Latest news with #eruption
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Scientists discover ominous sign that Yellowstone's supervolcano is building up to an eruption
Scientists have discovered an ominous sign which could hint that Yellowstone's supervolcano is building up to an eruption. Using machine learning, researchers found there have been over 86,000 hidden earthquakes between 2008 and 2022. That is 10 times more tremors than scientists had previously detected. Worryingly, more than half of those earthquakes came in swarms - small groups of interconnected tremors - which have been known to precede volcanic activity. The researchers say these 'chaotic' swarms were found moving along rough, young fault lines running deep below the Yellowstone Caldera. These clusters of seismic activity are likely caused by hot, mineral-rich water forcing itself through cracks in the rock. Yellowstone is one of the world's largest active volcanoes - and if it erupted, i t would cover up to two-thirds of the US with ash. Entire states could become uninhabitable as toxic air sweeps through them, grounding thousands of flights and forcing millions to leave their homes. The Yellowstone Caldera is a 30x45 mile (50x70 km) depression which was formed by a cataclysmic eruption some 640,000 years ago. After the eruption emptied out its enormous magma chamber, the land left on top collapsed into the hollow space to form the caldera. When scientists want to look for seismic activity around the caldera, they normally have to manually inspect vast amounts of data. However, by using machine learning techniques, Dr Li and his co-authors were able to comb through years of past seismic recordings to look for previously undetected tremors. Dr Bing Li, an expert on earthquake mechanics from Western University, says: 'If we had to do it old school with someone manually clicking through all this data looking for earthquakes, you couldn't do it. It's not scalable.' This revealed that tens of thousands of earthquake swarms had been missed by earlier manual inspections. Earthquake swarms are not like the familiar shock and aftershock pattern where one big event is followed by a number of smaller tremors. Instead, swarms occur as clusters of small earthquakes which rapidly spread and shift over a small area within a short period of time. The researchers say these 'earthquake swarms' are likely caused by the movement of superheated liquids beneath the volcano caldera. These same geothermal processes are the reason that Yellowstone produces its famous geysers Are earthquake swarms a sign of an eruption? Earthquake swarms are groups of small, interconnected earthquakes that spread and shift within a relatively small area over a relatively short period of time. These can sometimes be caused by the movement of magma deep below the Earth's surface. In some cases, this means earthquake swarms can precede volcanic activity. This has been the case in major eruptions such as those in Iceland last year. However, swarms can also be caused by shallower movements of gas and liquids in the rock. These are more common and do not signal that any volcanic activity is likely. In some cases, this can be caused by molten magma moving upwards through the mantle and crust, building up pressure which can hint at an upcoming eruption. However, volcano experts say this is likely not the case in the Yellowstone Caldera. Professor Valentin Troll, a volcano expert from Uppsala University in Sweden who was not involved in the study, told MailOnline: 'The seismic record reveals episodic activity that occurs in clusters within the upper 10 km beneath the volcano, primarily along pre-existing fault structures. 'These clusters are not associated with deep seismicity; in other words, there is no direct evidence of magma recharge from greater depths. Instead, the seismicity is largely confined to the interior of the volcano.' This kind of activity within the existing volcano is usually caused by the movement of gases and liquids disturbing the ground. As the authors suggest, pressurised liquids are a particularly likely culprit since they lubricate faults in the rock, leading to slips that cause earthquake swarms. Professor Troll says that this can lead to 'hydrous and gas-driven eruptions' in which steam or gases are ejected out of the ground. This was demonstrated by the hydrothermal explosion at Yellowstone's Biscuit Basin last summer, in which a blast of steam sent rocks flying hundreds of feet into the air. Similar explosions are the likely cause of a 13-foot pool which recently appeared at Norris Geyser Basin – one of the hottest, oldest and most dynamic of Yellowstone's thermal areas. However, these swarms are not an indication that a devastating magma-driven eruption is on the way. Instead, the researchers say that their findings are a valuable tool to help understand and prepare for other eruptions in the future. These same machine learning techniques could be applied to other historical seismic records to help scientists listen to 'Earth's volcanic heartbeat'. Dr Li says: 'While Yellowstone and other volcanoes each have unique features, the hope is that these insights can be applied elsewhere. 'By understanding patterns of seismicity, like earthquake swarms, we can improve safety measures, better inform the public about potential risks, and even guide geothermal energy development away from danger in areas with promising heat flow.' Nasa believes drilling up to six miles (10km) down into the supervolcano beneath Yellowstone National Park to pump in water at high pressure could cool it. Despite the fact that the mission would cost $3.46 billion (£2.63 billion), Nasa considers it 'the most viable solution.' Using the heat as a resource also poses an opportunity to pay for plan - it could be used to create a geothermal plant, which generates electric power at extremely competitive prices of around $0.10 (£0.08) per kWh. But this method of subduing a supervolcano has the potential to backfire and trigger the supervolcanic eruption Nasa is trying to prevent. 'Drilling into the top of the magma chamber 'would be very risky;' however, carefully drilling from the lower sides could work. Even besides the potential devastating risks, the plan to cool Yellowstone with drilling is not simple. Doing so would be an excruciatingly slow process that one happen at the rate of one metre a year, meaning it would take tens of thousands of years to cool it completely. And still, there wouldn't be a guarantee it would be successful for at least hundreds or possibly thousands of years.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Image of 'Japanese volcano spewing lava and ash' is AI-generated
