Name: Marlon Morocho Points: ___/40

Lab 3 Calculation of magma viscosity

The basic equations

The viscosity μ of a multi-component liquid is given by

E
ln ( μ ) =ln ( μ0 ) +( )
RT

where μ0 is a hypothetical viscosity at infinite temperature, E is an activation energy, R is the gas

constant, and T is temperature (in Kelvin).

Equation 1 can be approximated empirically by the following:

( )
4
10
ln ( μ ) = S−1.5 S−6.4
T

where S is a parameter calculated below.

Shaw’s method involves (1) calculating S for a given magma, and (2) substituting into equation 2.

Parameters you need for the calculation

Constituent Molecular weight Parameter B in eq. 3

SiO2 60.09
Al203 101.94 6.7 (for ‘AlO2’)
Fe2O3 159.7 3.4 (for ‘FeO’)
FeO 71.85 3.4
MgO 40.32 3.4
CaO 56.08 4.5
TiO2 79.90 4.5
Na2O 61.98 2.8
K2O 94.20 2.8
H2O 18.02 2.0

Calculation of parameter S for a given magma composition

1. Convert the chemical composition to number of moles of each oxide species (called here i).
2. Convert it again to mole fractions X i (assuming that Al is in the hypothetical form ‘AlO 2’
and all the Fe2O3 is in the form of FeO).
3. For each oxide species (apart from SiO 2) calculate the parameter Xi.B.XSiO2. The parameter
S is then calculated using eq. 3.
 ❑
∑
❑
❑ X i B X SiO 2
S=
(1− X SiO 2)

The viscosity of the magma can then be calculated using eq. 2.

A worked example
Mount Pinatubo (1991) white pumice magma with 6 wt% water

Oxide Wt% Mole proportion Mole fraction (Xi) Xi.B.XSiO2

SiO2 72.93 1.214 0.634

Al2O3 12.05 0.236** 0.123 0.524
Fe2O3 0 0.000** 0 0
FeO 0.75 0.01 0.005 0.012
MgO 0.19 0.005 0.002 0.005
CaO 1.22 0.022 0.011 0.032
TiO2 0.13 0.002 0.001 0.002
Na2O 3.91 0.063 0.033 0.059
K2O 2.8 0.03 0.016 0.028
H2O 6 0.333 0.174 0.22

Σ (Xi.B.XSiO2) = 0.883

** These values are twice the number of moles of the stated oxides. They are the
number of moles of the hypothetical components ‘AlO2’ and ‘FeO’.

Units of viscosity

The Shaw method yields m in units of poise (g cm-1 s-1). The poise is the old unit of viscosity,
which is still sometimes used. The Système International unit of viscosity is the Pascal second
(Pa s = kg m-1 s-1).

Effect of suspended crystals

The viscosity of a suspension μS is given approximately by the Einstein-Roscoe equation

[ ]
−2.5
X
μS =μ L (1− )
X max

where μL is the liquid viscosity, X is the volume fraction of crystals, and Xmax is the crystal
fraction at loose packing (Xmax = 0.6). This law is valid up to about 40 % crystals.
Questions

1. How many poises are equal to 1 Pa s?

Poise= g/cm s
Pa s= kg/ m s

kg/m s * 1000 g m/kg 100 cm s

1Pa s= 10 g/ cm s

2. Calculate the viscosity (Pa s) at 780 °C, of the Pinatubo rhyolitic magma with 6 wt%
dissolved water given in the worked example.

In(u)= (10^4/1053,15)( 2,412)-(1,5(2,412))-6,4

u= 395507,536 Poises

u= 39550,7536Pa s

3. Imagine that the same rhyolite ascends to the surface, degassing as it goes. It arrives at the
surface with only 0.5 wt% dissolved water. Recalculate the chemical composition of the
rhyolite with 0.5 wt % H2O, then calculate its viscosity (still at 780 °C). Hint: when
recalculating, the mole proportion of Al2O3 needs to be multiplied by 2 as we assume later in
the calculation that it is the mole proportion of AlO 2. Compare the viscosities of the wet
magma at depth and the degassed rhyolite at the surface. Does outgassing of water have a
large effect on the viscosity? By what factor?

