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The most viscous volcanic melts and the largest explosive eruptions on our planet consist of calcalkaline rhyolites. These eruptions have the potential to influence global climate. The eruptive products are commonly very crystal-poor and highly degassed, yet the magma is mostly stored as crystal mushes containing small amounts of interstitial melt with elevated water content. It is unclear how magma mushes are mobilized to create large batches of eruptible crystal-free magma. Further, rhyolitic eruptions can switch repeatedly between effusive and explosive eruption styles and this transition is difficult to attribute to the rheological effects of water content or crystallinity. Here we measure the viscosity of a series of melts spanning the compositional range of the Yellowstone volcanic system and find that in a narrow compositional zone, melt viscosity increases by up to two orders of magnitude. These viscosity variations are not predicted by current viscosity models and result from melt structure reorganization, as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. We identify a critical compositional tipping point, independently documented in the global geochemical record of rhyolites, at which rhyolitic melts fluidize or stiffen and that clearly separates effusive from explosive deposits worldwide. This correlation between melt structure, viscosity and eruptive behaviour holds despite the variable water content and other parameters, such as temperature, that are inherent in natural eruptions. Thermodynamic modelling demonstrates how the observed subtle compositional changes that result in fluidization or stiffening of the melt can be induced by crystal growth from the melt or variation in oxygen fugacity. However, the rheological effects of water and crystal content alone cannot explain the correlation between composition and eruptive style. We conclude that the composition of calcalkaline rhyolites is decisive in determining the mobilization and eruption dynamics of Earth's largest volcanic systems, resulting in a better understanding of how the melt structure controls volcanic processes.

Abstract. Tuffisites, the products of subsurface fragmentation, transport and deposition, are common in explosive volcanic environments. Their study provides direct insight to the mechanical processes operating within volcanic conduits. Here we document the influence of the presence of coherent tuffisite veins on the physical properties of andesitic rocks. We find that (1) compressive strength is unaffected by the presence and/or orientation of tuffisites, (2) permeability doubles when tuffisites are oriented favorably (at 45 • to the fluid flow direction), and (3) ultrasonic wave velocities show a continuous increase with depth, independent of vein presence and orientation. Although the influence of tuffisites on andesitic rock properties determined here is modest, we emphasize that the material tested represents the post-eruptive state of tuffisite. Thus, these results likely delineate the upper and lower boundaries of strength vs. permeability and porosity, respectively. Our evidence suggests that, via compaction and lithification, tuffisites may restore the strength of the volcanic host-rocks to that of their pre-tuffisite values.

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Magmas and lavas undergo a range of shear rates during transport and emplacement. Further, transport of magma and lava occurs at subliquidus conditions where the melt crystallizes at varying temperature, pressure, and oxygen fugacity. Transport efficiency and eruption style are governed by magma rheology, which evolves during cooling, crystallization and degassing. Quantification of magma rheology rests almost exclusively on experimentation at constant temperature and shear rate. We present the first study on the effect of shear rate on subliquidus basalt rheology at conditions relevant to lava flows and shallow magmatic systems. The results reveal that basalts reach their rheologic death or cutoff temperature (Tcutoff; i.e., the point at which the sample rheologically solidifies and flow stops) at higher temperatures when flowing faster, whereas crystallization is suppressed when the shear rate is low. We explore the implications of shear‐enhanced crystallization for modeling and forecasting of lava flow hazards and our understanding of magma and lava transport/storage systems.

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