After Mount Shinmoedake in southwestern Japan erupted on June 22, an image was shared in social media posts falsely claiming it showed lava and smoke spewing out of the volcano. The image, however, does not match livestream footage of the volcano and contains visual inconsistencies indicative of AI-generated content. "Japan's Shinmoedake volcano has erupted," reads part of the Sinhala-language caption of an image shared on Facebook on July 4, 2025. "A minor explosion was seen and due to this a plume of ash emerged 3,000 metres into the sky, and the cities across Kagoshima and Miyazaki are covered in dense smoke." The image supposedly shows lava and thick grey smoke spewing from the volcanic eruption. In the foreground there are red and white cars, and drivers and passengers who appear to have stepped out of the vehicles to witness the eruption. It surfaced after Mount Shinmoedake, a volcano in the Kirishima mountain range bordering Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures in southwestern Japan, erupted on June 22 (archived link). The same image was shared in similar posts elsewhere on Facebook. "Oh please, may no one in all of Japan face any trouble! May everyone be safe!" reads a comment on one of the posts. Another said: "May no harm come to all those in Japan." While Mount Shinmoedake has continued to emit smoke since its July 22 eruption, with plumes reportedly reaching 5,000 metres high, the image circulating online does show the volcano (archived link). The image does not correspond to livestream footage of the volcano on the YouTube channels of local broadcasters UMK TV Miyazaki or MBC viewed on July 21 (archived here and here). The Japan Times reported on July 9 that the country's meteorological agency had restricted access to the mountain, and warned that a "large amount of volcanic ash and lava flows will be expected if a full-scale magmatic eruption occurs" (archived link). Moreover, inconsistencies in the picture suggest it was created with the help of AI. Visual anomalies A closer analysis of the falsely shared image shows the doors on a white car in the foreground are positioned incorrectly on the vehicle and the people standing on the road appear to be missing limbs. A subsequent keyword search led to a YouTube video titled "Japanese volcano erupts, spewing lava", which contains the falsely shared image, posted on July 4 (archived link). The video, which was shared on a channel that posts AI-generated content, contains additional visual inconsistencies. For example, a white car enters the bottom of the frame at the three-second mark and crashes into the vehicle in front before immediately disappearing. In reply to a comment on the video, the user also indicated it was created using AI. While generative AI technology is rapidly improving, visual inconsistencies persist and are the best way to identify fabricated content.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Warning as underwater volcano off US West Coast is rocked by 300 earthquakes: 'It could erupt any day'
A massive underwater volcano off the coast of Oregon has been rocked by hundreds of earthquakes a day, a sign that it could soon erupt. Axial Seamount, the most active volcano in the Pacific Northwest, is nestled about 300 miles off the coastline and nearly a mile beneath the ocean's surface. Scientists have detected around 100 earthquakes per day, with recent peaks hitting 300 a day. Seismic activity is a sign magma is moving up through cracks in the volcano. The quakes are small, typically magnitude 1 or 2, and too far offshore for humans to feel, but they're frequent. William Wilcock, a professor of oceanography at the University of Washington, said: 'If this was a volcano in places where people lived, they would be evacuated.' Experts believe pressure is building, magma is on the move, and the stage may be set for an eruption similar to the spectacular one that occurred in 2015, which saw 500 quakes per day, then 1,000, and then 2,000. Since the magma is rising from deep within the Earth through a complicated and irregular pathway, the inflation has been less uniform and slower than in past eruptions, making this event harder to predict, Wilcock explained. 'We think there will be some warning,' Wilcock said. 'But then again… volcanoes do tend to surprise people.' The uncertainty means that the volcano by all appearances may erupt any day now, but researchers believe it's likelier the eruption will come by July 2026, or as late as May 2027. When Axial Seamount does erupt, the number of underwater quakes is expected to skyrocket, rising from a hundred per day right now to as many as 10,000 earthquakes within a 24-hour period, according to Interesting Engineering. At the heart of the volcano lies a magma chamber, a reservoir of molten rock half a mile beneath the seafloor. As magma rises, it inflates the chamber like a balloon, stressing the surrounding rock and triggering swarms of tiny earthquakes. Scientists have installed an array of ultra-sensitive sensors, including underwater seismometers and GPS stations, to monitor every shake and swell beneath the waves, but it's not just the earthquakes that have them on alert. Another warning sign is inflation, the slow swelling of the volcano as magma fills the chamber below. In 2015, Axial Seamount was inflating at two feet per year. Now, it's rising at about eight inches annually. That's still significant, but less predictable. 'This time, it's been very erratic,' Wilcock said. 