IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-62444-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

3D quantification of nanolites using X-ray ptychography reveals syn-eruptive nanocrystallisation impacts magma rheology

Author

Listed:
  • Emily C. Bamber

    (Via Granarolo 64
    Oxford Road)

  • Fabio Arzilli

    (University of Camerino)

  • Silvia Cipiccia

    (University College London
    Fermi Avenue)

  • Darren J. Batey

    (Fermi Avenue)

  • Giuseppe Spina
  • Margherita Polacci

    (Oxford Road)

  • Ali Gholinia

    (Oxford Road)

  • Heath Bagshaw

    (The University of Liverpool)

  • Danilo Genova

    (Via Granarolo 64)

  • Richard Brooker

    (University of Bristol)

  • Daniele Giordano
  • Pedro Valdivia

    (Via Granarolo 64
    Universitätsstraße 30)

  • Mike R. Burton

    (Oxford Road)

Abstract

Nanoscale crystals are becoming increasingly recognised in the products of volcanic eruptions, spanning a range of magma compositions. The crystallisation of nanolites impacts magma rheology, ascent dynamics, and eruptive style. Their impact can be enhanced due to their capacity to aggregate and develop neighbouring chemically differentiated boundary layers. However, their 3D interaction, spatial distribution, and morphology is not currently understood. Here we present a cutting-edge, 3D nanometre-scale visualisation and quantification of nanolites in scoriae of the Las Sierras-Masaya basaltic Plinian eruptions, acquired using X-ray ptychography. We find that Ti-magnetite nanolites aggregate, forming elongate, irregular structures in 3D. Their crystallisation extracts Fe and Ti from the melt, resulting in differentiated boundary layers with higher viscosity. Syn-eruptive crystallisation of nanolites and their interaction is estimated to have increased magma viscosity by 2–3 orders of magnitude, therefore, they likely had a strong control on magma rheology, increasing the potential of magma fragmentation.

Suggested Citation

  • Emily C. Bamber & Fabio Arzilli & Silvia Cipiccia & Darren J. Batey & Giuseppe Spina & Margherita Polacci & Ali Gholinia & Heath Bagshaw & Danilo Genova & Richard Brooker & Daniele Giordano & Pedro Va, 2025. "3D quantification of nanolites using X-ray ptychography reveals syn-eruptive nanocrystallisation impacts magma rheology," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62444-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62444-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62444-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-62444-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-62444-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.