In(u)= (10^4/1053,15)(4,719)-(1,5(4,719))-6,4
u= 7,1948E+13 Poises

u=7,1948E+12 Pa s

We can compare 2 viscosities an we can observe how the weigh percentage of water is a
huge change in that measure. I think that the main consequence of that change is the
normalization, because the temperature is the same, but it has new data. Also is interesting
how the S value, is more or less the double that with initial data.

4. Estimate the viscosity of hydrous rhyolite with 40 vol% suspended crystals. Does the
presence of crystals change the viscosity a lot (compared, say, to water content)?

[ ]
−2.5
X
μS =μ L (1− )
X max
 [ ]
−2.5
0,4
μS =39550,7536(1− )
0,6

μS =13181,0845 Pa s

5. Finally, calculate the viscosity of a typical basaltic magma (Ukinrek Maar basalt) with 4 wt
% dissolved H2O, 50.98 % SiO2, 13.39 % Al2O3, 0 wt% Fe2O3, 17.40 % FeO, 5.36 % MgO,
4.02 % CaO, 0 % TiO2, 6.18 % Na2O, 2.68 % K2O. Take the temperature as 1120 °C.
Compare the value with those of the rhyolite.

In(u)= (10^4/1393,15)(1,746)-(1,5(1,746))-6,4
u= 33,5722235 Poises

u=3,35722235 Pa s

Afteer of all operations, we can observe how 2 viscosites are totally different. The process
are the same, but the oxides weigth porcentaje and the temperature are different and it
produce a huge decresing of the rhyolite viscosities. The first U, is the viscosity with thw
original data and the second U, show the effect of change data.
U1=3,35722235 Pa s
U2= 39550,7536Pa s

6. Programme an Excel spreadsheet for the Shaw method, and include crystals.
a. For the rhyolite plot viscosity as a function of water content, from 0 to 7 wt%.
b. Compare the result with a more recent experimental calibration for rhyolite (Hess and
Dingwell 1996):

log ( μ ) =[ −3.545+0.833 ln ( w ) ] +
[ 9601−2368 ln ( w ) ]
T −[195.7 +32.25 ln (w)]

where μ is in Pa s, w is water content in wt% and T is temperature in Kelvin. The Hess

and Dingwell calibration is believed to reproduce more accurately the effect of water at
low water contents.
 Shaw Method (T= 1253,15 K)
8

5
wt% H20

0
0 5000000 10000000 15000000 20000000 25000000 30000000 35000000 40000000

Viscosity (Pa s)

Ex.Calibration (T= 1253,15 K)

8

4
wt% H2O

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Viscosity (Pa s)

For both plots, we can observe how the curve is decreasing. We to be careful, because the water
weight percentage stars with 0 and the top is 7%, so the viscosity is reducing according we
increasing the weight percentage data. The relationship that I can notice is how the line is
decreasing with both methods, but is important to sing that the temperature was contangoing for
both stations. Like observation, I can say that both plots can improve if we work with 50 or more
divisions between 0-7% wt%. Because just in this case, we can observe what haven on special
cases as: How is the viscosity reduction when the wt% is near to 1-3%.
 7. Use these tools to have fun and explore the effects of melt composition, temperature and
crystal content on magma viscosity.
Melt composition, temperature and crystal content are very important for can estimate of
magma viscosity. With all exercises previously worked, I can understand that the viscosity
just needs a little change, on any variable for have a different behavior. For example, just
with temperature variation, it has a proportional variation. But, with constant temperature,
and changing the oxides weigh percentage, it also changes. Honestly, the crystals content, I
cannot understand very well the effect that it has. But the water weight percentage is the
main variable that produce changes. For this calculation, we need, specific conditions.