Increasing complexity in magmatic architecture of volcanoes along a waning hotspot

How magma flow affects volcano structure

31 July 2023

The complexity of magma chambers in volcanos increases as the flow of magma becomes weaker.

Australia boasts the longest chain of continental hotspot volcanos in the world. This string of now-extinct volcanos stretches for nearly 2,000 kilometres along Australia’s east coast. They erupted over the course of 35 million years as Australia passed over a hotspot.

Since this hotspot gradually waned over time, the volcanos provide a perfect window into how the strength of magma flow affects the internal structure of volcanos.

Now, by examining tiny crystals produced by the volcanos, three researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia have found that northern volcanos, which formed earlier when the flow of magma was stronger, had simpler internal structures than southern volcanos.

Similar trends in other volcanos produced by hotspots around the world imply that magma flow has a big impact on how such volcanos evolve.

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References

1. Nature Geoscience 16, 371–379 (2023). doi: 10.1038/s41561-023-01156-9