Melt segregation from silicic crystal mushes: a critical appraisal of possible mechanisms and their microstructural record

One of the outstanding problems in understanding the behavior of intermediate-to-silicic magmatic systems is the mechanism(s) by which large volumes of crystal-poor rhyolite can be extracted from crystal-rich mushy storage zones in the mid-deep crust. The mechanisms commonly invoked are hindered settling, micro-settling, and compaction. The concept of micro-settling involves extraction of grains from a crystal framework during Ostwald ripening...