Raman spectroscopy as suitable tool for the field study of recent volcanic environments

In 2013, a portable Raman setup was implemented for on‐site and rear‐base characterization of volcanic products. Silica and rutile rock coatings, sulfate incrustations and speleothems, plagioclase, clinopyroxene, and (Fe, Ti, Cr) oxides lava minerals were identified on the young lava flows of Piton de la Fournaise volcano. These analytical abilities opens the way of in situ study of the first aging and weathering steps of recent lava flows. This paper relates the preliminary results of the field campaign. Three months after the investigation, all the speleothems have naturally disappeared. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. In 2013, a portable setup was implemented for on‐site and rear‐base characterization of volcanic products. Silica and rutile rock coatings, sulfate incrustations and speleothems, plagioclase, clinopyroxene, and (Fe, Ti, Cr) oxides lava minerals were identified on the young 2004 and 2007 lava flows of Piton de la Fournaise volcano. Three months after the investigation, all the speleothems have naturally disappeared. On‐site analysis of lava wall in a lava tube of the 2004 lava flow of Piton de la Fournaise.