MAGMATISM

What is Magma?
• Magma is composed of semi-
liquid hot molten rocks
located beneath the Earth,
specifically in the melted
mantle rock and oceanic
plate. This molten state,
when solidified, creates
igneous rocks found on the
surface of the Earth.
 Do you know the difference between magma
and lava?

• Magma and lava are both

molten rocks. However,
they differ in location.
• Magma is found in the
magma chamber of the
volcano while lava is
found on the surface of
earth once the volcano
erupts.
What is magmatism?

• Magmatism is a process under the

earth’s crust where formation and
movement of magma occur. So
where does these
formation and movement
take place? These happen in
the lower part of the Earth’s crust
and in the upper portion of the
mantle, known as
asthenosphere.
How is magma formed?

• The magma present in the lower crust and upper mantle of the
Earth is formed or generated through the process of

partial melting.
• In this process, different minerals in rock melt at different
temperature and pressure. Another factor being considered in
this process is the addition of volatile materials such as water
and carbon dioxide.
Melting in the mantle requires one of three
possible events to occur:

• 1. AN INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE:
Conduction in mantle happens when heat is transferred
from hotter molten rocks to the Earth’s cold crust.
• This process is known as heat transfer. As magma rises,
it is often hot enough to melt the rock it touches. It
happens at convergent boundaries, where tectonic
plates are crashing together
Melting in the mantle requires one of three
possible events to occur:

•2. A DECREASE OF PRESSURE: Mantle

rocks remain solid when exposed to high pressure.
However, during convection, these rocks tend to go
upward (shallower level) and the pressure is reduced.
• This triggers the melting of magma. This is known as
decompression melting. This process occurs at the Mid-
Ocean Ridge, an underwater mountain system.
 FUN FACT
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
BIGGEST CALDERA ON EARTH
 A caldera is a large, bowl-
shaped volcanic depression
formed by the collapse of a
volcanic cone or by an
explosion.
 BIGGEST CALDERA ON EARTH
The Apolaki Caldera
holds the distinction of
being the world’s
largest caldera.
 BIGGEST CALDERA ON EARTH
Here are the details:
Name: Apolaki Caldera
Diameter: Approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles)
Location: It lies within the Benham Rise (also known as
the Philippine Rise), which is an underwater plateau in
the Philippine Sea. Discovery
Date: The caldera was discovered in 2019 by Jenny Anne
Barretto, a Filipina marine geophysicist, and her
team123.
The name “Apolaki” carries significance—it means “giant lord”
in Filipino and is associated with the god of sun and war in
certain Philippine mythologies and indigenous folk religions.
Fortunately, the Apolaki Caldera is currently inactive, posing no
threat to the surrounding areas.
Geological History:Gravimetric analysis reveals that the
Benham Rise consists of a massive layer of magmatic and
volcanic rocks, approximately nine miles thick. These rocks
formed through volcanic activity over a span of time ranging
from 47.9 to 26 million years1 . The Apolaki Caldera remains a
remarkable geological feature, hidden beneath the Philippine
Sea, and its discovery sheds light on our planet’s dynamic
history.