VolFe: an open-source Python package for calculating melt-vapour equilibria including silicate melt, carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, and noble gases

VolFe is an open-source flexible and adaptable thermodynamic framework in Python for calculating the equilibrium composition of melt and vapour. VolFe considers basaltic through rhyolitic melts including the volatiles carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, and the noble gases. VolFe models both reduced and oxidised systems due to the range of melt and vapour species included. Hence, VolFe is applicable to terrestrial (e.g. mid-ocean ridges to arcs) and extra-terrestrial (e.g. the Moon and Mars) systems. New parameterisations of “model-dependent variables” (e.g. volatile solubility functions, sulfide-saturation conditions, fugacity coefficients, etc.) can be added as new experimental studies come out, enhancing VolFe's future applicability. The main calculations currently included in VolFe are the pressure of vapour-saturation based on the dissolved volatile content of melts; H2O-CO2 isobars, open- and closed-system degassing and regassing; an oxybarometer based on the melt sulfur content; and uncertainty propagation of the input melt compositions on calculation outputs. As an example, we apply VolFe to melt inclusion and submarine pillow glass data from the Marianas arc.

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Publication Details

Journal
Volcanica
Published
2025-11-03
DOI
https://doi.org/10.30909/vol/imvc1781
Primary Topic
Geological and Geochemical Analysis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

VolFe: an open-source Python package for calculating melt-vapour equilibria including silicate melt, carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, and noble gases

Penny Wieser, Ery Hughes, Edward M. Stolper, Philippa Liggins
Volcanica
Geological and Geochemical Analysis
article

VolFe: an open-source Python package for calculating melt-vapour equilibria including silicate melt, carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, and noble gases

Penny Wieser, Ery Hughes, Edward M. Stolper, Philippa Liggins
article en

Abstract

VolFe is an open-source flexible and adaptable thermodynamic framework in Python for calculating the equilibrium composition of melt and vapour. VolFe considers basaltic through rhyolitic melts including the volatiles carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, and the noble gases. VolFe models both reduced and oxidised systems due to the range of melt and vapour species included. Hence, VolFe is applicable to terrestrial (e.g. mid-ocean ridges to arcs) and extra-terrestrial (e.g. the Moon and Mars) systems. New parameterisations of “model-dependent variables” (e.g. volatile solubility functions, sulfide-saturation conditions, fugacity coefficients, etc.) can be added as new experimental studies come out, enhancing VolFe's future applicability. The main calculations currently included in VolFe are the pressure of vapour-saturation based on the dissolved volatile content of melts; H2O-CO2 isobars, open- and closed-system degassing and regassing; an oxybarometer based on the melt sulfur content; and uncertainty propagation of the input melt compositions on calculation outputs. As an example, we apply VolFe to melt inclusion and submarine pillow glass data from the Marianas arc.

VolcanicaVol. 8(2)
GNS Science (NZ), California Institute of Technology (US), Planetary Science Institute (US), Oxford Research Group (GB), University of California, Berkeley (US)
California Institute of Technology, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Jesus College, University of Cambridge
Openalex Percentile: Top 66%
Geological and Geochemical Analysis
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VolFe: an open-source Python package for calculating melt-vapour equilibria including silicate melt, carbon, hydrogen, sulfur, and noble gases — Penny Wieser, Ery Hughes, et al. · Volcanica (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS