Articles tagged with Volcanic Processes
New research from Rice University suggests that ancient microorganisms helped cause massive volcanic events by facilitating the precipitation of minerals in banded iron formations. The study provides insight into processes that could produce habitable exoplanets and reframes scientists' understanding of Earth's early history.
A study from Smithsonian researchers deepens understanding of Earth's crust by testing and eliminating the garnet hypothesis about why continental crust is lower in iron and more oxidized. The findings suggest that intense heat and pressure cannot produce the necessary conditions for garnet formation, contradicting a popular explanation.
Researchers used computer simulations to understand the formation of new subduction zones and the development of the Caribbean large igneous province. The study found that simultaneous subduction of two plates led to a major mantle flow, triggering the formation of a plume and extensive magmatic activity.
Researchers Paul Byrne and Rebecca Hahn have compiled a global catalog of 85,000 volcanoes on Venus, providing the most comprehensive understanding of the planet's volcanic properties. The dataset includes detailed analyses of volcano distribution, size, and clustering, which will aid in locating future active lava flows.
Research at KAUST demonstrates that most of the Red Sea is underlain by oceanic crust, overturning the assumption that it's an extended rift basin. The team mapped the transition from a rift to seafloor spreading and found approximately two-thirds of the Red Sea is currently covered by oceanic crust.
A team led by Professor Thorsten Hoffmann uses small, portable observation drones equipped with miniaturized sensors to analyze volcanic gases and predict eruptions. The ratio of carbon dioxide levels to sulfur dioxide can reveal the likelihood of an impending eruption.
A new study analyzes volcanic rock samples collected in the 1980s to explain the geologic histories of Fiji and Vanuatu. The research attributes their current locations to subduction of the Samoan Seamount Chain, which caused a double-saloon door tectonic event leading to their separation.
Scientists from the University of Arizona have discovered a giant active mantle plume pushing the surface of Mars upward, causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The finding suggests that Mars' deceptively quiet surface may hide a more tumultuous interior than previously thought.
Scientists have discovered a slowing of continental plate movement was the critical event that enabled magma to rise to the surface and deliver devastating knock-on impacts. This fundamental process controlled the evolution of climate and life on Earth throughout its history.
Researchers at Rice University propose a new scenario explaining the 2016 discovery of tridymite by NASA's Curiosity rover. They suggest that magma cooled slowly in a chamber below a volcano, producing concentrated silicon-rich ash that was later weathered and sorted by water.
Researchers deployed a fiber-optic cable on Grímsvötn's ice cap to detect low-frequency volcanic tremor, revealing the floating ice sheet acts as a natural amplifier of seismic signals. This technology shows promise for monitoring other ice-covered volcano systems.
Researchers at Mainz University found the Cumbre Vieja lava to be exceptionally low in viscosity, resulting in rapid flow and devastating damage. The study published in Nature Communications revealed that the lava's composition, particularly its silica content, contributed to its fluidity.
A University of Utah and New Zealand study reveals that CO2 deep underground allows magma to avoid being trapped, reaching the surface and pooling into persistent lava lakes. This finding expands our understanding of magma sources and transport to the surface, particularly in rift volcanoes.
Researchers found that some magmas originate from mantle portions with early crust remnants, suggesting a 'graveyard' of old material survived for billions of years. This discovery sheds light on the formation of large continents and the evolution of Earth's atmosphere.
Researchers propose that a colossal ancient impact near the Moon's south pole created a heat plume that concentrated rare-Earth elements on the nearside, contributing to the formation of volcanic plains. This explanation sheds light on the Moon's most enduring mystery.
A fibre optic cable was used to record volcanic events at Mount Etna, detecting seismo-acoustic activity and mapping hidden structural features. The Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) method proved suitable for volcano monitoring and hazard assessment.
A massive volcanic eruption at the end of the Triassic period caused a global cooling effect, leading to the mass extinction. The event paved the way for the rise of dinosaurs as their natural predators went extinct.
A new study led by Smithsonian volcanologist Dan Rasmussen finds that water content in magma is a significant factor controlling its storage depth. The research provides crucial insights into the physics of magma storage beneath volcanoes, which can aid in predicting volcanic eruptions.
A study at Merapi Volcano, Indonesia, found that a horseshoe-shaped fracture zone is causing summit dome instabilities. Weakened rocks from the hidden fracture zone are likely the main cause of ongoing instabilities.
The 2018 Anak Krakatau volcano collapse in Indonesia was triggered by long-term destabilization, not a sudden explosive eruption. The study found that the disaster was less likely to have been caused by magma forcing its way to the surface and triggering the landslide.
