In this publication in Scientific Reports, researchers at the Ocean University of China used the FusionAX system to observe the dehydration of serpentine, a metamorphic reaction that is critical in geodynamics.
🌋The large fluid release during serpentine dehydration is thought to cause arc partial melting, magmatism, and intermediate-depth seismicity.
The authors captured real-time nanoscale transformations of lizardite (a serpentine mineral) from 20 to 600°C.
Their key findings:
🔬 Lizardite amorphizes & recrystallizes into nanocrystalline forsterite & talc.
🔥 Higher temperatures = faster dehydration & more nucleation of new minerals.
🪨The crystal shrinks but stays intact, forming nanoscale pores & interconnected networks!
This research helps us understand how dehydration influences rock evolution deep within the Earth’s crust! 🌍
Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-88077-2
