Synchrotron imaging of falling sphere viscometry of hydrous basanite melt

This proposal requests beam time for exploratory rheometry experiments on ultralow-viscosity, hydrous basanite magma. This type of magma has only been rarely observed to erupt from volcanoes, however, the 2021-2022 eruption of basanite from Tajogaite on the island of La Palma (Castro and Feisel, 2022) marks the most recent and destructive event of its kind in Europe. This project aims to mesure the viscosity of hydrous basanite melts. The data we obtain using X-Ray radiographic imaging will expand our understanding of the physical properties of magma ascending from the deep earth, enabling improved physical models of magmatic processes.