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In situ observation of nanolite growth in volcanic melt: A driving force for explosive eruptions
Authors:
Danilo
Di Genova
(Clausthal University of Technology; University of Bristol; Universität Bayreuth)
,
Richard A.
Brooker
(University of Bristol)
,
Heidy M.
Mader
(University of Bristol)
,
James W. E.
Drewitt
(University of Bristol)
,
Alessandro
Longo
(ESRF - The European Synchrotron; ISMN-CNR)
,
Joachim
Deubener
(Clausthal University of Technology)
,
Daniel R.
Neuville
(IPGP-CNRS)
,
Sara
Fanara
(University of Göttingen)
,
Olga
Shebanova
(Diamond Light Source)
,
Simon
Anzellini
(Diamond Light Source)
,
Fabio
Arzilli
(University of Manchester)
,
Emily C.
Bamber
(University of Manchester)
,
Louis
Hennet
(CNRS-CEMHTI)
,
Giuseppe
La Spina
(University of Manchester)
,
Nobuyoshi
Miyajima
(Universität Bayreuth)
Co-authored by industrial partner:
No
Type:
Journal Paper
Journal:
Science Advances
, VOL 6
State:
Published (Approved)
Published:
September 2020
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
17615
,
20447

Abstract: Although gas exsolution is a major driving force behind explosive volcanic eruptions, viscosity is critical in controlling the escape of bubbles and switching between explosive and effusive behavior. Temperature and composition control melt viscosity, but crystallization above a critical volume (>30 volume %) can lock up the magma, triggering an explosion. Here, we present an alternative to this well-established paradigm by showing how an unexpectedly small volume of nano-sized crystals can cause a disproportionate increase in magma viscosity. Our in situ observations on a basaltic melt, rheological measurements in an analog system, and modeling demonstrate how just a few volume % of nanolites results in a marked increase in viscosity above the critical value needed for explosive fragmentation, even for a low-viscosity melt. Images of nanolites from low-viscosity explosive eruptions and an experimentally produced basaltic pumice show syn-eruptive growth, possibly nucleating a high bubble number density.
Diamond Keywords: Volcanology
Subject Areas:
Earth Science
Instruments:
I15-Extreme Conditions
,
I22-Small angle scattering & Diffraction
Added On:
24/09/2020 14:29
Documents:
eabb0413.full.pdf
Discipline Tags:
Earth Sciences & Environment
Natural disaster
Geology
Geochemistry
Technical Tags:
Diffraction
Scattering
Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS)
Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS)