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Volcanology

Eruptions from the deep

Nature Geoscience volume 16, pages 288–289 (2023)Cite this article

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Long-lasting eruptions of some subduction zone volcanoes may be regulated by their magma sources in the mantle. This suggests that direct connections between the mantle and surface are possible through a relatively thick crust.

Primarily effusive eruptions occur at volcanoes such as those in Hawaii and Iceland. These can be directly fed from the mantle, which is generally 10–20 km beneath the surface in such settings, enabling continuous and rapid magma ascent (for example, ref. 5). By contrast, in subduction zones, the crust is usually at least 20 km thick; thus, magma transport between the mantle and the surface is generally slower and influenced by multiple processes1. Some magma source areas in the mantle may not have experienced partial melting previously, whereas others have6. Fluids released from oceanic crust in subduction drive metasomatism — mineralogical, chemical and physical transformations — of the mantle, ultimately triggering its melting to form magma7. The isotopic signatures of key elements in volcanic rocks are the predominant means to determine the composition and degree of melting of their mantle source.

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Fig. 1: An explosive eruption of Tungurahua volcano.

Ammit / Alamy Stock Photo

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  1. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Jorge E. Romero

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  1. Jorge E. Romero
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Correspondence to Jorge E. Romero.

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Romero, J.E. Eruptions from the deep. Nat. Geosci. 16, 288–289 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01162-x

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