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Explosive Properties of Superheated Aqueous Solutions in Volcanic and Hydrothermal Systems

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Metastable Systems under Pressure

Abstract

Superheated aqueous solutions in volcanic and hydrothermal environments are known to reequilibrate violently through explosive boilings and gas exsolutions. While these phenomena are purely kinetic problems in essence, the explosivity conditions of these demixion processes can be investigated by following a thermodynamic approach based on spinodal curves. In a first part, we recall briefly the concepts of mechanical and diffusion spinodals. Then, we propose to differentiate superspinodal (explosive) transformations from subspinodal (non-explosive) ones. Finally, a quantitative study of spinodal curves is attempted on the binary systems H2O-CO2 and H2O-NaCl with equations of state with solid theoretical basis. It is shown that dissolved gaseous components and electrolytes have an antagonist effect: dissolved volatiles tend to shift the superspinodal region towards lower temperatures, whereas electrolytes tend to extend the metastable field towards higher temperatures. This study may give some clues to understand the explosive destabilization conditions of aqueous solutions in phreatic, phreato-magmatic and hydrothermal eruptions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, UMR 6524, CNRS/Clermont Université/OPGC, 5, rue Kessler, Clermont-Ferrand, 63038, France

    Régis Thiéry & Sébastien Loock

  2. Laboratoire Géoazur, 250 rue Albert Einstein, Valbonne, 06560, France

    Sébastien Loock

  3. Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans, Université d'Orléans, UMR 6113 CNRS-INSU, 1A rue de la Férollerie, Orléans, 45071, France

    Lionel Mercury

Authors
  1. Régis Thiéry
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  2. Sébastien Loock
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  3. Lionel Mercury
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biophysics and Molecular Physics Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

    Sylwester Rzoska  & Aleksandra Drozd-Rzoska  & 

  2. Department of Thermodynamics, Odessa State Academy of Refrigeration (OSAR), Odessa, Ukraine

    Victor Mazur

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Thiéry, R., Loock, S., Mercury, L. (2010). Explosive Properties of Superheated Aqueous Solutions in Volcanic and Hydrothermal Systems. In: Rzoska, S., Drozd-Rzoska, A., Mazur, V. (eds) Metastable Systems under Pressure. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3408-3_21

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