Latest news with #supervolcano
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- 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.
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Is Yellowstone's supervolcano on the brink of erupting? Scientists discover a new HOLE in one of the park's basins
Scientists have just discovered a new hole in a basin in Yellowstone National Park - raising fears the supervolcano could be on the brink of erupting. The unsettling 13-foot gap is located at Norris Geyser Basin – one of the hottest, oldest and most dynamic of Yellowstone's thermal areas. Experts at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) say it formed over several months, starting at around Christmas 2024. Despite being a channel of bubbling volcanic activity, a photo from the government agency shows the cavity as a serene pool. With its unusually light blue water and brilliant white sand, the scene looks like it was captured on a faraway planet. The discovery comes just four months after the USCS discovered a newly opened volcanic vent in Yellowstone, spewing steam into the air. Yellowstone is one of the world's largest active volcanoes - and if it erupted, it would cover up to two-thirds of the US with ash. Entire states could become uninhabitable as toxic air sweeps through it, grounding thousands of flights and forcing millions to leave their homes. The new thermal feature, discovered by geologists on April 10 but only revealed this week, is a 'blue water spring' – a natural exit point producing exceptionally pure, clear water. The water is relatively warm (about 43°C/109°F), light blue in colour and reaches about one foot (30cm) below the rim of the pool. In terms of the cause of its creation, the experts point to a 'hydrothermal explosion' – an eruption of such force that boiling water, mud and surrounding rocks are broken and flung through the air. Satellite imagery suggests it happened as a series of mildly explosive events between late December 2024 and early February 2025 prior to discovery. The imagery shows there was no feature present in the spot on December 19, but by January 6, a small depression had formed there. Another image from February 13 shows the fully formed water pool, overall indicating that it did not form in a single major explosive event. Rocks and pure white geothermal mud made of silica surrounding the pool were probably ejected during 'multiple small events'. In contrast, other hydrothermal features at Yellowstone have formed during 'brief and violent episodes of change'. What is Yellowstone? One of the most famous volcanos on Earth, Yellowstone is located beneath a national park spanning three states - Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. There lies a magma chamber, pulsing with molten and superheated rock and toxic gases such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park's famous geyser, which has erupted jets of boiling water every 44 to 125 minutes into the air continuously for the last 800 years. Erupting an average of 130 feet into the air at 200°F the thermal attraction could prove fatal to anyone in close proximity when it blows. When we think of volcanoes we tend to think of striking cone-shaped features that rise high into the sky, but Yellowstone volcano is largely underground. Yellowstone volcano blew catastrophically 630,000 years ago and many fear it's getting ready for another eruption, but fortunately, the new hole doesn't necessarily indicate it is in any immediate danger of doing so. Dr Craig Magee, geologist at the University of Leeds, stressed that Yellowstone has a 'long history of hydrothermal activity'. 'There are lots of small earthquakes and subtle changes in ground elevation regularly recorded there,' he told MailOnline. 'All these tell-tale signs, and others, indicate Yellowstone has an active magmatic and hydrothermal system beneath it. 'But the occurrence of one event, like this single hydrothermal explosion, is unlikely to represent increasing volcanic activity or a move closer to eruption; it is just a symptom.' According to the academic, if Yellowstone had 'swarms' of hydrothermal explosions, plus increasing seismic activity and ground movement, it could suggest increased activity level. However, volcanoes do not work in predictable ways and their eruptions do not follow predictable patterns or schedules. Hydrothermal explosions are caused by pressure changes that result from the transition of liquid water to steam, but even scientists know 'relatively little' about them, according to Dr Magee. 'In Yellowstone, hydrothermal explosions are one of the main hazards the numerous tourists who visit may come across,' he said. Despite its potency, Yellowstone National Park's famous volcanic activity draws about 4 million tourists per year from around the world. One of the park's most famous geothermal features, the Old Faithful geyser, spews jets of boiling water every 44-125 minutes. According to a recent study, Yellowstone's magma chamber is just 2.3 miles (3.8km) or about 12,500 feet below Earth's surface. This marginal distance is about the same as between Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral in London, but the study authors also did not consider an eruption to be imminent. 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. This USGS graphic shows how a 'super eruption' of the molten lava under Yellowstone National Park would spread ash across the United States 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
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
UNM researchers make new discovery about Yellowstone National Park supervolcano
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It's one of the world's largest supervolcanoes, and recent work out of the University of New Mexico led to a breakthrough discovery that could help geoscientists better predict an eruption and save lives. 'So it's very satisfying to see that come to fruition,' said Tobias Fischer, Distinguished Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at UNM. Story continues below Crime: Albuquerque business owner faces murder charge for shooting fleeing shoplifter News: Las Vegas deputy charged with aggravated battery and robbery Business: A downtown Albuquerque shoe shine parlor is still serving patrons after nearly a century Events: What's happening around New Mexico May 30-June 5? Kirtland Air Fiesta and more Fischer teamed up with a colleague to investigate Yellowstone National Park's volcanic system. 'Professor Brandon Schmandt is really the person who started this project. He's a geophysicist and he wanted to investigate the composition of the magma and where the magma is under Yellowstone, and especially how much volatiles are in the magma right now,' said Fischer. Fischer said Yellowstone's last volcanic eruption was about 70,000 years ago, and there is still an entire system sitting below the park today. 