Articles tagged with Volcanic Eruptions
Researchers discovered a previously unknown process involving the melting of intensely-mixed metamorphic rocks, known as mélange rocks, that form through high stress during subduction. This finding changes our understanding of how volcanic arc lavas are formed and may have implications for earthquake studies and volcanic eruption risks.
Researchers argue that the Little Ice Age was a manageable downturn in climate concentrated in particular regions, with warm summers continuing much as they do today. The study suggests that there is no single explanation for this, and that not all winters were cold.
The Samalas volcano's massive eruption in 1257 is believed to have had a significant impact on European climate conditions. However, new research published in Nature Geoscience suggests that its effects were exaggerated and not the primary cause of the Little Ice Age.
Scientists have discovered ancient zircons on the island of Mauritius, dating back 3 billion years, suggesting a long-lost continent named Mauritia existed beneath the island. This finding supports the theory that the break-up of supercontinent Gondwana led to the formation of the Indian Ocean.
Scientists at Uppsala University reveal the secret behind massive volcanic eruptions, discovering chemical clues in quartz crystals that hint at magma assimilating a local rock rich in water, leading to increased gas pressure and catastrophic eruptions.
A new study from the University of Leeds has made reliable estimates of volcanic ash events in Northern Europe, finding that ash clouds occur approximately every 44 years. The research team analyzed records of volcanic ash fallout over the past 1,000 years and found evidence of 84 ash clouds, most linked to Icelandic eruptions.
Researchers developed a model to forecast volcanic eruption impacts, analyzing past Mount Etna's eruption. This will help civil defence agencies prepare for potential UK threats.
Researchers from Uppsala University have analyzed crystals from recent eruptions to understand magma plumbing systems beneath Mt. Cameroon volcano. The findings suggest that shallow magma pockets play a crucial role in priming the volcano for eruption, increasing the likelihood of explosive eruptions.
Researchers find that Ahuna Mons, a volcano on Ceres, is built from ice and was formed through cryovolcanism. The discovery confirms that Ceres' interior has kept warm enough for liquid water or brines to exist in recent geological time.
A recent study has disentangled the impact of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption on global mean sea level trends. The research reveals that the eruption effectively distorted calculations of sea level rise in subsequent decades, masking the acceleration caused by climate change.
The Bardarbunga caldera is the largest caldera formation ever observed, with an area of 110 square kilometers. The team used satellite images, seismological and geochemical data, GPS data, and modeling to study the event.
A research group discovered a Great Platform in San Andrés, El Salvador, which indicates the southeastern Maya people's ability to recover and rebuild after the devastating Ilopango eruption. The platform, built with different stone types, suggests an external cultural connection and cooperative relations beyond cultural boundaries.
A new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows that increasing atmospheric aerosol concentration can significantly slow down and even temporarily stop global warming. Aerosol particles in the stratosphere prove extremely efficient in cooling down the climate, while those in the troposphere impact climate through cloud formation.
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.
NASA's satellite measurements of sulfur dioxide can help identify volcanic clouds and provide more accurate forecasts for aviation safety. This technology has the potential to reduce airline cancellations and rerouting costs, as well as have long-term climate applications.
A new technique combines economics and volcano science to identify past eruptions from tree-ring temperature reconstructions, potentially pinpointing previously unknown eruptions. The method may help separate volcanic impacts on climate from random variability, informing policy and scientific applications.
A team of climate researchers reconstructs global cooling in the reign of Emperor Justinian, linked to two major volcanic eruptions in 536 and 540 CE. The study finds that these eruptions caused a significant cooling effect on Northern Hemisphere climate, leading to crop failures and famines in Europe.
Geologists now track tectonic plate motion to understand ocean and mountain range formation, as well as animal species distribution. The technology reveals new geological relationships in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, with implications for predicting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Researchers use refined techniques to detect and locate airwaves generated by volcanic explosions on seismic networks, providing an automated way to monitor volcanic eruptions. Ground-coupled airwaves can provide unambiguous evidence of eruptive activity and location of vents.
Researchers have identified a previously unknown massive volcanic eruption in the Caribbean Sea, which occurred 2.4 million years ago on Guadeloupe. The VEI-6 eruption is the largest documented event in the region since its discovery.
Scientists have discovered volcanic ash in Lake Tiefer See in northeastern Germany that dates back to islandic eruptions over the past 11,500 years. The analysis allowed for precise synchronization of sediment archives from Germany and Poland, enabling researchers to decipher subtle regional differences in climate change.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool found that heating magma leads to gas bubble formation, triggering explosive eruptions. The study suggests temperature is more important than pressure in generating bubbles.
A new study from Durham University found links between massive volcanic eruptions and polar temperatures during the last Ice Age. The research indicates that Southern Hemisphere eruptions may have triggered abrupt warming in Greenland, while Northern Hemisphere eruptions caused Antarctic warming.
A global climate shift occurred in the late 1980s, triggered by anthropogenic warming and a volcanic eruption, resulting in significant changes in Earth's biophysical systems. The study found a 60% increase in winter river flow and a 400% increase in wildfires in the Western United States.
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.
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.
Major volcanic eruptions can trigger reduced river flow in tropical and northern Asia regions, including Amazon, Congo, and Nile, researchers found. The study also reveals increased flow in sub-tropical regions like the south-west US and parts of South America.
