Are the lavas with more silica-rich compositions more or less viscous?
And if they are more viscous, would this mean that the volcanoes they
come from are more explosive than others?
Damon Rayner
Dear Damon,
Yes, more silica-rich magmas are more viscous. This means that the ERUPTIONS
that they are associated with are more explosive. The volcano itself might be
able to also erupt non-explosive basalt at other times. You would assume that
it might usually erupt silica-rich magmas so it wouldn't be too far off to say
that the volcano is more explosive, but technically you'd say that the eruption
was more explosive.
Good questions,
Scott Rowland, University of North Dakota
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