A new study analyzing the rock record rules out atmospheric oxygen before the Great Oxygenation Event, potentially rewriting our understanding of Earth's past. The research team used high-resolution techniques to inspect specimens of the rock, finding evidence that chemical data suggesting early oxygen may have been introduced later.
Researchers found that intense volcanic activity led to a surge in phosphorus levels, driving ocean oxygen levels down and triggering a severe mass extinction. The study suggests that natural weathering of volcanic material may have been responsible for the sudden cooling events.
A team of scientists has discovered a thick layer of paleoregolith on the lunar surface, which could provide insight into the Moon's early asteroid impact and volcanic history. The findings suggest the paleoregolith formed much faster than previously estimated, with implications for understanding meteoric activity in the solar system.
A new study has found that serpentinite plays a crucial role in recycling oxygen in the Earth's tectonic plates. The research, led by Cornell University scientists, reveals that the oxidation state of the mantle is controlled by the subduction system's thermodynamic conditions and geometry.
A research team analyzed seismic noise recorded over the last decade to better understand volcanic processes at Campi Flegrei. They found that directionality loss in noise data indicates the migration of deep fluids towards the eastern caldera, which triggers earthquakes.
A new study presents a broad survey of monogenetic volcanoes in the US Southwest, providing insights into their characteristics and potential hazards. The research reveals that over 1,800 volcanoes have erupted in the region over the past 2.58 million years, with some still posing threats despite being dormant.
A new study found that four distinct episodes of volcanic activity coincided with significant environmental changes, including the Late Triassic Carnian Pluvial Episode, which drove animal and plant diversification. The research suggests that large volcanic eruptions had a profound impact on global temperature and humidity.
A University of Queensland-led study reveals that hot spot volcanoes do not produce 'pristine' magma from the melting mantle but instead filter a different melt to the surface. This new information supports the notion that detection of magma at the crust-mantle boundary could indicate an upcoming eruption.
Researchers found a 40-meter fall in sea level increases eruption likelihood at Santorini and possibly other volcanoes worldwide. Climate change impacts volcanic activity, particularly as ice sheets retreat and global sea levels rise.
Researchers found that nanolites, 10,000 times smaller than a human hair, increase magma viscosity, leading to explosive eruptions. The study uses cutting-edge imaging and Raman spectroscopy to demonstrate the surprising effect of nanolites on volcanic behavior.
D. Sarah Stamps will investigate volcano-tectonic interactions during early phase continental rifting at the Natron Rift in Tanzania using GPS and geochemical data. She aims to fill knowledge gaps and advance understanding of volcanic eruptive processes and early phase continental rifting.
A new volcano monitoring platform, MOUNTS, analyzes satellite images using artificial intelligence to detect precursory signals and provide early warnings for volcanic eruptions. The platform, which integrates multiple sets of diverse data types, has been successfully tested on recent events and currently monitors 17 volcanoes worldwide.
Researchers from Uppsala University have made significant findings on the origin of Kiruna-type iron ores, supporting a high-temperature magmatic process in volcanic settings. The study uses Fe and O isotopes to chemically fingerprint the processes leading to formation, shedding light on the global importance of these deposits.
Scientists from the U.S. National Science Foundation-funded expedition aboard the Atlantis will share their research findings on submarine volcanic activity and crust formation. The live broadcasts, scheduled for Dec. 11-13, will also feature young researchers and their experiences with modern deep-sea exploration.
A new study by GFZ scientists suggests that giant lateral collapses can divert the deep paths of magmas, forming new eruptive centres within collapse embayment. This phenomenon is common in regions like the Canary Islands and Hawaii, with implications for understanding intraplate volcanic ocean islands' long-term evolution.
Researchers found that climate change led to a sharp rise in volcanic activity as the Mediterranean Sea dried up, contradicting previous hypotheses. The study used numerical models to test scenarios and confirmed that the massive loss of sea level was the primary cause of increased magmatic activity.
A study published in PLOS ONE suggests that changes in tectonic activity may have driven a transition from water-bearing to dry, hot magmas over time. The researchers found differences in the physical structure and chemical composition of volcanic rocks along the Panama Canal.
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.
A giant mound near the Moon's south pole has been found to be a result of a unique volcanic activity triggered by a colossal impact. The Mafic Mound, standing 800 meters tall and 75 kilometers across, exhibits a different mineralogical composition than the surrounding rock.
A team of German scientists challenges the theory that a large mantle plume played a dominant role in the break-up of the super-continent Gondwana. Seismic measurements reveal that the impact of the mantle plume on the continental crust is surprisingly small.
