Magma repeatedly breaks and heals during eruptions, microscopic evidence suggests

Explosive volcanic eruptions can launch pyroclasts—fragments of magma and rock—into the air and surrounding areas, affecting air and road traffic and causing damage to crops and wildlife. Understanding how these particles form is crucial, as it influences their size and dispersion. A new study by volcanologist Jacopo Taddeucci and his team from Italy's Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia reveals that magma fragmentation during explosive eruptions is a prolonged process occurring over both space and time, not just at a single point.

Using advanced microscopic techniques, the researchers analyzed pyroclasts from three basaltic volcanoes—Etna, Stromboli, and Cumbre Vieja—and found that fragmentation happens in several stages. They also discovered that crack healing and the welding of pyroclasts together play a significant role in determining final particle size.

This finding could help refine computer models of eruptions and improve our understanding of past volcanic events. The study's collaborative approach, involving international researchers, provides a valuable record for reconstructing earlier fragmentation conditions and modeling future eruptions.