Reliability of quartz-hosted melt inclusions and discrete rhyolite reservoirs revealed by H isotopes, trace elements, and volatiles

High-silica magmas (≥68 weight % silicon dioxide) have produced some of the largest and most impactful volcanic eruptions in Earth's history. Quartz-hosted melt inclusions can provide critical insights into the architecture, evolution, and eruption of silicic magmas; however, the reliability of mineral-hosted melt inclusion compositions has been questioned because of potential postentrapment modification of inclusions via diffusive exchange. We demonstrate that with careful sample selection, both naturally glassy and experimentally homogenized quartz-hosted melt inclusions can retain meaningful preeruptive signatures and provide useful insights into preeruptive magmatic conditions. We also show that hydrogen isotope measurements and detailed descriptions of melt inclusion geometries are particularly critical for identifying postentrapment diffusive exchange in melt inclusions, whether it is due to natural or experimental processes. Last, combining data from measurements of quartz-hosted melt inclusion hydrogen isotopes, trace elements, volatiles, and geometries, we fingerprint multiple discrete rhyolite magma reservoirs in the Highland Range volcanic sequence (NV, USA).

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Publication Details

Journal
Science Advances
Published
2026-03-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adw1667
Primary Topic
Geological and Geochemical Analysis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Reliability of quartz-hosted melt inclusions and discrete rhyolite reservoirs revealed by H isotopes, trace elements, and volatiles

Sarah Hickernell, Brian Monteleone, Ayla Susan Pamukcu
Science Advances
Geological and Geochemical Analysis
article

Reliability of quartz-hosted melt inclusions and discrete rhyolite reservoirs revealed by H isotopes, trace elements, and volatiles

Sarah Hickernell, Brian Monteleone, Ayla Susan Pamukcu
article en

Abstract

High-silica magmas (≥68 weight % silicon dioxide) have produced some of the largest and most impactful volcanic eruptions in Earth's history. Quartz-hosted melt inclusions can provide critical insights into the architecture, evolution, and eruption of silicic magmas; however, the reliability of mineral-hosted melt inclusion compositions has been questioned because of potential postentrapment modification of inclusions via diffusive exchange. We demonstrate that with careful sample selection, both naturally glassy and experimentally homogenized quartz-hosted melt inclusions can retain meaningful preeruptive signatures and provide useful insights into preeruptive magmatic conditions. We also show that hydrogen isotope measurements and detailed descriptions of melt inclusion geometries are particularly critical for identifying postentrapment diffusive exchange in melt inclusions, whether it is due to natural or experimental processes. Last, combining data from measurements of quartz-hosted melt inclusion hydrogen isotopes, trace elements, volatiles, and geometries, we fingerprint multiple discrete rhyolite magma reservoirs in the Highland Range volcanic sequence (NV, USA).

Science AdvancesVol. 12(11)
Planetary Science Institute (US), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (US), Stanford University (US)
U.S. Geological Survey
Sustainable cities and communities
Openalex Percentile: Top 36%
Geological and Geochemical Analysis
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