New Geosphere papers examine volcanic zones, the Sierra Nevada, and Utah's Confusion Range. The study on the Confusion Range may provide new opportunities for petroleum exploration in the region.
Researchers found chemical signatures similar to plume volcanoes in the Marie Byrd Seamounts, which do not fit typical models of fire mountain formation. They propose that mantle material was shifted under oceanic plates, leading to volcanic eruptions on the adjacent seamounts.
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.
Researchers at the University of Bonn used computer simulations to show that seismic waves can focus over long distances, triggering mud eruptions. The study found that a dome-shaped structure under the mud volcano focused energy into the mud layer, liquifying it and injecting it into nearby faults.
Researchers utilized various geoscience technologies, including LiDAR, to study geological formations and processes. The study of the Sakhalin-Hokkaido Shear Zone revealed insights into strike-slip plate boundaries, highlighting the differences between the Russian island's boundary and the San Andreas fault in California.
Researchers have discovered that some of the tectonic processes driving volcanic activity were occurring as early as 3.8 billion years ago. The study found compositions comparable to modern oceanic islands in ancient rocks, strengthening arguments for subduction-related tectonics.
GEOMAR researchers have found evidence that climate change can trigger volcanic eruptions on a global scale. They discovered a pattern where periods of high volcanic activity followed rapid global temperature increases and associated ice melting. This discovery could provide new insights into the Earth's natural climate cycles.
A University of Houston geologist is leading an international team on a two-month, $10 million expedition to drill into the Pacific Ocean's lower crust. The voyage aims to distinguish between competing theories on magma intrusion, shedding light on volcanic seafloor spreading and oceanic processes.
Recent eruptions demonstrate the vulnerability to ash dispersal, which can disrupt aviation and cause billions of dollars in economic loss. Scientists now understand that particle size is determined by post-eruption collisions, not just initial fragmentation.
Researchers analyzed geophysical changes leading up to the Eyjafjallajökull eruptions, finding that magma movement triggered the reawakening. The volcano swelled for 11 weeks before erupting, with a rapid deformation stopping after the eruption began.
A new study by Oregon State University and the University of California at Davis has found that a mixing of two types of magma is crucial to Mount Hood's eruptions, occurring weeks or months before the eruption. This behavior is distinct from other Cascade Range volcanoes, including Mount St. Helens.
UBC and McGill researchers simulated supervolcano eruptions using Plexiglas models filled with corn syrup. The study sheds light on the complex flow effects inside a magma chamber during an eruption. A potential global nuclear winter could result from a large supervolcano eruption, causing widespread devastation and crop failures.
Researchers used seismic imaging to detect layered structures within the Tonga subduction zone's mantle wedge, revealing unexpected features that contradict textbook models. The study suggests water and fluids played a key role in shaping the mantle structure, with implications for the formation of volcanic arcs.
A team of scientists developed a numerical model to simulate vulcanian eruptions, using field data and computer simulations to understand the internal processes. The model revealed that water vapor leakage affects explosion energy and pinpointed the source of pyroclastic flows.
Researchers developed a detailed hazard map for Pico de Orizaba, Mexico's highest mountain, using advanced technologies and computer simulations. The map reveals three levels of hazard based on probability, enabling local authorities to prepare for various events such as landslides, mudflows, and eruptions.
Researchers studied the 1883 Krakatau eruption's tsunamis, identifying distinctive pumice deposits that provide clues to the source of volcanic material. The analysis helps scientists interpret coastal deposits in areas of active explosive volcanism and assess volcanic hazards.
Chris Kincaid of the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography has received a $143,000 NSF grant to study subduction zones and their impact on volcanic arcs and seismicity. The project aims to develop 3D models of subduction using laboratory apparatus, enhancing our understanding of mantle dynamics.
The Geological Society of America is hosting press briefings during its annual meeting in November 2000. The events will feature presentations from experts on topics such as landslides and slope-stability problems related to gas hydrates, the Walker Lane transform plate boundary, and planetary science research. The meetings are open to...
Thomas A. Steven, a retired USGS research field geologist, received the 7th Annual Dibblee Medal for his outstanding contributions to field geology and geologic mapping. He was recognized for his work on complex volcanic structures, genesis of ore deposits, and landscape evolution.
Researchers at the University of Illinois found a cyclic contribution to global temperature change that may be masking human effects. The residual factor, which occurs over a 65-70 year period, periodically warms and cools the atmosphere, sometimes counteracting the greenhouse effect.