'It inflated quickly, then almost completely stopped. That's what's made this eruption harder to predict.' When the volcano erupted a decade ago, lava came pouring out, producing 450-foot-thick lava flows. It also formed massive structures known as pillow lavas, bulbous tubes of molten rock that solidify quickly in seawater. Additionally, the eruption triggered roughly 8,000 earthquakes, causing the bottom of the ocean to sink nearly eight feet. This time, there's also the possibility that lava could erupt from a dike, a crack that pushes magma sideways through the Earth's crust rather than directly out of the seafloor. Emilie Hooft, a geophysicist at the University of Oregon, said: 'If that happens, the magma could travel laterally and erupt somewhere unexpected.' Due to the volcano's remote location, an eruption wouldn't threaten human life directly, but scientists are still watching it closely. The forecasting knowledge scientists have gained from studying the Axial Seamount could help them predict eruptions from nearby volcanos that do pose a risk to people. For example, Washington State's Mount Rainier is just 240 miles from the Axial Seamount. Mount Rainier has been one of the most active volcanos in the Pacific Northwest's Cascade Range, and a devastating eruption remains a real possibility in the near future. Experts have said that it is only a matter of time until Mount Rainier unleashes a deadly volcanic event upon the Pacific Northwest. This huge, active stratovolcano looms over nearly 90,000 people living in cities such as Seattle, Tacoma, and Yakima in Washington, and Portland in Oregon.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
Video Shows Massive Volcano Erupting in Iceland
A volcano in Iceland erupted on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 near the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland. Intense seismic activity before the Sundhnukur volcano eruption prompted Icelandic authorities to evacuate surrounding areas, including hotels and the popular Blue Lagoon resort nearby. The Icelandic Meteorological Office reported the eruption officially began at 3:56 a.m. local time. Following updates from the office noted that the fissure in the earth's crust where lava was flowing was roughly 700 to 1,000 meters long, with lava flowing southeast and not approaching any infrastructure. The office's updates also include some photos of lava flowing as well as images displaying where the gas pollution from the eruption is heading. A video, published by afarTV, of the eruption provides the clearest look the impressive scene, though. A link to the video can be found here. Iceland's meteorological office began reporting updates on the situation at 1:20 a.m. local time, noting, "Intense seismic swarm has started on the Sundhnúksgígar Crater Row and monitoring data is indicating that an dike intrusion has started." "The likelihood of an eruption remains high while the intrusion is ongoing," the report continued. The office also reported later in the day at 8:45 a.m. local time a warning about dangerous "Witch's hair" in the area of the eruption. "These are fine glass fibers formed when lava droplets cool rapidly and stretch," the report noted. "They are very light and can travel long distances. Witch's hair can cause skin and eye irritation, and people are advised to take precautions when outdoors near the eruption site." The most recent update from the office, published at noon local time, noted the eruption has spread and "is no longer confined to a single fissure." The original fissure, which was as big as one kilometer has now spread to roughly 2.4 kilometers, or just over one mile, and another fissure has opened up that's roughly 500 meters wide. This is the 12th eruption for Iceland in just the last four years, according to Al-Jazeera. Video Shows Massive Volcano Erupting in Iceland first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 16, 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- The Guardian
Volcano on Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland erupts for ninth time since 2023
A volcano erupted on Wednesday on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula in the south-west of the country, the ninth eruption in region since the end of 2023. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said the eruption had begun just before 4am local time (05:00 BST), and live video feeds showed lava spewing from a fissure in the ground. The IMO later said the main fissure was about 1.5 miles (2.4km) long, and that a second fissure of about 500 metres long had opened up nearby. Residents were advised to say indoors because high levels of toxic gas in the air. The broadcaster RUV reported that a nearby fishing village, Grindavík, had been evacuated, as had the Blue Lagoon spa, a famous tourist spot. Police commissioner Margrét Kristín Pálsdóttir told RUV the evacuation of about 100 people had gone smoothly. She also said police had prevented some tourists from entering the area. 'Of course, we understand that this is a fascinating event, especially for tourists who are not as accustomed to it as we are,' she said. Benedikt Ófeigsson, a geophysicist with the IMO, told RUV that the eruption didn't seem as big as earlier ones and was not near any infrastructure. The last eruption in the area was in April, and a risk assessment published on Tuesday didn't expect another eruption until the autumn. When the first eruption took place in late 2023, most of Grindavík's 4,000 residents were evacuated. Almost all of the homes in the village have since been sold to the state, and most of the residents have left. Volcanoes on the Reykjanes peninsula had not erupted for eight centuries when a period of heightened seismic activity began in March 2021. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion Volcanologists have said in recent years that activity in the region had entered a new era. RUV said the latest eruption was not expected to affect international flights. An eruption in another part of Iceland in 2010 caused worldwide travel chaos when an ash cloud forced the closure of airspace. Iceland has 33 active volcanic systems, more than any other European country. It is located on the mid-atlantic ridge, a fault line in the ocean floor between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.
