Magmas are the Largest Repositories and Carriers of Earth’s Redox Processes

Abstract

Magma is the most important chemical transport agent throughout our planet. This paper provides an overview of the interplay between magma redox, major element chemistry, and crystal and volatile content, and of the influence of redox on the factors that drive igneous system dynamics. Given the almost infinite combinations of temperature, pressure, and chemical compositions relevant to igneous petrology, we focus on the concepts and methods that redox geochemistry provides to understand magma formation, ascent, evolution and crystallization. Particular attention is paid to the strong and complex interplay between melt structure and chemistry, and to the influence that redox conditions have on melt properties, crystallization mechanisms and the solubility of volatile components.