Superheating in mafic magmas controls clinopyroxene nucleation delay and magma ascent dynamics

Crystallisation kinetics play a fundamental role in controlling conduit dynamics and eruptive style. The degree of superheating is critical in controlling crystallisation kinetics; however, its effect is still debated and has an unclear impact on eruption dynamics. Here, we investigate how superheating influences clinopyroxene nucleation in tephritic magmas from the 2021 Tajogaite eruption (La Palma, Spain) through both in situ and ex situ view experiments. Our findings show that superheating delays nucleation by dissolving pre-existing nuclei, thereby inhibiting crystallisation upon return to subliquidus conditions. Using a numerical model, we investigate how different nucleation delays resulting from different degrees of superheating affect magma ascent dynamics. Depending on the initial thermodynamic conditions and on the pre-eruptive history of magma, an increased nucleation delay can significantly reduce crystal content during ascent, lowering magma viscosity and affecting eruptive style. These findings highlight the critical role of pre-eruptive thermal histories in controlling eruptive style, and provide constraints for refining experimental protocols and numerical models, with direct implications for improving volcanic hazard assessment and eruption forecasting.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2026-06-08
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-73352-1
Primary Topic
Geological and Geochemical Analysis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Superheating in mafic magmas controls clinopyroxene nucleation delay and magma ascent dynamics

Alessandro Fabbrizio, Danilo Di Genova, Renat Almeev, Robert Atwood et al.
Nature Communications
Geological and Geochemical Analysis
article

Superheating in mafic magmas controls clinopyroxene nucleation delay and magma ascent dynamics

Alessandro Fabbrizio, Danilo Di Genova, Renat Almeev, Robert Atwood, Elisa Biagioli, Jean‐Louis Hazemann, Sumith Abeykoon, Fabio Arzilli, Richard A. Brooker, Margherita Polacci, Eleni Michailidou, David A. Neave, Mike Burton, Barbara Bonechi, Giuseppe La Spina
article en

Abstract

Crystallisation kinetics play a fundamental role in controlling conduit dynamics and eruptive style. The degree of superheating is critical in controlling crystallisation kinetics; however, its effect is still debated and has an unclear impact on eruption dynamics. Here, we investigate how superheating influences clinopyroxene nucleation in tephritic magmas from the 2021 Tajogaite eruption (La Palma, Spain) through both in situ and ex situ view experiments. Our findings show that superheating delays nucleation by dissolving pre-existing nuclei, thereby inhibiting crystallisation upon return to subliquidus conditions. Using a numerical model, we investigate how different nucleation delays resulting from different degrees of superheating affect magma ascent dynamics. Depending on the initial thermodynamic conditions and on the pre-eruptive history of magma, an increased nucleation delay can significantly reduce crystal content during ascent, lowering magma viscosity and affecting eruptive style. These findings highlight the critical role of pre-eruptive thermal histories in controlling eruptive style, and provide constraints for refining experimental protocols and numerical models, with direct implications for improving volcanic hazard assessment and eruption forecasting.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 17(1)
Institut polytechnique de Grenoble (FR), Università di Camerino (IT), Leibniz University Hannover (DE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Milan (IT), Charles University (CZ), Diamond Light Source (GB), University of Manchester (GB), Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (IT), University of Bristol (GB), Institute of Science and Technology for Ceramics (IT), Institut Néel (FR), University of Milano-Bicocca (IT), Université Grenoble Alpes (FR)
Diamond Light Source, Equipex, Agence Nationale de la Recherche
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Geological and Geochemical Analysis
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