Articles tagged with Lava
A team of researchers led by Esteban Gazel discovered deep portions of Earth's mantle might be as hot as it was more than 2.5 billion years ago. They found magnesium concentrations and textural evidence similar to the mysterious Archean komatiites in rocks from the 90 million-year-old Tortugal Suite in Costa Rica.
Astronomers have obtained an exceptionally detailed map of the largest lava lake on Io, showing two waves of lava sweeping from west to east at about 3,300 feet per day. The temperature variation across the surface of the lake reveals a smooth gradient, with the western end at 270 Kelvin and the southeastern end at 330 Kelvin.
New NASA research on Mars volcano Arsia Mons suggests its peak volcanic activity occurred around 150 million years ago, similar to the time of Earth's Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event that led to the demise of dinosaurs. The study provides valuable insights into the Red Planet's history and interior structure.
Researchers at LSU have found evidence of a complex mantle beneath the Elysium volcanic province on Mars, with geochemical changes suggesting primary magmatic processes. The study's findings have significant implications for understanding Mars' geological history and potential hazards for future human missions.
Researchers have created a new seafloor map that provides detailed information about the 2015 eruption at Axial Seamount. The map reveals 14 separate lava flows containing nearly 156 million cubic meters of lava, as well as precise locations of eruptive fissures.
Researchers discovered temperature and water content cycles within magma reservoirs affect eruptive styles, with varying points controlling explosive eruptions. The study provides insights into volcanic behavior, potentially helping forecast eruption explosivity.
Researchers confirm massive volcanic eruptions occurred 170-90 million years ago, triggering environmental catastrophes and mass extinctions. The study suggests interaction between deep mantle upwellings and mid-ocean ridges enabled the formation of these massive eruptions.
A recent study suggests that a tear in the Earth's crust is the primary driver of undersea volcanic eruptions. The research team analyzed seismic data and underwater microphones from an eruption at the East Pacific Rise, finding that violent popping noises were triggered by the emergence of lava on the seafloor.
Researchers have tracked 48 volcanic hotspots on Io's surface over a 29-month period, capturing heat coming off active eruptions and lava flows. The observations reveal that most eruptions occur on the trailing face of Io, with some appearing to progress across the surface over time.
Researchers have discovered a giant scar beneath the Midwest using a network of seismometers. The Midcontinent Rift, which spans across the region, was formed when the core of North America nearly ripped apart millions of years ago.
Researchers found high calcium-to-aluminum ratios in olivine and diamond inclusions, suggesting a connection between the chemistry of tiny carbon-rich fluids trapped within diamonds and those that form HIMU islands. The study suggests that material from diamond-forming regions journeys to earth's core and back up to form such islands.
Researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering have developed a technique called LAVA, which intentionally adds vulnerabilities to source code to test bug-finding tools. The results show that many popular bug finders detect only 2 percent of vulnerabilities, highlighting the need for improvement.
Geologists at MIT traced Mercury's cooling history, finding the planet cooled dramatically in half a billion years. The team used data from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft to analyze lava deposits and found that older deposits had distinct chemical compositions.
A computer model simulates the formation of Io's mountains through the compression of rocks due to volcanic activity. The study suggests that this mechanism could have operated on early Earth, explaining why mountains like those on Io might have emerged first as land.
Researchers found that the early Earth's atmosphere weighed at most half of today's, reversing a long-held idea about atmospheric pressure and climate patterns. The discovery also sheds light on the composition of ancient gases and their impact on early life.
A team of astronomers has mapped the conditions on 55 Cancri e, a rocky exoplanet about twice the size and eight times the mass of Earth. The planet's hot side is almost completely molten, while its cool side is almost solid, with temperatures varying wildly due to a lack of efficient heat transfer.
The discovery of Synemporion keana, an extinct Hawaiian bat, reveals a second native land mammal on the islands, which coexisted with the hoary bat for thousands of years. The species' extinction is linked to human colonization and invasive non-native species.
Researchers investigate the formation of a tiny volcanic island near Nishinoshima volcano, Ogasawara Islands, Japan. The island's unique lava flows and internal pathways provide valuable insights into the geological processes that shape our planet.
The 2014-2015 Pahoa lava flow crisis at Kilauea Volcano posed significant societal impact despite low effusion rates, highlighting the need for effective communication and public education during volcanic events. The crisis provided valuable lessons about predicting and mitigating lava flow hazards.
A team of Penn State researchers is monitoring Nicaragua's Momotombo volcano with a $40,000 NSF grant. They're using GPS, seismometers and other equipment to track ground deformation, seismic activity and lava composition to predict potential eruptions and hazards.
