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High pressure experimental investigation of clinopyroxene dissolution in a K-basaltic melt

Publication at Faculty of Science |
2021

Abstract

Dissolution of clinopymxene (cpx) in a K-basaltic melt from the Campi Flegrei Volcanic District (Italy) has been investigated through dissolution and dissolution-crystallization experiments at pressure of 0.8 GPa, superliquidus temperature of 1350 degrees C, and dwell times between 0.5 and 1 h. The obtained dissolution rates range from 7.9.10(-6) cm s(-1) to 6.1.10(-6) cm s(-1) as a function of dwell time.

In the dissolution-crystallization experiment (1300 degrees C; 0.8 GPa; 2 h), the formation of overgrowth rims accompanied by new cpx crystals suggests that the injection of recharge magmas in basaltic reservoir may lead to inverse or oscillatory zonation. The interaction between cpx and K-basaltic melt at approx. 1570 degrees C was studied by in situ radiography using synchrotron radiation combined with the Paris-Edinburgh press.

This resulted in cpx resorption to occur depending on the temperature conditions with respect to the liquidus temperature of the cpx {T(cpxL)}. The calculated cpx dissolution rates are approx. 5.10(-3) cm s(-1) at T = T(cpxL).

The role of crystal dissolution in the estimation of magma residence times has been also tested for a natural magmatic system by interpolating the dissolution rates {approx. 10(-5)-10(-6) cm s(-1)} with the textural data of cpx phenocrysts from the Agnano-Monte Spina pyroclastic deposit at Campi Flegrei caldera (Campanian region, Italy). Results from calculations indicate that the time required for partial or complete resorption of phenocrysts varies from approx. 0.5 to approx. 40 h, and that the effect of crystal dissolution may be relevant to estimate magma residence times whether significant dissolution occurs during magma mixing processes.