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Water solubility and bubble growth dynamics in rhyolitic silicate melts at atmospheric pressure

University of British Columbia

This thesis is a high-temperature, low-pressure experimental study that quantifies the temperature-dependence of water (H₂O) solubility in a rhyolitic melt at atmospheric pressure, and assesses the sensitivity of the water exsolution and bubble growth processes to thermodynamic and kinetic parameters. In the investigation of H₂O solubility I defined the magnitude of retrograde solubility (-7.1x10-³ wt% H₂O per 100°C) and estimated the enthalpy and entropy of the H₂O exsolution reaction (ΔH⁰ = +17.8 kJ mol-¹, ΔS⁰ = 107 J K-¹ mol-¹). I also modelled the implications of retrograde solubility for the glass transition temperature (Tg) and outline the potential effect on cooling volcanic bodies at surface- and conduit-relevant pressures if cooling is slow enough to facilitate H2O resorption. In my investigation of bubble growth dynamics and the vesiculation process in my experimental products I recalibrated the estimates of H₂O exsolution enthalpy and entropy (ΔH⁰ = +18.5 kJ mol-¹, ΔS⁰ = 108 J K-¹ mol-¹). Additionally I identified the viscosity (η) dependence of average volumetric growth rate (dV/dt) (log dV/dt = -0.79 log η + 4.95) and have calculated the time to develop 60% porosity for melts of varying viscosities at conduit-relevant pressures that are up to 15% oversaturated with H₂O. By dismantling a complex system and individually investigating the behaviours of dissolved and exsolved H₂O I have developed models that can be used to study volcanic hazards past, present and future.

Text

2014-11-19

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/51125

Geological Sciences

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/