The Magma
• Magma is a “hot, naturally occurring mobile rock-forming material,
generated within a planet, natural satellite, or other cosmic body of broadly
similar nature”.
• It is simply a high temperature molten material of complex silicates and
oxides.
• In addition, it commonly contains significant quantities of volatile
components such as H2O, Cl, CO2. . .etc trapped as bubbles.
• Composition: variable, generally classified as
Ultramafic, Mafic, Intermediate, or Felsic
– Major elements: O, Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, K
– Minor elements: Ti, Mn, P, H, C
– Trace elements (< 0.1 wt.%; measured in ppm or ppb)
– Gas (Volatile) Content - ƒ (composition, pressure)
• Temperature - ƒ (environment of magma formation, composition of source
material)
• Viscosity (stickiness) - ƒ [temperature, composition (esp. silica content)]
• Density - ƒ composition esp. its water content.
• Magma lies at great depths in the earth and has a wide
diversity of chemical and physical properties.
• The melt commonly contains suspended solid crystals.
• There may be significant quantities of volatile components
such as H2O, Cl, CO2. . .etc trapped as bubbles.
• The major elements of common magma combine on cooling
to produce the “rock forming minerals”;
minerals quartz, feldspars,
feldspathoids, pyroxene, olivine, and when water is present
amphiboles and mica.
• Common accessory minerals, e.g. iron titanium oxides,
apatite, zircon and sulphides, form minor constituents.
Physical properties of magma
• Most aspects of magmatic behaviour depend on physical
properties.
• Active volcanoes provide opportunities to witness the eruption
of magma onto the earth surface where such important
properties can be measured as:
– Temperature
– Density.
– Viscosity.
1- Temperature
• During periods of volcanic eruption, magmatic temperatures can
be measured directly with optical pyrometer and thermocouples.
• MacDonal (1963) made a large amount of reliable temperature
data for the basic magma of the Hawaiian volcanoes.
• He concluded that the Hawaiian basaltic magma approaches the
surface between 1050° and 1200°C, and that they might
continue to flow below 800°c.
• Wright et al (1968) found that the initial magma temperature in
the Kilauea lava lakes, Hawaii was close to 1200°c.
• The probable range of temperature is 1200°C to 700°C .
2- Density
• The density of magma controls many important petrologic processes.
• Crystals may float or sink in a magma (depending on contrast in
crystal and liquid densities), and so they can change the composition
of the remaining magma.
• Most density data have been obtained either on silicate liquid above
their crystallization temperature or silicate liquid quenched to a glass.
• The density of a silicate liquid or glass is related to its composition
(particularly its water content).
• Natural anhydrous glasses (obsidians) show density range at room
temperature:
~ 2.4 gm/cm3 for acid composition
~ 2.9 gm/cm3 for basic composition.
• Lower values are expected for corresponding melts at 900 - 1200°c.
• At extrusion temperatures, the density of Hawaiian basaltic lava's
containing a small number of crystals has been estimated at 2.73
gm/cm3.
• Measurements on artificially prepared basaltic liquids at 1250°c gave
values of 2.63 gm/cm3.
3- Viscosity
• Viscosity is the physical property that describes the
resistance to flow.
• Lavas show various degrees of viscosity.
• Some able to flow rapidly over great distances,
whereas others barely move.
• It is extremely important in determining the rates of
emplacement of magma and the shapes of igneous
bodies.
• At constant temperature, an increase in water markedly
decreases the viscosity.
• The viscosity of a magma depends on its composition.
• Basaltic magma flows more readily than acid magma.
Chemical composition of igneous rocks
• Only 8 elements constitute the major part (by weight) of the
igneous rocks
(O, Si, Al, Mg, Fe, Ca, Na, K).
• Other 5 elements (P, H, C, Mn, Ti) can be added to the major
constituent.
• The proportions of the various elements vary greatly.
• The composition of igneous rocks is usually given in the form of
oxides.
• Most igneous rocks are composed almost entirely of minerals
with various constituents (Si, Al, Mg, Fe, Ca, Na, K)
coordinated with oxygen.
• Silica (SiO2) predominates the compositions of the igneous
rocks, forming between 35- 75% by weight.
• Next in abundance is A12O3 (12 - 18%), Fe, MgO and CaO.
• Na2O and K2O usually form 2.5 - 4% and 0.5 to 5%
respectively.
• In addition, small amount of volatile components e.g. H2O,
Cl, CO2. .. etc. are present.
• Primary magma (parental magma) is a magma with a chemical
composition that has not changed since it was generated within
the interior of a planet.
• The source of a primary magma is universally accepted as the
upper mantle.
• It would seem unlikely that such magmas could reach high levels
in the crust without being modified in composition.
• Upon reaching surface, the primary basaltic magma will not
reflect the conditions of primary generation.
• It will however possess a different compositions on cooling and
will be considered as derivative magmas.
• The basalt magmas usually show high temperature relative to
other magmas, and hence upon cooling and differentiation it will
give rise to a range of lower-temperature derivative magmas.
