Articles tagged with Magma
A new study found that earthquakes can cause magma to slosh and create conditions for volcanic eruptions. The research used a precision shake table to model the movement of magma and found that sloshing can lead to the formation of bubbles, which release gas into the atmosphere, decreasing pressure and triggering an eruption.
A team of researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and ETH Zurich found that light vapor bubbles migrate to crystal-poor areas within shallow volcanic chambers, accumulating energy for large eruptions. The study suggests that these bubbles play a crucial role in shaping the style and power of volcanic eruptions.
Researchers used computer models and laboratory experiments to study bubble behavior in magma reservoirs. They found that bubbles accumulate faster in crystal-rich zones, leading to overpressurization and potential sulfur emissions. This discovery sheds light on the underlying mechanisms of super-volcanic eruptions.
A research team found that a geologic event known as diking can cause strong earthquakes, with the potential to pose hazards to nearby communities. The team investigated ties between two natural disasters in the Democratic Republic of Congo and discovered that a dike intrusion could have induced a magnitude 6.2 earthquake.
Scientists have found that rapid bubble formation in magma chambers may trigger sudden volcanic eruptions. This discovery could change the way volcanoes are monitored, focusing on changes in gas composition at the surface rather than seismic activity or ground deformation.
Researchers at the University of Exeter have developed a new technique to identify copper deposits in magmatic rocks by analyzing their chemical composition. The method, which was tested on a major porphyry discovery in Chile, has shown promising results and could lead to the discovery of new valuable metal deposits.
Hydrothermal activity plays a significant role in the earth's climate. The release of hot molten rock from beneath the earth's crust drives this process. By analyzing sedimentary records, researchers have established a direct causal relationship between hydrothermal activity and deglaciation.
Scientists Matthew Tarling and Christina Rowe used dry lentils to explore the formation of 'scaly fabrics' found at the base of landslides, faults, and glacier beds. The lentils exhibited a tendency to shift constantly against each other when shearing, prohibiting long-lasting fault development.
Researchers have developed a new approach to recover flood frequency and magnitude data from temperate lakes, providing new sources of paleohydrological information. The study uses sediment dynamics to establish relationships between river discharge and deposit preservation, helping model and mitigate future flood risk.
A new study suggests that massive magma chambers in supervolcanoes may erupt when the roof above them cracks or collapses, rather than building up internal pressure. The researchers found that the size of the magma chamber is a key factor in triggering eruptions, and that external forces such as earthquakes or faults may play a role.
Researchers developed a new 'geospeedometer' to measure the time between magma formation and eruption, finding that super-eruptions can occur within 500 years. The technique is based on analyzing quartz crystals found in magma bodies and provides an independent estimate of the duration of magmatic conditions.
A University of Washington simulation demonstrates the individual crystals' movement in a magma chamber, providing insights into the motion of magma and buildup of pressure. The study helps volcanologists improve their understanding of volcanic systems and predict eruptions more accurately.
A study analyzing fossil brachiopod shells from West Virginia and Ohio found minimal seasonal variation in temperature and rainfall during the latest Pennsylvanian (~300 million years ago). The findings may help resolve a paleoclimate debate about monsoonality and sea level, providing insights into ancient mega-continent climates.
A new model of Earth's core formation suggests the magma ocean started out oxidized and became reduced over time through oxygen incorporation into the core. Higher oxygen concentrations were found in the core, contradicting previous estimates.
Researchers identify two gold belts in the NCC, with gold mineralization linked to mantle-derived melts and fluids. The discovery of decratonic gold deposits has significant implications for understanding gold formation and exploring new large gold concentrations.
Researchers simulated volcanic eruptions to understand how current forecasting models succeed in predicting magma properties. Heterogeneous magma leads to more accurate predictions, while homogeneous magma results in less precise forecasts.
Geoscientists investigated fault slip processes using friction experiments, revealing the flow properties of frictional melt control fault movement. The study calls for viscoelastic theory over simple Newtonian analyses to describe molten rock along faults.
Researchers identified a previously unknown drop in pressure when magma stalled to form a horizontal sill, which can drive the release of dissolved gases and cause eruptions.
Scientists have identified a previously unknown pressure drop in volcanic plumbing systems, which can drive magma to explode and erupt. This new trigger could aid volcano-monitoring systems and improve forecasting efforts.
Researchers analyzed eruptive plumes and ash from Volcán de Colima, finding marked differences in vesicularity, crystal characteristics, and glass composition. The study suggests that degassing leads to varying gas-rich and gas-poor pulses within the conduit, controlling Vulcanian explosion explosivity.
