Latest news with #GlobalVolcanismProgram
USA Today
6 days ago
- Science
- USA Today
Experts say Hawaii's Kilauea isn't done erupting. And it's not the only volcano rumbling.
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists predict Hawaii's Kilauea volcano to erupt in the near future after an eruption May 25 sent lava spewing more that 1,000 feet into the sky. Since December 2024, Kilauea has erupted about once a week, making it one of the world's most active volcanoes, the U.S. Geological Survey says. Kilauea isn't the only volcano erupting. More than 50 volcanic eruptions have been reported around the world this year. The eruptions contribute significantly to earthquakes of all sizes, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. About the Kilauea eruption in 2025 The Kilauea eruption that produced the 1,000-foot plume occurred in a closed area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park about 200 miles and several islands southeast of Honolulu. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory status report says the lava poses no immediate threat to people who live in the area. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. Other volcano eruptions and the Ring of Fire The Ring of Fire is a horseshoe-shaped region in the Pacific about 25,000 miles long that contains more than 450 volcanoes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The ring, NOAA says, extends "from the southern tip of South America, along the West Coast of North America, across the Bering Strait, down through Japan and into New Zealand." Its volcanoes extend farther south into Antarctica. "Three out of every four live volcanoes on Earth are here,' National Geographic says. 'Almost all earthquakes happen here, too." The Ring of Fire is the result of plate tectonics − moving slabs of rock millions of square miles across. They can collide with or pull away from one another. Heavier plates can slide beneath lighter ones, heating and melting the rock and creating magma. Volcanoes form as the magma rises through the Earth's crust. How volcanos differ in shape and size How many volcanic eruptions have occurred in 2025? Fifty to 70 volcano eruptions are recorded around the world each year. According to the Global Volcanism Program, 54 volcanic eruptions have been confirmed this year as of May 2. A dozen of those eruptions have been in new locations. Underwater volcano lurks off the Oregon coast The massive undersea Axial seamount volcano reaches more than 3,600 feet above the seabed about 300 miles off Oregon. It last erupted in 2015. 'A year ago, Axial seemed to be taking a nap, but now it's waking up, and we think it's likely to erupt before the end of 2025,' Bill Chadwick, a volcanologist with Oregon State University and part of a team that's studying the volcano, told USA TODAY at the time. A series of instruments placed around the volcano indicates a reservoir has been refilling with magma since its last eruption, gradually inflating so that it's bulging upward. Overall, the undersea volcano continues to grow but it "sure doesn't seem like anything is imminent," he wrote. CONTRIBUTING Elizabeth Weise and Jim Sergent/USA TODAY
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'River of fire' unleashes toxic gases as eruption destroys town in La Palma
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. QUICK FACTS Where is it? La Palma, Canary Islands [28.62120467, -17.89960469] What's in the photo? A highly destructive lava flow winding into the sea Which satellite took the photo? European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 mission When was it taken? Oct. 1, 2021 This striking satellite photo shows red-hot lava winding into the sea during a volcanic eruption on La Palma in the Canary Islands. The "river of fire" completely wiped out a small town and unleashed plumes of toxic gases, which have plagued the Spanish island for years, locals and experts told Live Science. On Sept. 19, 2021, after a swarm of more than 22,000 earthquakes in less than a week, a large fissure suddenly opened up above the town of Todoque on the western flank of Cumbre Vieja — a volcanic ridge that runs through the southern half of La Palma — shooting lava fountains hundreds of feet in the air. The effusive eruption, which was the first volcanic outburst on the island since 1971, persisted for 85 days until Dec. 13, according to the Global Volcanism Program at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. During this time, around 7.1 billion cubic feet (200 million cubic meters) of molten rock poured out from a 660-feet-tall (200 meters) cone-shaped vent, named Tajogaite, which grew around the fissure. The fiery rock, which reached temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,100 degrees Celsius), flowed down toward the coast and into the Atlantic Ocean, creating around 4.6 million square feet (430,000 square meters) of new land in the process. The lava flows, which stretched up to 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) long, were clearly visible from space and ended up covering a total area of around over 2,500 acres (1,000 hectares), including Todoque, which was essentially wiped off the map. Around 3,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, along with large swathes of surrounding banana farms. The estimated damage exceeded 700 million euros (US$ 780 million), according to Spanish newspaper El Pais. One person was killed by the eruption: an elderly man who is believed to have died from inhaling toxic volcanic gases while ignoring official advice and prematurely returning to his home in the exclusion zone, according to AFP. Thousands of wild and agricultural animals are also believed to have been