3D quantification of nanolites using X-ray ptychography reveals syn-eruptive nanocrystallisation impacts magma rheology

Emily Bamber; Fabio Arzilli; Silvia Cipiccia; Darren J. Batey; Giuseppe La Spina; Margherita Polacci; Ali Gholinia; Heath Bagshaw; Danilo Di Genova; Richard Brooker; Daniele Giordano; Pedro Valdivia; Mike Burton

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-62444-z

3D quantification of nanolites using X-ray ptychography reveals syn-eruptive nanocrystallisation impacts magma rheology

Emily Bamber^*
, Fabio Arzilli
, Silvia Cipiccia
, Darren J. Batey
, Giuseppe La Spina
, Margherita Polacci
, Ali Gholinia
, Heath Bagshaw
, Danilo Di Genova
, Richard Brooker
, Daniele Giordano
, Pedro Valdivia
, Mike Burton

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Nanoscale crystals are becoming increasingly recognised in the products of volcanic eruptions, spanning a range of magma compositions. The crystallisation of nanolites impacts magma rheology, ascent dynamics, and eruptive style. Their impact can be enhanced due to their capacity to aggregate and develop neighbouring chemically differentiated boundary layers. However, their 3D interaction, spatial distribution, and morphology is not currently understood. Here we present a cutting-edge, 3D nanometre-scale visualisation and quantification of nanolites in scoriae of the Las Sierras-Masaya basaltic Plinian eruptions, acquired using X-ray ptychography. We find that Ti-magnetite nanolites aggregate, forming elongate, irregular structures in 3D. Their crystallisation extracts Fe and Ti from the melt, resulting in differentiated boundary layers with higher viscosity. Syn-eruptive crystallisation of nanolites and their interaction is estimated to have increased magma viscosity by 2–3 orders of magnitude, therefore, they likely had a strong control on magma rheology, increasing the potential of magma fragmentation.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	16
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62444-z
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2025

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4DVOLC: 4DVOLC: Magma storage and ascent in volcanic systems via time resolved HPHT x-ray tomographic experiments and numerical modelling of eruption dynamics
Polacci, M. (PI)
31/03/22 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
Petrology and volcanology
Burton, M. (PI), Hartley, M. (PI), Mccormick Kilbride, B. (PI), Mitchell, N. (PI), Neave, D. (PI), Pawley, A. (PI), Polacci, M. (PI), Biagioli, E. (Researcher), Bonechi, B. (Researcher), Buso, R. (Researcher), Davies, B. (Researcher), Esse, B. (Researcher), Bronziet, J. (PGR student), Delbrel, J. (PGR student), Höhn, M. (PGR student), Kember, A. (PGR student), Pardo Cofrades, A. (PGR student), Sen, R. (PGR student), Stewart, A. (PGR student) & Subbaraman, R. (PGR student)
Project: Research

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Bamber, E., Arzilli, F., Cipiccia, S., Batey, D. J., La Spina, G., Polacci, M., Gholinia, A., Bagshaw, H., Genova, D. D., Brooker, R., Giordano, D., Valdivia, P., & Burton, M. (2025). 3D quantification of nanolites using X-ray ptychography reveals syn-eruptive nanocrystallisation impacts magma rheology. Nature Communications, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62444-z

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title = "3D quantification of nanolites using X-ray ptychography reveals syn-eruptive nanocrystallisation impacts magma rheology",

