Interpretation of porosity in dacite lava domes as ductile–brittle failure textures

Pores in dacite lavas of three volcanoes in Japan (Unzen, Yakedake and Daisen) have characteristics unlike vesicles. Most of the pores have ragged walls marked by the protrusion of groundmass crystals and phenocrysts. The shapes of these pores range from irregular to planar. Many pores occur in ‘pressure shadows’ adjacent to phenocrysts. Some pores are crack-like and pass around phenocrysts and have blunt terminations. Most of the pores are interpreted as the result of failure of the magma by flow during ductile–brittle transition. This phenomenon, known as cavitation, is well established in hydraulics and the material sciences. Cavitation of the lavas in this study was promoted by steep slope of emplacement, subtle mechanical contrasts between bands, and strain intensification around rigid crystals and lithic fragments. Cavitation in lava can extract volatiles from magma causing premature embrittlement and weakening. Cavitation is inferred to be critical to the initiation of lava-front pyroclastic flows.