Excess explosivity driven by melt inclusions during the 946 CE Plinian eruption of Baekdusan

Abstract Melt inclusions readily rupture and form gas bubbles during explosive volcanic eruptions, but their role as a source remains enigmatic. Here, we examined pumice texture generated by the instantaneous bursting of melt 946 CE Plinian eruption at Baekdusan. The burst produced non-sheared, super-vesicular (>80 vol.% voids) bubble pockets, occupying volume fractions 6–24% within Millennium gray pumice. pocket suggests that acted an additional increased erupting magma moment fragmentation. Two distinctive feldspar–glass assemblages either sanidine-bearing trachyte or anorthoclase-bearing rhyolite in pockets indicate chemical bimodality hemisphere-scale, Baekdusan tephra resulted from cryptic mixing two magmas. excess explosivity induced should be considered when modeling dynamics assessing hazards, therefore having broad volcanological implications.