killed by the lava flow and resulting gases. Related: See all the best images of Earth from space The damage was "truly terrible," Marie Edmonds, a volcanologist at the University of Cambridge, told Live Science at the recent STARMUS Festival, an annual science festival that was held in the neighboring town of Puerto Naos from April 25 to April 29. "Most shocking to me is the closeness of the vent to the communities," she added when describing what it was like to visit the area during the festival. "It must have been absolutely terrifying to see the eruption so close." Local resident David, who used to live in Todoque and now resides in the neighboring town of Los Llanos de Aridane, was one of 7,000 people evacuated from their homes during the eruption. The shopkeeper told Live Science that he watched the lava flows burn across the landscape like a "river of fire," as his house was destroyed by the molten rock. The eruption was particularly noteworthy due to high levels of volcanic gases that were released into the air. This was the result of unusually high levels of sodium and potassium in the lava, which made it highly alkaline and increased the amount of gases, such as sulfur dioxide, that were emitted, Edmonds told Live Science. Where lava reached the coastline — and dripped into the ocean via giant lava falls — other gases, such as hydrogen chloride, were also released, she added. Throughout the eruption, an exclusion zone was put in place around lava flows to protect people from the gases. However, some locals ignored official advice and snuck back into the area to visit their properties. Taxi driver Ramón was one of those who went home after the eruption had ceased, but before people were given the green light to return. After just a few minutes, he began to get lightheaded and started struggling to breathe before passing out. He later awoke in the hospital and spent several days being treated for toxic gas inhalation. "I thought that I was going to die," Ramón told Live Science as he drove past Tajogaite. More than three years later, he still struggles with shortness of breath. While the worst volcanic gases have now dissipated, the problem is not totally gone. Large pockets of carbon dioxide still lie in lava tubes and other natural depressions in the area and could be harmful to people if they unknowingly walk through them, Edmonds said. "It is unknown how long this hazard will persist," she added. Locals also claim that they can still smell the eggy fumes of sulfur dioxide whenever it rains. The initial explosive phase of the eruption triggered large plumes of ash and smoke into the atmosphere that could be clearly seen from Tenerife, around 90 miles (145 km) away, and caused several brief airport closures throughout the Canary Islands. The plumes also caused a temporary disruption to the astronomical work being done by researchers at the various telescopes located at Las Palmas' Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM), which is situated at an altitude of around 7,900 feet (2,400 m). "The disruption only lasted for around a week," Alba Fernandez-Barral, an astronomer and chief communications officer at the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory at ORM, told Live Science. "But for several telescopes, this was the first time they had stopped collecting data for decades." The atmospheric disturbances soon dissipated, but the continuing lava flows put a halt to most day-to-day activities in the area surrounding Tajogaite. Locals became so concerned that one Canarian politician even suggested detonating bombs within the erupting cone to stem the flow of lava, although this idea was never seriously considered. However, for locals, the issues persisted long after the lava eventually ceased flowing. The biggest problem was that the only road between Los Llanos de Aridane and Puerto Naos was destroyed, meaning that the only way to get from one to the other was to drive all the way around Cumbre Vieja, which means driving half of the island's coastline. Ramon told Live Science that the journey that once took 10 minutes could now take up to an hour and a half. Construction on a new road began almost as soon as the eruption ceased, while some of the lava was still at several hundred degrees F. The road was fully constructed within two years and can be seen from space winding through the lava flats, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. Although the area is now fully accessible, tourists and some islanders have continued to avoid the area due to fears over the toxic gases. One local official at STARMUS, who did not want to be named, told Live Science that attending the festival marked the first time they have been back to the area since the eruption. The eruption of Tajogaite has left long-lasting scars — both on the landscape and within the local community. But there are signs that these wounds are beginning to heal. "The loss of entire neighbourhoods affected the society here very badly," Edmonds told Live Science. "But I think that the people have bounced back incredibly well. Resilience is clearly very strong here." MORE EARTH FROM SPACE —'Smoking terror' volcano that destroyed city 400 years ago burps toxic cloud —Pair of 'glowing' lava lakes spotted on Africa's most active volcanoes as they erupt simultaneously —'Shining anus' volcano in Tonga coughs up cloud of smoke during recent eruption For many locals, the recent STARMUS Festival marked something of a return to normality as tourists flocked to La Palma in significant numbers for the first time since early 2021. Eruptions like this only happen on La Palma once every 50 years, Edmonds added, so it should be a while before anything like this happens again.
