
level within this short section. The differ-
ence in age between samples LG.17 and
LG.14 is particularly surprising. They
were taken only 80 m apart and at the
same level. There are no unconformities
or other geological discontinuities which
could explain the big age differences
obtained in this section.
The same workers obtained two ages
for the <~basaltos horizontales >~ of BRAVO
(1964), LG.4 = 4.81 and LG.4A = 5.37
m.y., which, although somewhat older,
agree fairly well with our data.
FERAUD (1981) carried out twelve K-Ar
determinations, all of them on dykes. Two
of these dykes (8.6 and 10.5 m.y.) cut the
polymictic breccias of the <<old basaltic
series >>. The older age could represent a
relatively old episode within the unit and
the younger one probably corresponds to
a feeder of the <<upper old basalts,.
Two of the ages obtained for the dykes
cutting through the ~ upper old basalts>>
(7.0 and 8.2 m.y.) show clearly that they
are part of this unit, whereas four other
determinations, grouped around 5 m.y.,
correspond to the period of emission of
the young basalts.
The other determinations are nearly all
around 5.20 m.y., and we agree with
FERAUD's conclusion that these dykes
were formed during a well deFmed period
of distension. The emplacement of such
dykes radiating from the center of the
island could be related with an upswelling
period just before or at the beginning of
the <<young basalts, cycle. Considering
the age of the dykes and the formation in
which they are emplaced, a few of them
appear to be older than the age of their
606 J.M. CANTAGREL ~ A. CENDRERO - J.M. FUSTER - E. IBARROLA - C. JAMOND

nearby environment. T h i s difference -- T h e chronology of the subaerial

could be due to a s y s t e m a t i c bias b e t w e e n
two different laboratories, or to the pres-
ence of a s m a l l a m o u n t of excess Ar in the
dykes, as it has s o m e t i m e s b e e n p o i n t e d
out. T h i s l a s t e x p l a n a t i o n s e e m s unlikely
as all the ages are well grouped. We
suggest t h a t in future works, the ages of
d y k e s a n d t h e i r n e a r b y h o s t rocks should
be d e t e r m i n e d .
CONCLUSIONS
T h e above r e s u l t s l e a d to a more
a d v a n c e d b u t still u n c o m p l e t e chronology
of t h e m a g m a t i c activity in t h e island of
La G o m e r a .
- - No clear information is p r e s e n t l y
available on the b a s a l complex nor a b o u t
the age of t h e beginning of the m a g m a t -
i s m in t h e island. T h i s will be a p r o b l e m
for t h e whole Archipelago using only the
K-Ar m e t h o d . T h e 20 m.y. m e a s u r e d by
A b d e l - M o n e m on h o r n b l e n d e syenite
could be a conservative value.
volcanic series is now fairly well estab-
lished, except in the case of the lower old
basalts. T h e s e ((lower old basalts>~ are
older t h a n 10 m.y., b u t the age of the first
flows is still not well known. Neither is the
age of the m a i n unconformity separating
the b a s a l complex from the later volcanic
series.
- Above the polymictic breccias, rapidly
e m p l a c e d b e t w e e n 10 a n d 9 m.y., the
((upper old basalts~) constitute a new
volcanic cycle b e t w e e n 9 a n d 6 m.y.
-- After a period of volca~nic r e s t and
erosion (6-5 m.y.), m a r k e d b y the upper
unconformity, t h e thick young basaltic
series a n d associated trachytic a n d phono-
litic d o m e s a n d flows were rapidly
e m p l a c e d b e t w e e n 4-4.5 m.y. This volcan-
ic cycle was p r e c e d e d b y t h e intrusion of
r a d i a l d y k e s a b o u t 5 m.y. ago. Dmally,
local basaltic activity occurred at 2.8 m.y.
which m a r k e d t h e e n d of t h e volcanism in
L a Gomera. T h i s is i n d e e d the only one in
the Archipelago which did not have
volcanic activity during the Quaternary.