'So the hydrothermal system has all these beautiful geysers and hot springs and mud pots that attract millions of people a year to see the park and see these features,' said Fischer. Last August, KRQE News 13 reported on a 'localized' hydrothermal explosion that happened at the national park. The team's study led them to look at earthquakes they produced themselves with a big thumper truck. 'With that detailed geophysical study, they can make a very nice CT scan essentially of what's under Yellowstone, and they discovered that there is a really gas-rich, volatile-rich cap on top of the magma chamber,' said Fischer. Fischer said that when volcanoes erupt, they are driven by new magma coming into the system. They use samples from Yellowstone on a machine in one of UNM's labs to learn more. 'As magma rises towards the surface, gases like water and CO2 exalt from that magma at shallower levels,' said Fischer. Those gases migrate up to the surface and then eventually accumulate at some depth. The group found exactly where that accumulation happens, allowing them a better picture at what's taking place right under our feet. 'So it's a very detailed image of the quantity of water, the quantities of pores, the quantities of magma, and where exactly it sits under Yellowstone and how big it is,' said Fischer. Fischer said the Yellowstone system is similar to the Valles Caldera in New Mexico. Although Valles Caldera is smaller, it's a super volcano that produced large eruptions roughly a million years ago. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Scientists warn one of world's supervolcanoes is awakening and 'will plunge the planet into chaos'
A powerful series of earthquakes at Campi Flegrei, a supervolcano in Italy, has raised fresh concerns among scientists about the risk of a major eruption. In May, the Phlegraean Fields near Naples was shaken by a magnitude 4.4 earthquake, the strongest in 40 years. Over the past six months, scientists have recorded more than 3,000 smaller quakes, known as tremors, a figure far above normal seismic activity for the area. Experts say eruptions are usually preceded with the increase in earthquake activity, as underground pressure builds up. These small quakes can weaken the rock above the volcano's magma chamber, making it easier for magma to push through. Think of it like steam building in a pressure cooker: if the lid gets too weak, it could blow. Geologists have also observed a sharp rise in gases being released from the volcano, another warning sign. Adding to the alarm, carbon dioxide emissions from Campi Flegrei have surged, with Italy's National Institute Of Geophysics And Volcanology (INGV) reporting daily levels between 4,000 and 5,000 tons. Experts say increased gas emissions often mean magma is moving closer to the surface, putting more pressure on the volcano. According to INGV, magma is now just a few miles below the surface, a shallow depth that raises more concern. If pressure continues to build, it could trigger an eruption with little warning, especially with all the recent quakes and gas releases. Christopher Kilburn, leading volcanologist of IGNV, said: 'Distinguishing between gas emissions caused by magma movement versus those resulting from natural rock interactions is absolutely critical.' Campi Flegrei poses a serious threat to over four million people living in the metropolitan area of Naples. If it erupts, the damage could be widespread. Buildings could be destroyed by lava flows, ash clouds, and fast-moving hot gases. Roads, power, and water supplies might be cut off, making life dangerous and chaotic. The city of Naples and nearby towns like Pozzuoli sit close to the Campi Flegrei, putting many lives and homes in the danger zone. A new study led by Gianmarco Buono, a PhD student at University Of Naples Federico II, shows that about 80 per cent of the carbon dioxide released from the Solfatara crater comes directly from magma beneath the Earth's surface. This means the magma is letting out gases, which is a strong sign it might be moving closer to the surface. The other 20 per cent of the gas comes from hot fluids reacting with underground rocks, a natural process that doesn't always mean an eruption is coming. Scientists watch these gas releases along with ground swelling and thousands of small earthquakes because they are key warning signs of future eruptions. When magma moves up, it pushes gases out, building pressure inside the volcano. Too much pressure can cause cracks and trigger a dangerous eruption. Campi Flegrei means 'burning fields'. It's a big volcanic crater formed when a huge eruption thousands of years ago made the ground above the magma chamber collapse. Campi Flegrei's last eruption was in 1538. While it doesn't erupt often - major eruptions happen every few thousand years - the volcano has shown signs of unrest in recent decades. Scientists say it's not possible to predict exactly when the next eruption will happen, but the recent activity means it could come sooner rather than later. Since 2005, the ground in the area has been slowly rising and falling in a process called bradyseism. This happens when magma and gas build up underground, pushing the surface up or letting it sink back down. For example, in the nearby town of Pozzuoli, the ground has risen by about 4.7ft during the current phase. This is like the Earth's surface gently swelling like a balloon as magma pushes from below. Using a mechanical failure model, commonly applied in structural engineering, they studied how the rock beneath Campi Flegrei is responding to stress. Their findings suggest the crust is shifting from simply bending to cracking, a change that often precedes eruptions. 'We are seeing a clear progression toward a state where rupture is more likely,' the scientists noted. Since rising warning signs began in 2005, officials raised the volcano's alert level from green to yellow in 2012. Authorities have developed comprehensive evacuation plans for the millions living in the metropolitan area of Naples, but the challenge remains in ensuring these plans can be executed swiftly and effectively should an eruption become imminent. Campi Flegrei's threat is not just local. About 40,000 years ago, the caldera erupted with such force that it caused one of the worst volcanic disasters in Earth's history, triggering major changes in the global climate. If a similar eruption happened today, its impact would reach far beyond Italy. Ash clouds could blanket much of Europe, grounding flights, damaging crops, and cutting power. Volcanic gases could block sunlight, causing years of cooler temperatures and unpredictable weather that would threaten food supplies worldwide.
