Understanding Sulphur Behaviour in MAgmas to model Chemical reactivity of silicate melts – USB-MAC

Because of its oxidation state varying from 2- to 6+ sulphur is the king of reactive elements on Earth. In the magmatic realm, the multitude of reactions that it can show, and so its possible forms and occurrences, are related to the properties of silicate melts. Sulphur is then a unique key to set a new model of silicate melts whose treatment made analogous to that of water aqueous solution will set new paradigms in petrology and geochemistry. For this purpose project USB-MAC plans equilibrium and disequilibrium experiments for a full chemical and structural characterization of S-bearing dissolved species and coexisting phases. Results will rationalize the role of melt composition and calibrate a kinetic and thermodynamic model solving the acid-base properties of melts, with the ultimate goal of predicting the multi-faceted sulphur behaviour in magmatic and related systems, particularly volcanic ones.