APPENDIX

SAMPLE SITE LOCATIONS AND ROCK DESCRIPTIONS

Young Basalts
R.10371 GO.17 On the road from Vallehermoso to Valle del Gran Rey. Mirador de Arure.
28008'00 '' N, 17°19'21 '' W, 850 m height.
Trachybasaltic lavaflow with scarce phenocrysts of oligoclase-andesine. Trachytic
groundmass with plagioclase, augite, olivine (iddngsite), iron-ore and some inter-
sertal glass.
R.10262 GO.53 Road to La Palmita, south of Cafiada Grande. 28°10'28 " N, 17°12'43" W, 730 m
height.
Basaltic lavaftow. Aphyric. Plagioclase, olivine (partially altered to iddingsite),
augite, iron-ore.
R.10374 GO.49 On the road from San Sebastian to Agulo, 700 m E of Agulo. 28° 1ff47" N,
17°11'13" W, 250 m height.
Aphyric trachybasalt with intergranular texture. Plagioclase, augite, iron-ore and
olix4ne (iddingsite), intersertal altered glass.
R.10261 GO.23 On the road from Arure to Valle Gran Rey. Cuesta del Barro. 28°06'49" N,
17°19'16 '' W, 500 m height.
Aphyric lavaflow. Trachybasalt with intersertal texture. Plagioclase, augite, iron-
ore, and hypocrystalline material.
R.10373 GO.27 Montafia de Yerta. Agando. 28o06'06 " N, 17012'34 '' W, 1080 m height.
Thick trachybasaltic lavaflow related to domes in central part of the island.
Aphyric. Trachytic texVare. Oligoclase, augite, iron-ore and some reddish amphi-
bole.
 K+AR CHRONOLOGYOF THE VOLCANICERUPTIONS IN THE CANARIANARCHIPELAGO 607

Salic Domes and Lava Flows

R.10271 GO.9 On the road from San Sebastian to Playa de Santiago. Roque Blanco. 28004'47 ''
N, 17012'03 '' W, 860 m height.
Dome of porphyritic trachyte. Phenocrysts (15 to 20%) of anorthoclase (5-10 ram)
and microphenocrysts of aegirine-augite. Trachytic groundmass of anorthoclase,
aegirine-augite, iron-ore and titanite.
RA0270 GO.43 La Caldera, W of Playa de Santiago. 28o01'40 " N, 17°15'39" %%~280 m height.
Scoriae aglutinate. Aphyric vacuolar trachyte with microphenocrysts of anortho-
clase in an hypocrystalline groundmass with anorthoclase, augite and iron-ore.
R.10267 G0.47 Calvario de AlajerS. 28o03'06 '' N, 17°14'17 '' W, 760 m height.
Trachytic lavaflow. Aphyric trachyte with anorthoclase, aegirine-augite and iron-
ore.
R.10266 G0.25 Roque de La Zarcita. 28006'32 '' N, 17013'06 '' W, 1240 m height.
Phonolitic dome. Phenocrysts of anorthoclase (5-8 rnm) and rnicrophenocrysts of
aegirine-augite. Trachytic groundmass of anorthoclase, aegirine, iron-ore, titanite
and weathered nepheline.
RA0268 G0.39 Southern part of the Fortaleza de Chipude dome. 28°05~31" N, 17°16~48 " W,
1320 m height.
Porphyritic. Phenocrysts of oligoclase with anorthoclase border. Pseudomorphic
aggregates of augite, plagioclase and iron-ore after former idiomorphic amphibole.
Aegirine-augite microphenocrysts. Trachytic groundmass with anorthoclase,
aegirine-augite, iron-ore and apatite.
R.10269 GO.63 Roque del Cano, East of Vallehermoso. 28 ° 10'39" N, 17° 15'21" W, 460 m height.
Phonolitic dome. Phenocrysts of anorthoctase and microphenocrysts of altered
nepheline. Trachytic groundmass of aegirine-augite, aenigmatite, anorthoclase
and iron-ore.
R.10264 GO.1 Road from San Sebastian to Playa de Santiago. Lomo del Camello. 28°04'55 " N,
17007'48 '' W, 260 m height.
Lavaflow (15 m thick) of aphyric trachybasalt. Some microphenocrysts of oligo-
clase and aegirine-augite. Trachytic groundmass of anorthoclase, aegirh~e-augite
and iron-ore.
R.t0263 GO.45 Dam on the Barranco de Quise. 28°03'06 '' N, 17o14'40 '' W, 600 m height.
Trachytic lavaflow. Scarce microphenocrysts of plagioclase. Trachytic ground-
mass of ptagioclase, augite, iron-ore and apatite.
R.10369 G0.7 Road from San Sebastian to Playa de Santiago, near the Degollada de Peraza.
28005'50 '' N, 17o11'04" W, 940 m height.
Trachytic lavaflow. Aphyric rock with aegirine-augite, anorthoclase, oligoclase
and some iron-ore and apatite.
R.10726 G0.59 On the road from Vallehermoso to Valle del Gran Rey. Near of Macayo.
28°10'10 " N, 17016'37 '' W, 350 m height.
Phonolitic dome. Phenocrysts of fresh anorthoclase and microphenocrysts of
aegirine-augite. Trachytic groundmass of anorthoclase, aegirine, aenigmatite and
iron-ore, and idiomorphic altered nepheline.

