Solidification Fronts in Sill-Like Magma Chambers

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Solidification fronts propagate inward from the upper and lower margins of sills, lavas, and lava lakes, regardless of size, and largely control magmatic evolution. These fronts or crusts are characterized by strong changes in crystallinity and viscosity. They partition magmatic processes into two regions: (1) an inward region dominated largely by fluid processes (e.g., crystal settling and convection), and (2) an outer region, within the solidification fronts themselves, dominated largely by intercrystalline processes (e.g., porous flow and compaction). The aim of this proposal is to investigate the dynamic interplay between these regions and to understand the physical and chemical processes that characterize each region. The proposed investigation involves both field and theoretical work. It will improve our understanding of how relatively thin magma bodies solidify and permit modeling of that process.