Experimental insights on the shear-induced crystallization of a phonotephrite magma

In active volcanic environments magmas that ascend within the conduit and erupt at the surface as lava flows experience physico-chemical perturbations related to temperature changes and variable degrees of deformation. We have conducted experimental investigations to examine the concurrent effects of undercooling and stirring on the crystallization kinetics of a leucite-bearing phonotephrite from Somma-Vesuvius (Italy). Two sets of undercooling experiments have been carried out within the same temperature range of 1300–1150 °C. The first set involved classical static undercooling (SU) experiments with no stirring applied to the melt, while the second set involved dynamic undercooling (DU) experiments with a shear strain rate of 1 s−1 applied. By comparing SU and DU results with previous data from literature obtained using the same experimental approach, we observe that the degree of crystallization and the textural evolution of leucite and clinopyroxene progress upon the effect of melt stirring by shortening the incubation time. As a result, the solidification process is markedly enhanced in DU experiments, accompanied by a substantial increase in the crystal nucleation density and growth rate. Thermorheological modeling indicates that stirring-induced crystallization increases the melt viscosity by a factor of ∼1.5–4.5 depending on the system temperature. At a given temperature, mass transport can therefore produce higher crystallinity and higher viscosity magmatic suspensions than static crystallization conditions. We document that if subsequent cooling occurs, the existing crystal cargo in such suspensions may promote the onset of non-Newtonian rheological response, causing a transition from homogeneous viscous flow to shear localization and magma/lava rupture.