A new method reconciles observational proxy and model evidence, demonstrating that the Tampora and Samalas eruptions generated an average drop in temperature in the Northern Hemisphere fluctuating between 0.8 and 1.3°C during the summer of 1258 and 1816. This cooling did not last for more than three years at a hemispheric scale.
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.
Researchers use innovative NanoSIMS ion probe measurements to document concentration gradients in igneous minerals, calculating the timescale between reheating and eruption. The study suggests an eruption triggered within 10 months after a magma reservoir's reheating, predicting potential future eruptions at Yellowstone.
A team of international researchers found that volcanic aerosols have acted as a natural umbrella to slow down global temperature increase from greenhouse gases. The cooling effect due to volcanic eruptions was clearly underestimated by climate models, and it is only temporary as the rise of Earth's temperature will speed up again.
Researchers reconstructed nearly 300 individual volcanic eruptions, revealing 15 of the 16 coldest summers between 500 BC and 1,000 AD followed large eruptions. The eruptions injected sulfate particles into the atmosphere, shielding the Earth from solar radiation and causing widespread summer cooling.
A new study reorders the timing of nearly 300 major volcanic eruptions worldwide and reveals their significant impact on global climate. The analysis resolves longstanding inconsistencies between historic atmospheric sulfate data and corresponding temperature data, shedding light on centuries of cold temperature extremes.
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a method to predict when Yellowstone volcano might erupt again. By analyzing the chemical composition of magma crystals, they found that eruptions can occur within 10 months or 10 years after new magma enters the base of the volcano.
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have discovered a way to extract information from magma crystals, allowing them to reconstruct the history of global geography and predict future eruptions. This new method has the potential to improve our understanding of volcanic activity and provide more accurate predictions for eruptions.
A team of UW graduate students has found a way to detect volcanic activity in the atmospheres of exoplanets during their transits. This could help choose worlds to study for possible life and determine if they are habitable. Volcanism regulates planetary temperatures, making it a key element in habitability.
A team of scientists has tracked the development of Galapagos volcanoes over 8-16 million years ago, discovering highly explosive eruptions that deposited ash layers 1200km away. The study sheds new light on Earth's volcanic history and climate evolution.
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 found that external noises can induce volcanic activity by inducing stick-slip behavior, causing large-amplitude oscillations and high seismicity. The study used experimental data from Mount St. Helen's eruption to demonstrate the link between noise intensity and drumbeat-type plug movement.
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.
Research finds cyclical variations in Earth's tilt and orbit coincide with 100,000-year changes in Earth's orbit and climate. Volcanic activity at mid-ocean ridges may release carbon dioxide, contributing to climatic shifts.
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.
A new study suggests that small volcanic eruptions could be contributing to the slowdown in global warming by ejecting more atmosphere-cooling gas into Earth's upper atmosphere. By deflecting solar radiation, these eruptions may have lowered global temperatures by 0.05 to 0.12 degrees Celsius since 2000.
NOAA/NASA's Suomi NPP satellite provides critical information for aviators about volcanic hazards, enabling early warnings and reducing costly flight diversions. The satellite's VIIRS instrument detects thermal signatures and clouds associated with volcanic activity.
Researchers discovered early observations of a 19th-century volcanic eruption, dated to within a fortnight of December 4, 1808. The 'Unknown' eruption occurred before the famous 1815 Tambora volcano, which had significant global impacts on climate and inspired literary works like 'Darkness.'
A new study reveals that sea-level spikes can cause more damage to beaches than hurricanes, while a volcanic risk assessment in Saudi Arabia highlights the danger of future eruptions. Additionally, research finds that large volcanic eruptions can trigger strong droughts in eastern China, posing a threat to its food supply.
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.
A Curtin University researcher has discovered that volcanic eruptions in Australia 510 million years ago led to the first known mass extinction of complex life. The study found a correlation between large volcanic province eruptions and climate shifts, resulting in mass extinctions over the last 550 million years.
A University of Leicester team has discovered that the entire island was covered in a searing-hot layer of green glass 45 thousand years ago. The volcanic activity on the island provides insights into hazardous eruptions elsewhere, and may help understand undersea currents triggered by earthquakes.
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.
Researchers at Aarhus University found a correlation between Atlantic Ocean temperature fluctuations and external forces like the Sun's energy cycle and volcanic eruptions since the Little Ice Age. This challenges previous theories of internal variability in ocean circulation, suggesting a complex interaction between mechanisms.
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.
Recent volcanic eruptions have cooled the planet, partly offsetting the warming caused by greenhouse gases. The team found evidence of significant correlations between volcanic aerosol observations and lower tropospheric temperatures.
Scientists analyzed volcanic rock samples from Turkey's Hasan Dagi volcano and found ages that overlap with the estimated time of a Çatalhöyük Neolithic site mural. The mural is believed to depict an explosive eruption of the volcano, which closely matches the dated timeline.
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.
The discovery of supervolcanoes in southern Utah reveals massive eruptions that buried a vast region, affecting areas from central Utah to Nebraska. This research has significant implications for understanding geological history and the impact of volcanic activity on ecosystems.
Scientists discovered rapid warming in the Eifel region 12,240 years ago and 100 years later in southern Norway. The study uses volcanic ash as a time marker to explain the 120-year difference in timing.
Researchers found that sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide releases from Siberian volcanoes could have created acidic rain, damaging plants and organisms. The study suggests that ozone depletion and temperature increases contributed to the end-Permian mass extinction on land.