Timescales of water accumulation in magmas and implications for short warning times of explosive eruptions

M. Petrelli*, K. El Omari, L. Spina, Y. Le Guer, G. La Spina, D. Perugini

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Water plays a key role in magma genesis, differentiation, ascent and, finally, eruption. Despite the recognized crucial function of water, there are still several issues that continue to blur our view about its role in magmatic systems. What are the timescales of H2O accumulation in crystallizing magmas? What are the ascent rates of water-rich residual melts leading to explosive eruptions? Here, we track the timescale of water accumulation in a residual melt resulting from crystallization of a hydrous CO2-bearing magmatic mass stored at mid-to deep-crustal levels in a subduction-related geodynamic setting. Our results indicate that, after a repose period ranging from few to several thousand years, water-rich melts with water concentrations larger than 6-9 wt.% can migrate towards the Earth surface in very short timescales, on the order of days or even hours, possibly triggering explosive eruptions with short warning times and devoid of long-term geophysical precursors.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number770
    JournalNature Communications
    Volume9
    Issue number1
    Early online date22 Feb 2018
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2018

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