Express Tribune
06-05-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
Zombie volcano stirs after 250,000 years of dormancy: Scientists explore
Listen to article The Uturuncu volcano in Bolivia's Andes Mountains, dormant for 250,000 years, is exhibiting warning signs of a potential eruption that could threaten lives and cause destruction. Uturuncu, the highest mountain in southwestern Bolivia, caused a region near its summit—about 150 kilometers (93 miles) wide—to rise and fall, creating a sombrero-like shape. Over 1,700 recent earthquakes have prompted scientists to study Uturuncu. By integrating satellite data, seismic analysis, and computer models of rock behaviour under pressure, researchers have gained a clearer understanding of the internal workings of Uturuncu, uncovering the cause of its unusual activity. Their findings were published on April 28 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Volcanic eruptions generally happen when magma rises into underground pockets known as magma chambers and escapes through vents or fissures to the surface. The eruptions tend to be more violent when the magma is thicker, as it traps gases that build up pressure, which is then released explosively, sending magma shooting out as lava. However, this isn't the case beneath Uturuncu, as the study reveals. Instead, magma, gases, and briny fluids are interacting within a hydrothermal system—an activity not entirely understood—to cause the volcano's "zombie" rumblings. Beneath Uturuncu, at depths ranging from 10 to 20 kilometres (6 to 12 miles), lies the Altiplano-Puna Magma Body, a vast magma reservoir spanning about 200 kilometres (124 miles). It is the largest known active magma body in the Earth's crust. Previous studies suggested an active hydrothermal system linking this magma reservoir to the mountain above, but the precise interaction between magma and fluids remained unclear. The study revealed that as the magma body heated underground liquids and released gases, these fluids and gases moved upwards, collecting in chambers beneath the crater. This movement triggered seismic activity, released steam, and caused the volcano's rock to deform, leading to a surface rise of approximately 1 centimetre (0.4 inches) annually. While these internal processes explain Uturuncu's activity, the study suggests that the "zombie" volcano is unlikely to erupt anytime soon. Dr. Mike Kendall, coauthor of the study and professor at the University of Oxford, reassured that there are no alarming signs. "We're not seeing seismicity increasing or migrating from great depths, which would indicate magma movement," he explained. "It seems the volcano is simply releasing gas and calming down. The Global Volcanism Program has tracked about 50 "zombie" volcanoes, ranging from 12,000 to 2.6 million years old, mostly showing geothermal features like hot springs and fumaroles. Uturuncu, along with others, could help identify those at risk of eruption. Some have higher surface temperatures and are explored for geothermal energy and mineral deposits. "Many still require further investigation," says Dr. Matthew Pritchard from Cornell University. "Some may be cooling, while others might increase in activity," he adds.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Heavy dusting of 'pineapple powder' paints Hawaii's volcanoes white
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. QUICK FACTS Where is it? Big Island, Hawaii [19.6103680, -155.4898339] What's in the photo? Snow covering the summit of Mauna Loa Which satellite took the photo? Landsat 8 When was it taken? Feb. 6, 2021 Striking satellite photos snapped in 2021 show the volcanic peaks of Hawaii's Big Island covered with a thick dusting of snow, also known by locals as "pineapple powder," following one of the island's most extreme snowfalls in recent history. The first image (see above) shows the most extensive snow coverage on Mauna Loa, a 13,681-foot-tall (4,170 meters) volcano near the center of the Big Island. The second image (below) shows a slightly smaller white patch on Mauna Kea, a 13,796-foot-tall (4,205 m) peak located around 25 miles (40 kilometers) further north. Both images were taken on the same day. Mauna Loa is still active and most recently erupted between November and December 2022, according to the Global Volcanism Program. Mauna Kea, meanwhile, is dormant and has not erupted for at least 4,600 years. Hawaiian snow is more common than most people realize, and both Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea often receive at least a light dusting every year. However, 2021 was an extreme case. When the photo was taken, the combined snow covering both peaks reached the second-highest amount for this time of the year since records began in 2001, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. At the peak of the preceding snowstorm, up to 2 feet (0.6 m) fell at the summit of both volcanoes in a single day. Related: See all the best images of Earth from space Local reports revealed that several islanders traded in their surfboards for snowboards and skis, and braved the trip up Mauna Kea to partake in some rare snow sports as soon as the roads were cleared. Hawaiian snow is often linked to a weather phenomenon referred to as Kona low, according to the Earth Observatory. This is where winds shift from the typical northeast direction and start blowing from the southwest, or "Kona" side, drawing moisture from the tropical Pacific, which turns into rain and snow as it rises up the mountains' slopes. Snow is most likely to occur between October and April, and both Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea experience an average of 20 days of snow cover every year, according to the Lyman Museum, based in the Big Island town of Hilo. On rare occasions, snow has also fallen on the volcanoes as late as June, according to The Weather Channel. However, the pineapple powder may not be as common in the future. Recent research revealed that human-caused climate change will likely make snow much less likely in Hawaii as rising sea surface temperatures make Kona low less likely to occur, according to the University of Hawai'i at Manoa (UHM). MORE EARTH FROM SPACE —Pair of 'glowing' lava lakes spotted on Africa's most active volcanoes as they erupt simultaneously —Erupting 'sharkcano' spits out a giant underwater plume in Oceania —'Shining anus' volcano in Tonga coughs up cloud of smoke during recent eruption "Unfortunately, the projections suggest that future average winter snowfall will be 10 times less than present day amounts, virtually erasing all snow cover," Chunxi Zhang, an atmospheric modeling specialist at the International Pacific Research Center in Hawaii, said in a UHM statement. In Hawaiian mythology, Mauna Kea is home to the snow goddess Poli'ahu, who had a fierce rivalry with Pele — the goddess of fire and volcanoes, for which the rare glass-like structures that form at Hawaii's Kilauea volcano are named. In one story, Poli'ahu defeated Pele in a sledding race, which caused the latter to unleash a series of major volcanic eruptions in anger, according to the University of Hawai'i at Hilo.
