Unravelling textural heterogeneity in obsidian:shear-induced outgassing in the Rocche Rosse flow

Obsidian flow emplacement is a complex and understudied aspect of silicic volcanism. Of particular importance is the question of how highly viscous magma can lose sufficient gas in order to erupt effusively as a lava flow. Using an array of methods we study the extreme textural heterogeneity of the Rocche Rosse obsidian flow in Lipari, a 2. km long, 100. m thick, ~. 800. year old lava flow, with respect to outgassing and emplacement mechanisms. 2D and 3D vesicle analyses and density measurements are used to classify the lava into four textural types: 'glassy' obsidian (<. 15% vesicles), 'pumiceous' lava (>. 40% vesicles), high aspect ratio, 'shear banded' lava (20-40% vesicles) and lo…