Reconstructing magmatic histories with 3D diffusion modeling of complex crystals

Magmatic stopwatches that model 1D diffusion in minerals and melts neglect complex 3D structures common in natural crystals, leading to potentially inaccurate temporal constraints on magmatic processes such as storage, ascent, and volatile transfer. Here we combine X-ray microtomography reconstructions of morphologically diverse olivine crystals with 3D finite element diffusion models to develop an integrated magmatic history for the 1820 Keanakāko’i eruption of Kīlauea (Hawai’i). Fe-Mg diffusion in olivine indicates decadal storage before pre-eruptive mixing of days to weeks. Melt inclusions infer decompression rates of 1 x 10−4 to 6.3 x 10−3 MPa/s and maximum syn-eruptive cooling rates of 7.5 to 15 ∘C/s, as determined by diffusive water loss and Mg diffusion, respectively. Our approach offers a transferable framework to constrain the timescales of volatile degassing and magmatic processes across diverse tectonic settings on Earth and beyond, thereby enhancing our understanding of magma evolution, eruption dynamics, and volcanic hazards. 3D mineral stopwatches reveal multi-stage magmatic history before the 1820 lava fountaining eruption at Kīlauea volcano, Hawai’i. Magmas can be stored for decades then mobilized over days before ascending to the surface in a matter of hours.