Dendritic crystallization in hydrous basaltic magmas controls magma mobility within the Earth’s crust

Fabio Arzilli (), Margherita Polacci, Giuseppe Spina, Nolwenn Gall, Edward W. Llewellin, Richard A. Brooker, Rafael Torres-Orozco, Danilo Genova, David A. Neave, Margaret E. Hartley, Heidy M. Mader, Daniele Giordano, Robert Atwood, Peter D. Lee, Florian Heidelbach and Mike R. Burton
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Fabio Arzilli: University of Camerino
Margherita Polacci: University of Manchester
Giuseppe Spina: Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia-Osservatorio Etneo, Sezione di Catania
Nolwenn Gall: University College London
Edward W. Llewellin: Durham University
Richard A. Brooker: University of Bristol
Rafael Torres-Orozco: Centro de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Veracruzana
Danilo Genova: University of Bayreuth
David A. Neave: University of Manchester
Margaret E. Hartley: University of Manchester
Heidy M. Mader: University of Bristol
Daniele Giordano: University of Torino
Robert Atwood: Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus
Peter D. Lee: University College London
Florian Heidelbach: University of Bayreuth
Mike R. Burton: University of Manchester

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract The majority of basaltic magmas stall in the Earth’s crust as a result of the rheological evolution caused by crystallization during transport. However, the relationships between crystallinity, rheology and eruptibility remain uncertain because it is difficult to observe dynamic magma crystallization in real time. Here, we present in-situ 4D data for crystal growth kinetics and the textural evolution of pyroxene during crystallization of trachybasaltic magmas in high-temperature experiments under water-saturated conditions at crustal pressures. We observe dendritic growth of pyroxene on initially euhedral cores, and a surprisingly rapid increase in crystal fraction and aspect ratio at undercooling ≥30 °C. Rapid dendritic crystallization favours a rheological transition from Newtonian to non-Newtonian behaviour within minutes. We use a numerical model to quantify the impact of rapid dendritic crystallization on basaltic dike propagation, and demonstrate its dramatic effect on magma mobility and eruptibility. Our results provide insights into the processes that control whether intrusions lead to eruption or not.

Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-30890-8

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30890-8

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