Scientists have identified a heat-driven process inside magma that may help explain why similar volcanoes can erupt in very different ways, according to ScienceDaily.
An international team led by the University of Manchester studied magma from the 2021 Tajogaite eruption on La Palma, Spain, and found that superheating can delay crystal formation as magma rises toward the surface. The process occurs when magma becomes hotter than the temperature at which crystals stay stable.
The researchers said intense heat can also dissolve tiny crystals that would normally act as seeds for new crystal growth. In addition, superheating changes the magma’s microscopic structure, making it more uniform and less likely to form new crystals quickly.
Using X-ray experiments and numerical models, the team found that magma without superheating began crystallizing after about 20 minutes, while strongly superheated magma resisted crystal formation for more than eight hours. According to the study, that delay could keep magma fluid enough to rise quickly and produce lava fountains, while earlier crystallization may make eruptions slower and more gentle.
The researchers said the findings could help volcanologists better interpret monitoring data and improve eruption forecasts. The study was published in Nature Communications.
