Petrological and experimental constraints on the evolution of piton de la fournaise magmas

Abstract

This chapter outlines essential petrological features of Piton de la Fournaise magmas. The main characteristics of the different magma types, and of their components (mineral and glass phases) are detailed. The available geophysical and petrological informations on the structure of the feeding system are combined and the magmatic conditions (temperature, volatile concentrations, redox state) summarized. Experimental modelling of the magmatic evolution is limited by the presently available database which concerns volatile-free compositions mostly from Piton des Neiges.