Magma storage and evolution of the Central Plateau Member Rhyolites, Yellowstone caldera, USA

We use volatile and trace element contents from quartz-hosted melt inclusions to place constraints on the pre-eruptive storage and evolution of 6 lavas and 3 tuffs from the Central Plateau Member Rhyolites, Yellowstone. Overall, inclusions contain 1.0-2.5% H2O and 50-600 ppm CO2. Individual units have more restricted volatile contents, and define regions in H2O and CO2 space with internal variability of ±0.5 wt.% and ±100 ppm, respectively. Water contents in both lavas and pyroclastic units are similar, but CO2 contents vary and can be used to separate the units as CO2-rich and CO2-poor. CO2-rich units contain 300 to 600 ppm CO2 (Tuff of Bluff Point, Pitchstone Plateau, Trischmann Knob, Buffalo Lake, Summit Lake). CO2-poor units contain 50 to 200 ppm CO2 (Solfatara Plateau, West Yellowstone, Tuff of Cold Mountain Creek, unnamed tuff on Douglas Knob). Volatile contents do not correlate with eruption age, volume, or style. Inclusions from individual units contain incompatible trace-element concentrations that range from primitive to evolved. Incompatible elements within each unit increase systematically from primitive inclusions (units differ by <20%), to more evolved inclusions, and finally to highly evolved matrix. The inclusions preserve a systematic evolution produced by crystal fractionation, which we estimate to range from 38±8 wt.% to 54±11 wt.%. Inclusions from the Tuffs of Bluff Point and Cold Mountain Creek display similar evolution, except that matrix glass in those tuffs is less evolved than the inclusions. We infer the magmas were volatile-saturated at depth because H2O and CO2 do not correlate positively with incompatible elements. If true, then the CO2-rich magmas were stored at 90 to 150 MPa and contained a fluid that was 60-75 mol.% CO2, whereas CO2-poor magmas were stored at 50 to 70 MPa and contained a more H2O-rich fluid (XCO2 = 40-60%). The variations in pressure/depth suggest the magmas were at least temporarily stored as separate batches that followed similar evolutionary paths in the shallow crust.