Is the magma in one volcano different from the magma in every other volcano?

Question

Is there a significant difference between the magma in different volcanoes? If so, why?Doesn't all magma come from the same place if you go down deep enough?

Answer 1

This is a great question! Yes, the chemical composition of magma is different depending on which volcano you study. Depending on which process is causing the magmatism, you could have a variety of compositions. The compositions of melts derived from the mantle, the partial melting of the asthenosphere, or magma mixing with the crust are all different. Additionally, the mantle is not completely homogenous. Therefore, even when you study (for example) kimberlites and compare mantle xenoliths from the Arctic and South Africa, they have different isotopic signatures.

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