Magma

Magma is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural satellites. Besides molten rock, magma may also contain suspended crystals and gas bubbles. Magma is produced by melting of the mantle or the crust in various tectonic settings, which on Earth include subduction zones, continental rift zones, mid-ocean ridges and hotspots. Mantle and crustal melts migrate upwards through the crust where they are thought to be stored in magma chambers or trans-crustal crystal-rich mush zones. During magma's storage in the crust, its composition may be modified by fractional crystallization, contamination with crustal melts, magma mixing, and degassing.

Read more in the app

Record-breaking trove of mantle rocks hints at how magma feeds seafloor volcanoes

Super Earths that seem to have oceans may actually be covered in magma

Volcanic Underpinnings: How Magma and Water Sculpted the Iconic Columbia River Gorge

Tonga volcano eruption was fueled by 2 merging chambers that are still brimming with magma

Mars Conceals a Radioactive Sea of Magma Under Its Surface

Crystals brought back by astronauts show that the Moon is 40 million years older than scientists thought | After an ocean of magma cooled down, the lunar crystals formed at least 4.46 billion years ago

From Core to Crust: The Significance of Magma’s Oxidation in Earth’s Formation

Mysteries of the Earth: How Fast Did Ancient Magma Ocean Solidify?

New Research Provides Insights into Dynamics of Primordial Earth’s Magma Ocean

Mysteries of the Earth: Researchers predict how fast ancient magma ocean solidified

Magma Charts a Shockingly Unexpected Course Beneath Volcanoes

Exact magma locations may improve volcanic eruption forecasts

New Study Challenges Conventional Wisdom on the Origins of Large Magma Eruptions

Hawai'i earthquake swarm caused by magma moving through 'sills'

Io may have an underworld magma ocean or a hot metal heart

No, Yellowstone isn’t about to erupt, even after more magma was found

There's a Giant Magma Plume on Mars, Bulging the Surface out Across a Vast Region

Colossal Discovery on Mars Could Drive Surging Magma Under The Surface

The Yellowstone Supervolcano Holds Way More Liquid Magma Than We Realized

What Lies Beneath Yellowstone’s Volcano? Twice As Much Magma As Thought