New measurements suggest the Earth's magnetic field is trending back to its long-term average intensity, contrary to predictions of a potential flip. The research uses advanced analysis techniques to re-evaluate paleointensity data, finding a 60% decrease in the field's strength over the past 5 million years.
A new study provides a quantitative estimate of the effects of continental flood basalts on climate, vegetation, and oceans during the time of the dinosaurs. The researchers found that temperatures would cool by as much as 4.5 degrees Celsius due to volcanic gas emissions but return to normal within 50 years after an eruption ceased.
Analysis of Baffin Island lava flows provides new insights into Earth's water origins, suggesting water-soaked dust grains present early in the solar system may be the source. The study found lower deuterium levels than previous studies, providing a potential baseline for Earth's original water signature.
New evidence shows that asteroid impact on Earth 66 million years ago accelerated volcanic eruptions in India for hundreds of thousands of years. The eruptions, known as the Deccan Traps, likely suppressed recovery of life for 500,000 years after the KT boundary.
A recent study found that an Icelandic volcanic eruption released three times more sulphur dioxide gas than all of Europe's industrial emissions combined. The eruption caused significant air pollution and acid rain, with the lava flow covering an area equivalent to Manhattan.
Scientists have discovered transient spikes in temperature at several spots on Venus' surface, indicating active flows of lava. The hotspots are clustered in a large rift zone called Ganiki Chasma, suggesting ongoing volcanic activity.
Researchers have identified glass formations on Mars that could preserve signs of ancient biological activity. The glass-rich impactites found by Kevin Cannon and John Mustard are preserved on billion-year timescales and could provide a promising target for searching for possible ancient Martian life.
Researchers used data from NASA's Lunar Prospector spacecraft to map the radioactive element thorium from an unnamed volcano in the Compton-Belkovich Volcanic Complex. The study found debris from the eruption spread over a vast area, comparable to Scotland's size.
Researchers create detailed digital terrain models of Hawaiian lava flows using a kite-mounted camera and GPS system. The models reveal complex patterns of lava movement and challenge current interpretations of Martian surface features.
New research confirms that massive volcanic eruptions 66 million years ago spewed climate-altering gases into the atmosphere before and during the K-Pg extinction event, which claimed non-avian dinosaurs. The Deccan Traps' eruptions are now considered a key factor in the extinction event.
Researchers examine how westerly wind pulses impact El Niño's strength, suggesting a link between these events and the phenomenon's duration. Scientists also explore drilling into small volcanoes to better understand future hazards.
Research suggests that most fatalities from the 1790 Kīlauea eruption were caused by hot surges of volcanic debris and steam. The volcano has experienced both effusive and explosive eruptions, with explosive events being geologically common but less frequent in recent times.
Research from UC Davis and Aarhus University reveals high mantle temperatures are essential for producing large amounts of magma at Bárðarbunga volcano in Iceland. This finding supports the critical role of mantle plumes in forming large igneous provinces.
The gibbon genome study provides new insights into the biology and evolutionary history of this family of apes. Factors contributing to gibbon diversity and adaptability are reported, highlighting the dynamic evolution of mobile elements in primate genomes.
Three massive volcanic eruptions occurred on Jupiter's moon Io within a two-week period, leading scientists to speculate about their frequency. The eruptions, characterized by 'curtains of fire', suggest that if observed more frequently, many more events might be seen on Io.
Researchers found that lava flows, not water, carved the massive Noctis Labyrinthus and Valles Marineris canyons on Mars. The study suggests that there was less water on Mars than previously thought, making life on the planet less likely.
Scientists at the University of Liverpool have discovered that frictional melting plays a role in determining how a volcano will erupt. The process, which occurs when magma and rocks melt due to intense heat, creates a stop-start movement in the magma as it makes its way towards the earth's surface.
A team of researchers analyzed 25 Kīlauea eruptions over the past 600 years to determine that the variability in deep magma composition strongly influences eruption styles. The study found that more gas-rich magmas produce explosive eruptions.
Scientists at Michigan State University have made a groundbreaking discovery that challenges long-standing theories on the origin of massive lava flows in Africa. The study found that some of these lavas came from within the African tectonic plate itself, rather than deep within the mantle.
Researchers have developed new simulations that depict the dynamics of deep Earth, revealing a complex composition of the lowermost part of the mantle. The study suggests that mantle plumes can carry a combination of different materials from several reservoirs, explaining observations of hotspot lavas' chemical complexity.