Upper Old Basalts

R.10389 G0.81 Banda de Avalo, N of San Sebastian. 28°06'41 '' N, 17°06'08 '', 80 m height.
Trachybasaltic lavaflow. Microphenocrysts of auglte, olivine, and iron-ore.
Groundmass of plagioclase, augite and iron-ore.
R.10265 GO.5 On the road from San Sebastian to Playa de Santiago. Barranco Hondo.
28o05'20 " N, 17o08'55 " W, 580 m height.
Thick lavaflow (15-20 in) of porphyritic basalt. Phenocrysts ( < 5%) of augite and
some olivine. Integranular groundmass of plagioclase, augite, olivine and iron-ore.
The olivhle is slightly altered to iddingsite.
608 J.M. CANTAGREL - A. CENDRERO - J.M. FUSTER - E. IBARROLA - C. JAMOND

R,10258 GO.71 On the road from San Sebastian to Hermigua. km 7.8.28o07 ' 18" N, 17°09 ' 14" W,
450 m height.
Basaltic lavaflow. Abundant phenocrysts of augite and olivine (iddingsite).
Groundmass of plagioclase, augite and iron-ore.
R.10375 G0.67 Raso de Juel. 28°08'44 '' N, 17o09'27 '' W, 730 m height.
Basaltic lavaflow. Porphyritic. Phenocrysts of plagioclase and augite. Micropheno-
crysts of olivine (iddingsite). Groundmass with plagioclase, augite, iron-ore and
recrystallized glass.
R.10260 GO.11 Barranco de Santiago. Near E1 Cabezo. 28°03'36" N, 17~12'46" W, 200 m
height.
Porphyritic lavaflow. Phenocrysts of olivine (15o/0) with iddingsite-margin. Inter-
granular groundmass with olivine, titan-augite, plagioclase and iron-ore. Some
vesicles with secondary calcite.
R.10372 GO.21 Valle Gran Rey, 200 m south of Ermita de los Reyes. 28 °06'05" N, 17 °19'42" W,
180 m height.
Basaltic lavaflow. Phenocrysts of augite and kaersutite with oxidized rim. Micro-
phenocrysts of plagioclase. Intergranular groundmass with plagioclase, augite,
olivine (iddingsite), iron-ore. Some interstitial zeolites.
R.10370 GO.13 Barranco de Santiago, 350 m south of Taco. 28o03'07" N, 17012'33 '' W, 140 m
height.
Basaltic lavaflow. Phenocrysts ( < 5%) of titan-augite, iron-ore and some olivine
with iddingsite rims. Intergranular groundmass with plagioclase, olivine, augite,
iron-ore and apatite.
R.10376 GO.75 Barranco de Las Lajas. 28°06'41" N, 17°10'51 " W, 420 m height.
Ankaramitic lavaflow with big phenocrysts of titan-augite and olivine. Ground-
mass with plagioclase, augite and iron-ore.
R.10259 GO.33 Halfway between Erque and Erquito. 28o05'52 '' N, 17"15'55" W, 850 m height.
Aphanitic basaltic lavaflow. Small phenocrysts of plagioclase, augite and olivine
(fresh). Intersertal groundmass of plagioclase, augite and abundant iron-ore.
Glass altered to chlorite and cryptocrystalline material.

Lower Old BasaIts

R.10257 G0.57 Alojera, clifts in the beach. 28o09'48 '' N, 17°20'00" W, 20 m height.
Basaltic dyke. Abundant phenocrysts of plagioclase, olivine (partially serpentin-
ized) and augite. Intersertal groundmass of plagioclase, augite, iron-ore and
altered glass.

Basal Complex

R.10256 GO.55 On the road Agulo-Vallehermoso, near of Tamargada. 28o10'45 '' N, 17"14'36" W,
400 m height.
Syenitic intrusion. Big crystals of feldspar ( > 10 mm) with oligoclase center and
K-felds par border. Pseudomorphic aggregates of iron-ore and pyroxenes (?) after
former amphibole crystals partially substituted by secondary biotite. Interstitial
secondary aggregates of albite, quartz, chlorite and calcite.
R.I0255 GO.51 km 27 on the road from Agulo to Vallehermoso 28°11'10" N, 17°12'01 " W, 300 m
height.
Gabbroidic intrusion. Idiomorphic olivine, partially serpentinized, clinopyroxene,
plagioclase partially altered. Secondary red amphibole after pyroxene, phlogo-
pite, iron-ore and apatite.
 K-AR CHRONOLOGYOF THE VOLCANICERUPTIONS IN THE CANARIANARCHIPELAGO
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Ms. received Dec. 1984. Reviewed and accepted
June 1985.