abstract = "Nanoscale crystals are becoming increasingly recognised in the products of volcanic eruptions, spanning a range of magma compositions. The crystallisation of nanolites impacts magma rheology, ascent dynamics, and eruptive style. Their impact can be enhanced due to their capacity to aggregate and develop neighbouring chemically differentiated boundary layers. However, their 3D interaction, spatial distribution, and morphology is not currently understood. Here we present a cutting-edge, 3D nanometre-scale visualisation and quantification of nanolites in scoriae of the Las Sierras-Masaya basaltic Plinian eruptions, acquired using X-ray ptychography. We find that Ti-magnetite nanolites aggregate, forming elongate, irregular structures in 3D. Their crystallisation extracts Fe and Ti from the melt, resulting in differentiated boundary layers with higher viscosity. Syn-eruptive crystallisation of nanolites and their interaction is estimated to have increased magma viscosity by 2–3 orders of magnitude, therefore, they likely had a strong control on magma rheology, increasing the potential of magma fragmentation. ",

author = "Emily Bamber and Fabio Arzilli and Silvia Cipiccia and Batey, \{Darren J.\} and \{La Spina\}, Giuseppe and Margherita Polacci and Ali Gholinia and Heath Bagshaw and Genova, \{Danilo Di\} and Richard Brooker and Daniele Giordano and Pedro Valdivia and Mike Burton",

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doi = "10.1038/s41467-025-62444-z",

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AU - Bamber, Emily

AU - Arzilli, Fabio

AU - Cipiccia, Silvia

AU - Batey, Darren J.

AU - La Spina, Giuseppe

AU - Polacci, Margherita

AU - Gholinia, Ali

AU - Bagshaw, Heath

AU - Genova, Danilo Di

AU - Brooker, Richard

AU - Giordano, Daniele

AU - Valdivia, Pedro

AU - Burton, Mike

PY - 2025/8/1

Y1 - 2025/8/1

N2 - Nanoscale crystals are becoming increasingly recognised in the products of volcanic eruptions, spanning a range of magma compositions. The crystallisation of nanolites impacts magma rheology, ascent dynamics, and eruptive style. Their impact can be enhanced due to their capacity to aggregate and develop neighbouring chemically differentiated boundary layers. However, their 3D interaction, spatial distribution, and morphology is not currently understood. Here we present a cutting-edge, 3D nanometre-scale visualisation and quantification of nanolites in scoriae of the Las Sierras-Masaya basaltic Plinian eruptions, acquired using X-ray ptychography. We find that Ti-magnetite nanolites aggregate, forming elongate, irregular structures in 3D. Their crystallisation extracts Fe and Ti from the melt, resulting in differentiated boundary layers with higher viscosity. Syn-eruptive crystallisation of nanolites and their interaction is estimated to have increased magma viscosity by 2–3 orders of magnitude, therefore, they likely had a strong control on magma rheology, increasing the potential of magma fragmentation.

AB - Nanoscale crystals are becoming increasingly recognised in the products of volcanic eruptions, spanning a range of magma compositions. The crystallisation of nanolites impacts magma rheology, ascent dynamics, and eruptive style. Their impact can be enhanced due to their capacity to aggregate and develop neighbouring chemically differentiated boundary layers. However, their 3D interaction, spatial distribution, and morphology is not currently understood. Here we present a cutting-edge, 3D nanometre-scale visualisation and quantification of nanolites in scoriae of the Las Sierras-Masaya basaltic Plinian eruptions, acquired using X-ray ptychography. We find that Ti-magnetite nanolites aggregate, forming elongate, irregular structures in 3D. Their crystallisation extracts Fe and Ti from the melt, resulting in differentiated boundary layers with higher viscosity. Syn-eruptive crystallisation of nanolites and their interaction is estimated to have increased magma viscosity by 2–3 orders of magnitude, therefore, they likely had a strong control on magma rheology, increasing the potential of magma fragmentation.

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-025-62444-z

DO - 10.1038/s41467-025-62444-z

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 16

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

IS - 1

ER -

3D quantification of nanolites using X-ray ptychography reveals syn-eruptive nanocrystallisation impacts magma rheology

Abstract

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Projects

4DVOLC: 4DVOLC: Magma storage and ascent in volcanic systems via time resolved HPHT x-ray tomographic experiments and numerical modelling of eruption dynamics

Petrology and volcanology

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