Explosive volcanic eruptions have caused devastations in human history. They are powered by dissolved water in magma, similar to Champagne eruptions powered by dissolved carbon dioxide in alcohol-water liquid. Bubble growth and magma fragmentation are key processes in explosive eruptions. Virtually all magmatic processes, including bubble growth, magma fragmentation, and magma flow are strongly dependent on the viscosity of magmas. In order to understand volcanic eruptions, especially the non-explosive to explosive transition, there is a critical need for viscosity data on wet silicate melts at relatively high viscosity and under pressure. This grant will support new experimental work to obtain such viscosity data. Furthermore, effort will be made to develop a comprehensive model to predict viscosity of all natural silicate melts using newly available data and literature data.
Results from the grant will be critical to the understanding and modeling of bubble growth, magma fragmentation that defines explosive volcanic eruptions, and dynamics of volcanic eruptions, helping the mitigation of volcanic hazards. Furthermore, the investigation of the hydrous species equilibrium in silicate melts will lead to better understanding of the thermodynamics of, and water solubility and diffusivity in these hydrous melts, important to volcanology and igneous petrology. Collaboration with foreign scientists will further international scientific networking. Research results will be published in scientific journals, and will be incorporated into teaching and disseminated to the general public when appropriate.
