Magma chamber dynamics beneath the Rockeskyller Kopf volcanic centre, West Eifel: A combined field and experimental study

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Donald Bruce Dingwell; Professor Dr. Alan Butler Woodland
• Subject Area: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
• Term: from 2005 to 2007
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 14024430

Understanding the dynamics of magmatic systems is a fundamental goal in volcanology. Magma fluxes and residence times in magma chambers are important parameters that need to be estimated if predictive models of eruption are to be developed. One powerful approach is to use reaction textures or chemical diffusion profiles to assess the duration of magma-mineral interaction by coupling these observations with experimental data on reaction kinetics. This study combines a field study of the volcanic centre at Rockeskyller Kopf, West Eifel, with subsequent experimental work to calibrate reac-tions that are directly applicable to these rocks. Mapping will establish the volcanic history and pro-vide a framework for sampling from units related to successive eruptive events. Analytical data from the natural samples will be combined with experimental results to model contact-times between miner-als and melt, and therefore assess magma residence times at a number of stages during the lifespan of the volcanic centre at Rockeskyller Kopf.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Canada
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Cliff S.J. Shaw