The potentially active Porak neovolcanic center (Lesser Caucasus, Armenia): The composition of lavas and melt sources

The prediction of likely consequences of volcanic activity renewal is one of the main aims of the study of magmatism of the modern active areas of the Earth. Study of the character, probable change of the regime, and type of eruptions for concrete territories in the future (e.g., from lava eruptions to catastrophic explo� sions) is impossible without knowledge of the regional peculiarities of petrogenesis of young magmatic rocks, the sources of matter for parental melts, and the main regularities of their geochemical evolution in time. The studies related to prediction of consequences of future eruptions for natural ecosystems and social infrastructure are of special importance for densely populated areas, in which renewal of endogenic activ� ity is possible. The Caucasus region is undoubtedly related to those areas. In this paper we report the first results of petrolog� ical and isotope–geochemical studies of young lavas of the Porak neovolcanic center within the eastern part of the potentially active Vardenis volcanic area of the Lesser Caucasus (Armenia). The Vardenis neovolcanic area occupies the terri� tory of the highland of the same name, which is sepa� rated by Sevan Lake in the north and the Arpa River valley in the south; it is connected with the Geghama highland in the west and with the Syunik highland in the southeast.