Researchers at the University of Oregon have found that water plays a key role in forming magma and producing explosive volcanoes in the Cascade Range. The discovery, driven by computer modeling and data from olivine-rich basalt samples, helps solve a puzzle about plate tectonics and the Earth's deep water cycle.
Researchers have imaged the continuous volcanic plumbing system under Yellowstone, revealing a reservoir of hot, partly molten rock 12-28 miles beneath the surface. The new discovery is 4.4 times larger than the previously known magma chamber.
Intruding magma interacting with regional tectonics sparks micro-earthquakes in Chiles and Cerro Negro volcanoes. The largest quake recorded was magnitude 5.6 in October 2014, causing damage to local houses and prompting residents to seek shelter.
A new study by University of Utah researchers reveals the existence of an unknown layer inside Earth's lower mantle, where rock gets three times stiffer. This stiffness increase may explain why slabs of sinking tectonic plates stall and thicken at a depth of 930 miles underground.
In the Early Triassic period, a prolonged period of delayed ecological recovery led to the widespread production and preservation of vertebrate swim tracks. This was due to minimal sediment mixing in stressful environments, which created firm-ground substrates ideal for recording subaqueous trace fossils.
Researchers analyzed the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption to understand the dynamics of gravitational instabilities and particle aggregation. They found that these phenomena can significantly reduce fine-ash lifetime in the atmosphere, highlighting their importance in improving ash dispersal forecasting.
Researchers have discovered that water helps melt rock and speed up the transport of magma to the surface. The Lau Basin in the South Pacific, where water content is highest, surprisingly shows less magma than expected.
A massive celestial object impacted Mars, generating a magma ocean that solidified into the mountainous highlands of the southern hemisphere. This event, occurring around 4-15 million years after Mars' formation, is believed to have triggered volcanic activity and changed the planet's magnetic field.
Stephen Sparks has improved our ability to see deadly eruptions coming through his work on volcanic deposits, magma chambers, and pyroclastic flows. His methodical approach has produced a long list of discoveries that have improved practical understanding of volcanic hazards globally.
Researchers at MIT and Purdue University have found that meteorites are not building blocks of planets, but rather byproducts of a violent planetary process. Computer simulations show that large moon-sized bodies likely existed before chondrules formed, which were then created by collisions of these bodies.
Scientists at the University of Nottingham used magnetic levitation to manufacture wax models of tektites, which are tiny glass objects formed by asteroid impacts. The research validates numerical models of spinning droplets and provides new information on tektite formation.
Researchers tracked magma flow through cracks in Iceland's Vatnajökull ice cap, forming a new layer of crust as the Bárðarbunga volcano erupted. The study found 'ice cauldrons' and subsidence within the caldera, providing insights into the Earth's crust formation and plate tectonics.
Researchers are studying the dynamic behavior of a large rhyolitic system at Laguna del Maule, where magma is rising to depths of 5km. The study aims to understand how these systems form and erupt to better predict potential caldera-forming eruptions.
Scientists discovered the Midcontinent Rift evolved in three stages: a narrow crack, volcanic rock filling, and igneous rocks rising to surface. The rift's unique geology was formed by magma flowing into the developing crack and eventually creating a large igneous province.
Researchers from MIT and other institutions found the Procellarum region on the moon's near side was formed by a large plume of magma deep within the moon's interior. The angular outline of the basin could not have been created by an asteroid impact, according to the team.
New study suggests that early Earth's crust was cool enough for surface water to form during some periods, challenging the long-held idea of a hostile environment. The research compared zircon crystals from Iceland with those formed over 4 billion years ago and found similarities in their compositions.
The Lucinidae family's symbiotic relationship with seagrasses dates back to the Cretaceous period, allowing them to thrive in oxygen-poor environments. This unique partnership provided a rich supply of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, which the bivalves consumed and seagrasses benefited from the uptake of toxic sulfide.
Researchers developed a new method to estimate magma volume and flow, enabling more accurate predictions of future volcanic eruptions. This technique uses zircon crystals to determine the age and injection rate of magma, providing insights into Earth's crust formation, mineral deposits, and natural resources.
Researchers found a high-volume perennial spring on Ellesmere Island that flows year-round despite extreme cold temperatures. The spring's unique geochemistry suggests a more active hydrogeological system in polar regions than previously thought, potentially driven by glacial meltwater.
Researchers have uncovered evidence of ancient protocontinental crust in four-billion-year-old rocks from the Acasta Gneiss Complex. The study suggests that processes similar to those occurring in present-day Iceland may have formed the Earth's first continents.
