Mineralogy and geochemistry of crystals - Insight into the deep structure of basaltic volcanoes

Basaltic lavas worldwide carry crystal mush fragments that have been transported from deep magma chambers. I will interrogate crystal cargos from lavas in different geodynamic settings to constrain magma storage conditions beneath basaltic volcanoes and refine our understanding of how the oceanic and continental crusts are built. For these projects, I will focus on lava flows from mid-ocean ridges, intraplate volcanoes (oceanic plateaus and continental hotspots) and subduction zones. The origin of crystal mush fragments transported in basaltic lavas is poorly known. I will develop an experimental program to constrain the dominant processes of crystal mush rejuvenation. I will investigate the effect of magma underplating and volatile fluxing on the rheological properties of gabbroic rocks and semi-consolidated crystal mushes. I will especially investigate the role of the volume of injected magma, the temperature of intrusion and the composition of the cumulate on crystal mush disaggregation in m- to km scale basaltic magma chambers emplaced in the lower crust and upper crust.

Keywords:volcanoes

Disciplines:Geology