Superheated magma can trigger towering lava fountains, scientists find

Scientists studying magma from the 2021 Tajogaite eruption on La Palma have found that extreme heat dramatically alters how an eruption unfolds. When magma becomes superheated, it dissolves the tiny crystal seeds that normally trigger crystallisation, allowing the molten rock to remain fluid far longer as it rises. This mechanism is believed to be responsible for producing towering lava fountains.