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Scientists warn one of world's supervolcanoes is awakening: 'It will plunge the planet into chaos'
A powerful series of earthquakes at Campi Flegrei, a massive supervolcano in Italy has raised fresh concerns among scientists about the risk of a major eruption. In May, the Phlegraean Fields near Naples was shaken by a magnitude 4.4 earthquake, the strongest in 40 years. Over the past six months, scientists have recorded more than 3,000 smaller quakes, known as tremors, a figure far above normal seismic activity for the area. Experts say eruptions are usually preceded with the increase in earthquake activity, as underground pressure builds up. These small quakes can weaken the rock above the volcano's magma chamber, making it easier for magma to push through. Think of it like steam building in a pressure cooker, if the lid gets too weak, it could blow. Geologists have also observed a sharp rise in gases being released from the volcano, another warning sign. Adding to the alarm, carbon dioxide emissions from Campi Flegrei have surged, with Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reporting daily levels between 4,000 and 5,000 tons. Experts say increased gas emissions often mean magma is moving closer to the surface, putting more pressure on the volcano. According to Italy 's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), magma is now just a few miles below the surface, a shallow depth that raises more concern. If pressure continues to build, it could trigger an eruption with little warning, especially with all the recent quakes and gas releases. Christopher R. J. Kilburn, leading volcanologist of IGNV said: 'Distinguishing between gas emissions caused by magma movement versus those resulting from natural rock interactions is absolutely critical.' Campi Flegrei poses a serious threat to over four million people living in the metropolitan area of Naples. If it erupts, the damage could be widespread. Buildings could be destroyed by lava flows, ash clouds, and fast-moving hot gases. Roads, power, and water supplies might be cut off, making life dangerous and chaotic. The city of Naples and nearby towns like Pozzuoli sit close to the Campi Flegrei, putting many lives and homes in the danger zone. A new study led by Gianmarco Buono, a PhD student at University of Naples Federico II shows that about 80 percent of the carbon dioxide released from the Solfatara crater comes directly from magma beneath the Earth's surface. This means the magma is letting out gases, which is a strong sign it might be moving closer to the surface. The other 20 percent of the gas comes from hot fluids reacting with underground rocks, a natural process that doesn't always mean an eruption is coming. Scientists watch these gas releases along with ground swelling and thousands of small earthquakes because they are key warning signs for future eruptions. When magma moves up, it pushes gases out, building pressure inside the volcano. Too much pressure can cause cracks and trigger a dangerous eruption. Campi Flegrei means 'burning fields.' It's a big volcanic crater formed when a massive eruption thousands of years ago made the ground above the magma chamber collapse. Campi Flegrei's last eruption was in 1538. While it doesn't erupt often, major eruptions happen every few thousand years, the volcano has shown signs of unrest in recent decades. Scientists say it's not possible to predict exactly when the next eruption will happen, but the recent activity means it could come sooner rather than later. Since 2005, the ground in the area has been slowly rising and falling in a process called bradyseism. This happens when magma and gas build up underground, pushing the surface up or letting it sink back down. For example, in the nearby town of Pozzuoli, the ground has risen by about 4.7 feet during the current phase. This is like the Earth's surface gently swelling like a balloon as magma pushes from below. Using a mechanical failure model, commonly applied in structural engineering, they studied how the rock beneath Campi Flegrei is responding to stress. Their findings suggest the crust is shifting from simply bending to cracking, a change that often precedes eruptions. 'We are seeing a clear progression toward a state where rupture is more likely,' the scientists noted. Since rising warning signs began in 2005, officials raised the volcano's alert level from green to yellow in 2012. Authorities have developed comprehensive evacuation plans for the millions living in the metropolitan area of Naples, but the challenge remains in ensuring these plans can be executed swiftly and effectively should an eruption become imminent. Campi Flegrei's threat is not just local. About 40,000 years ago, Campi Flegrei erupted with such force that it caused one of the worst volcanic disasters in Earth's history, triggering major changes in the global climate. If a similar eruption happened today, its impact would reach far beyond Italy. Ash clouds could blanket much of Europe, grounding flights, damaging crops, and cutting power. Volcanic gases could block sunlight, causing years of cooler temperatures and unpredictable weather that would threaten food supplies worldwide.