Researchers detected a swarm of earthquakes on Augustine Island 36 hours before the volcano's 2006 eruption. The quakes were triggered by a clogged magma conduit, indicating increasing pressure. Scientists believe these ' warning signs' can alert the public to an imminent eruption.
Scientists have identified a large, deep magma chamber below Kilauea volcano using seismic data. The crustal magma reservoir is composed of 'magma mush' and is similar to those found beneath mid-ocean ridges, posing significant hazards to the volcano.
Land-based lava pillars in Iceland may have formed without explosion due to slow-moving lava interacting with water in a 'kinder' manner, suggesting new insights into volcanic risk assessment.
Researchers at the University of Hawaii and the University of Rhode Island found that extrusive volcanism, not internal emplacement of magma, grew Hawaiian volcanoes. The study suggests a new density model can be used for further crustal studies in the Hawaiian Islands.
Recent studies examine sea-level change offshore New Jersey, the geological processes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and post-subduction magmatism in northern California. These articles provide new insights into the geological history of these regions and their ongoing tectonic activity.
Researchers from the University of Houston have discovered the largest single volcano ever documented on Earth, dubbed Tamu Massif, covering an area roughly equivalent to the British Isles. The volcano, located off the coast of Japan, is nearly as large as Mars' Olympus Mons and features a unique shield-like shape.
Researchers at MU found that volcanic ash can be re-heated by viscous heating, turning it into lava tens of miles away from the original eruption. This phenomenon was observed in an ancient lava flow near Yellowstone National Park.
Researchers found a surprising relationship between the oxidation state of iron in volcanic rocks and variations in the deep Earth's chemistry. The study revealed that lavas with lower iron concentrations are enriched in elements like barium and lanthanum, suggesting a role for carbon in the deep Earth.
Researchers found sulfur-isotope signatures in oceanic lava flows indicating the material originated in Earth's Archean crust. The discovery supports the theory that most of the Archean crust was subducted or folded back into the mantle.
The end-Triassic extinction was caused by widespread volcanic eruptions in the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province, which spewed forth huge amounts of lava and gas. The eruptions occurred precisely when the extinction began, providing strong evidence that they triggered the event.
Researchers found evidence of a previously unknown micro-continent, Mauritia, beneath the Indian Ocean using dating methods and plate tectonics analysis. The discovery suggests that such micro-continents may occur more frequently than previously thought and were carried by lava to their current location.
Researchers describe a previously undocumented type of eruption in underwater volcanoes, characterized by a unique bubble structure that defies explosive or effusive categories. The study proposes a new eruptive style, named Tangaroan, which occurs when magma forms a buoyant foam that rises to the seafloor and detaches from the volcano.
GEOLOGY articles reveal high-resolution images of Mercury's surface, further study of giant gypsum crystals in Naica Cave, and the provenance of North Atlantic ice-rafted debris. The publication also covers various geophysical studies, including the impact of the Galápagos hotspot on the East Pacific Rise.
Researchers develop a sediment budget for an alpine cirque in British Columbia, Canada, revealing glacial retreat rates of 0.5-0.9 mm per year. In Tibet, new data supports a model of rift evolution involving upper crustal thinning and isostatic rebound.
Researchers at Rice University have created a new type of nanoparticle called lava dots, which are hollow and coated versions of quantum dots. The particles were discovered using a 'molten-droplet synthesis' technique and can be used as catalysts for hydrogen production, chemical sensors, and solar cells.
A modern recurrence of a 'flood lava' eruption in Iceland could inject large quantities of hazardous gases into North Atlantic and European flight corridors. The emissions could exceed WHO chronic exposure guidelines and pose significant health risks to air travelers, particularly if the event were to occur during late spring or summer.
Researchers at Oregon State University used data from underwater hydrophones and seismic analysis to detect an abrupt spike in energy about 2.6 hours before the eruption, suggesting a new method for predicting undersea volcanic activity. The study also revealed insights into the link between magma intrusion and seafloor deformation.
High-resolution photos of Martian lava flows reveal coiling spiral patterns that resemble snail or nautilus shells, a new form of lava flow discovered by Arizona State University graduate student Andrew Ryan. The discovery suggests possible interactions between lava flows and water floods in the Elysium volcanic province.
The ASU-led geologic map of Io reveals a highly detailed, colorful image of the moon's surface features, including volcanic domes, lava flow fields, and sulfur-rich plains. The map provides valuable insights into Io's interior processes and geological evolution.
Caltech researchers found that the man in the moon's face is not just a coincidence, but rather a result of the moon's slowed-down rotation rate. The side with the man facing Earth had about two-to-one odds of being visible due to the dissipation rate of the moon's rotational energy.