Bubble Formation in Magma

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Abstract
  • Volcanic eruptions are driven by bubbles that form when volatile species exsolve from magma. The conditions under which bubbles form depend mainly on magma composition, volatile concentration, presence of crystals, and magma decompression rate. These are all predicated on the mechanism by which volatiles exsolve from the melt to form bubbles. We critically review the known or inferred mechanisms of bubble formation in magmas: homogeneous nucleation, heterogeneous nucleation on crystal surfaces, and
    spontaneous phase separation (spinodal decomposition). We propose a general approach for calculating bubble nucleation rates as the sum of the contributions from homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation, suggesting that nucleation may not be limited to a single mechanism prior to eruption. We identify three major challenges in which further experimental, analytical, and theoretical work is required to permit the development of a general model for bubble formation under natural eruption conditions.
    ■ We review the mechanisms of bubble formation in magma and summarize the conditions under which the various mechanisms are
    understood to operate.
    ■ Bubble formation mechanisms may evolve throughout magma ascent as conditions change such that bubbles may form simultaneously and sequentially via more than one mechanism.
    ■ Contributions from both homogeneous nucleation and heterogeneous nucleation on multiphase crystal phases can be captured via a single equation.
    ■ Future work should focus on constraining macroscopic surface tension, characterizing the microphysics, and developing a general framework for modeling bubble formation, via all mechanisms, over natural magma ascent pathways.
TitleBubble Formation in Magma
CreatorGardner, J. E.
Llewellin, E. W.
Wadsworth, F. B.
Kusumaatmaja, H.
Carley, Tamara L.
Sahagian, D.
PublisherAnnual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Academic DepartmentGeology & Environmental Geosciences
DivisionNatural Sciences
OrganizationLafayette College
Date Issued2023
Date Available2023-06-06
TypeArticle
LanguageEnglish
Keywordmagma
spinodal decomposition
volatiles
volcanic eruptions
bubble dynamics
nucleation
Bibliographic CitationGardner, J. E., et al. (2023) "Bubble Formation in Magma." Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 51: 131-154.
Standard IdentifierHandle 10385/9k41zf96c
DOI 10.1146/annurev-earth-031621- 080308
Permalinkhttp://hdl.handle.net/10385/9k41zf96c
Rights Statement Creative Commons - Attribution Creative Commons - Attribution
Rights HoldersGardner, J. E.
Llewellin, E. W.
Wadsworth, F. B.
Kusumaatmaja, H.
Carley, Tamara L.
Sahagian, D.
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