Researchers at MIT have discovered a way to harness temperature gradients in fluids to propel objects, which could have widespread significance in the natural world and potential technologies. The effect works by creating unbalanced forces on an object's surface due to changing fluid density.
Scientists have found that temperature variations deep within the Earth's mantle influence mid-ocean ridge elevation and volcanic hotspots, resolving a long-standing controversy. The study analyzed seismic wave data and rock chemistry to determine that higher mantle temperatures are associated with thicker crust and volcanic activity.
Researchers found that 46% of deforming volcanoes erupted, while 94% of non-deforming ones did not. The study uses satellite radar to identify unrest on a regional or global scale, targeting ground-based monitoring.
Researchers found that apatite, a commonly used method for estimating lunar water content, may not be reliable due to its hydrogen-rich crystals forming from cooling magma. The discovery has significant implications for understanding the moon's formation and evolution.
Researchers used a numerical model to demonstrate the link between crustal unloading and magma transport in rift valleys. In broad, shallow rifts, magma ascends vertically, while in deep, narrow rifts, it's strongly deviated, resulting in off-rift volcanoes forming at distances from the rift axis.
Researchers at the University of Rochester have created a 3D image of the structure beneath Sierra Negra volcano, shedding light on the subterranean plumbing system that feeds the Galápagos volcanoes. This new understanding may help predict earthquakes and eruptions, mitigating hazards associated with them.
A new study found that Mount Hood's magma has been stored for at least 20,000 years, but can liquefy and potentially erupt in a short time frame of around two months. The key to triggering an eruption is elevating the rock's temperature above 750 degrees Celsius.
A recent study by UC Davis and Oregon State University found that magma mobility in Mount Hood is less than 10%, indicating a higher risk of eruptions. The research suggests using seismic imaging to detect mostly liquid magma, which could lead to more accurate eruption forecasts.
A team of scientists, led by Wilfred Elders, has successfully created the world's first magma-enhanced geothermal system in Iceland. The system utilizes superheated steam from a well drilled into molten magma at a temperature of 900-1000 C.
Researchers at ETH Zurich and ESRF have identified a trigger for supereruptions, finding that the overpressure generated by density differences in the magma chamber alone can trigger an eruption. The study suggests that supervolcanos are not triggered solely by overpressure due to magma recharge.
An international team of experts has identified conditions for various-sized volcanic eruptions using numerical modelling and statistical techniques. Small, frequent eruptions are triggered by magma replenishment, while larger, less frequent eruptions are driven by magma buoyancy.
Researchers investigate the geological features of Faial Island, Portugal, examining relationships between tectonics and magmatism. Additionally, studies on apatite fossil preservation in Cambrian rocks shed light on the source of phosphorus for exceptional fossilization. Marine terraces along California's Santa Barbara coast also prov...
A team of scientists has discovered a volcano hidden beneath a kilometer of ice in West Antarctica, sparking concerns about its potential impact on the continent's major ice streams. The volcano, located approximately 25-40 kilometers below the surface, is believed to be fueled by a hot spot in the Earth's mantle.
Using X-ray analysis, scientists have studied molten basalt at extreme pressure conditions, revealing a stiffer and denser form of the magma. The findings support the concept of two magma oceans in the early Earth's mantle, separated by a crystalline layer.
Researchers from Uppsala University used a 3D model to study the subsurface of Ardnamurchan volcano and found that it had a single elongate magma chamber. This challenges the long-held theory of three successive magma chambers, which has been widely studied by geology students and experts.
Scientists have found that molten magma reservoirs in the crust can persist for far longer than previously thought, with some chambers sitting for hundreds of thousands of years. This new understanding has significant implications for volcanic arcs and the detection of magma pools beneath them.
Scientists suggest that Costa Rica's largest stratovolcano, Irazú, erupted in the 1960s due to magma rising from the mantle over a few months, rather than thousands of years. This fast-rising magma could provide an early warning tool for detecting oncoming volcanic disasters.
The new articles examine ancient whale coprolites in central Italy, fault slickensides in San Francisco, and earthquake hazards in Cascadia. They also discuss the formation of silica gel during fault slip and the microstructures of superplastically deformed materials.
Researchers analyze seismic activity at Alaska's Redoubt Volcano, documenting a sudden increase in tremor frequency just before six eruptions. This unique phenomenon may help scientists refine models and better understand volcanic pressurization.
Researchers analyzed newly discovered ice-age deposits from Garwood Valley to understand the rise and collapse of Antarctic ice sheets. They also studied the geological history of granite emplacement and glacial evolution in Death Valley, California.