www.sciencedaily.com
Scientists have discovered that magma shearing, or “kneading,” within a volcano’s conduit can trigger the formation of gas bubbles, independent of pressure changes. This finding challenges previous understanding of bubble formation in magma. Shear forces create pathways for gas to escape, potentially reducing the explosiveness of eruptions. This mechanism can explain why some magmas, initially thought to be highly explosive, instead result in relatively gentle lava flows. The discovery sheds new light on volcanic processes and eruption dynamics.
