Temporal Evolution of the Barombi Mbo Maar, a Polygenetic Maar-Diatreme Volcano of the Cameroon Volcanic Line

The Barombi Mbo Maar (BMM), which is the largest maar in Cameroon, possesses about 126 m-thick well-preserved pyroclastic deposits sequence in which two successive paleosoil beds have been identified. The maar was thought to have been active a million years ago. However, layers stratigraphically separated by the identified paleosoils have been dated to shed lights on its age and to reconstruct the chronology of its past activity. The results showed that the BMM formed through three eruptive cycles: the first ~0.51 Ma ago, the second at ~0.2 Ma and the third ~0.08 Ma B.P. The ages indicate that the BMM maar-forming eruptions were younger than a million years. The findings also suggested that the maar is polygenetic. At a regional scale, the eruptive events would have occurred during some volcanic manifestations at Mt Manengouba and Mt Cameroon. Therefore, with the decrease in the recurrence time of eruptions from ~0.3 Ma to 0.1 Ma, and given the possible relation between its eruptive events and those of its neighboring polygenetic volcanoes, the BMM is expected to erupt within the next 20 ka.

Origin of major ions in monthly rainfall events at the Bamenda Highlands, North West Cameroon

Rainwater characteristics can reveal emissions from various anthropogenic and natural sources into the atmosphere. The physico-chemical characteristics of 44 monthly rainfall events （collected between January and December 2012） from 4 weather stations （Bamenda, Ndop plain, Ndawara and Kumbo） in the Bamenda Highlands （BH） were investigated. The purpose was to determine the sources of chemical species, their seasonal inputs and suitability of the rainwater for drinking. The mean pH of 5 indicated the slightly acidic nature of the rainwater. Average total dissolved solids （TDS） were low （6.7 mg/L）, characteristic of unpolluted atmospheric moisture/air. Major ion concentrations （mg/L） were low and in the order K＋ 〉 Ca2＋ 〉 Mg2~ 〉 Na＋ for cations and NO3 〉〉 HCO3 〉 SO] 〉 CI- 〉 PO3- 〉 F- for anions. The average rainwater in the area was mixed Ca-Mg-SO4-CI water type. The CI-/Na＋ ratio （1.04） was comparable to that of seawater （1.16）, an indication that N a＋ and CI originated mainly from marine （Atlantic Ocean） aerosols. High enrichments of Ca2＋, Mg2＋ and SO2- to Na＋ ratios relative to seawater ratios （constituting 44% of the total ions） demonstrated their terrigenous origin, mainly from Saharan and Sahelian arid dusts. The K＋/Na＋ ratio （2.24）, which was similar to tropical vegetation ash （2.38）, and NO3 was essentially from biomass burning. Light （〈 100 mm） pre-monsoon and post-monsoon convective rains were enriched in major ions than the heavy （〉 100 mm） monsoon rains, indicating a high contribution of major ions during the low convective showers. Despite the acidic nature, the TDS and major ion concentrations classified the rainwater as potable based on the WHO guidelines.