Oceanites are basaltic lavas ladden with olivine phenocrysts and erupted in the early stages of volcanoes. These lavas show a large spectrum of olivine enrichment, and form a continuous series with picrites, picrobasalts, and basalts.
My study Piton de la Fournaise oceanites (Réunion, France) has showed that the olivine phenocrysts herein grew initially rapidly from the magma before approaching equilibrium, and their further eruption to the surface.
This model of crystal growth has implications on the incorporation of trace elements such as P, Al and Cr and the occurrence of Cr-spinel and melt inclusions in olivine.
A second study was performed in olivine-rich lavas from Hulalai volcano on the Big Island, showing similar processes.
Read more about it here!
Benoit Welsch, PhD 