Glass and melt properties of hydrous Etna trachybasalt_HYDROETNA

In recent years, extensive research has highlighted the challenges of measuring the physicochemical properties of volcanic melts, primarily due to their strong tendency to undergo nanocrystallization. This issue is significant because melt properties—such as viscosity, and consequently melt structure—govern magma dynamics, influencing its transport from storage regions to volcanic conduits and ultimately affecting eruption style and behaviour.
In this study, we focus on a trachybasalt composition representative of Mt. Etna, as our previous work has demonstrated that this melt is particularly susceptible to nanocrystallization. Our objective is to provide a new dataset of viscosity measurements for both anhydrous and hydrous trachybasalt. These data will:
1. support the development of a new viscosity model specific to Mt. Etna magmas,
2. allow quantification of the impact of nanocrystallization on magma viscosity, and
3. establish a series of glass standards for investigating additional physicochemical properties (e.g., heat capacity) and for obtaining Raman spectra to infer melt structure.
This publication results from work conducted under the transnational access/national open access action at High Pressure High Temperature Laboratory of Experimental Geophysics and Volcanology –Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Rome, Italy, supported by WP3 ILGE - MEET project, PNRR - EU Next Generation Europe program, MUR grant number D53C22001400005.