What Is Magma?

By jamie

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7. Heat Transfer

This is another process of magma formation that begins with preexisting magma. When it enters into cold crust and begins to cool, it transfers its heat energy into the surrounding crust. When there is a repeated occurrence of this kind of intrusion, there may be sufficient buildup of heat to raise the geothermal gradient and cause the surrounding rocks to melt and form new magma.

Rhyolitic magma can be formed this way by basaltic magma penetrating into and transferring heat into the rock of different mineral composition. This mechanism can also occur in the ocean crust and along continental rift valleys.

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