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Seismic evaluation of well-controlled experimental volcanic simulations offers the hope of a better understanding of source mechanisms in natural volcanic seismicity. Here, we have performed the first investigation of the dynamics of explosive volcanic eruption of magma under controlled laboratory conditions. Specifically, we analyzed the micro-seismicity generated by the rapid depressurization of volcanic rocks in a shock tube apparatus, which represents the seismic mechanism. The source parameters and the force system have been analyzed considering the relationship F= πr2 Po. Our well-constrained physical mechanism consists of the slow pressurization of the system (using Argon gas) followed by rapid depressurization of natural volcanic samples (ash, pumice and fragmented particles of pumice) contained in a steel pipe-like conduit of radius r and height~ 2r. Several experiments with samples with …