Latest news with #volcanologists
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Experts on high alert as multiple volcanoes in 'Pacific Ring of Fire' suddenly come to life
Several volcanoes in the 'Pacific Ring of Fire' have shown increased activity recently, prompting close monitoring by experts for potential eruptions. Also called the Circum-Pacific Belt, it is a 25,000-mile chain of volcanoes and earthquake zones from South America to Alaska, across Japan, and down to New Zealand. The US Geological Survey (USGS) has found four volcanoes, all in the US, which are rumbling, including the Great Sitkin Volcano in Alaska that has been steadil y erupting lava into its summit crater for nearly four years. Recent satellite imagery confirms the eruption remains slow and non-explosive, with lava continuing to flow southwest. In Hawaii, Kilauea has paused its lava fountains but continues to build pressure. Scientists anticipate a new eruptive phase between July 17 and 20. Although lava fountains have ceased, sulfur dioxide emissions remain elevated, measured between 1,200 and 1,500 tons per day, indicating ongoing volcanic activity. Mount Rainier in Washington experienced its largest recorded earthquake swarm in early July, with 334 quakes detected over two days starting July 8, raising vigilance among volcanologists. Offshore Oregon, the underwater Axial Seamount is under close observation, with researchers forecasting an eruption possibly occurring in 2025. According to the scientists, these volcanoes are unpredictable as they are a result of natural movement in the Earth's crust, especially along the Pacific Ring of Fire. That is because this area is where the Pacific tectonic plate sinks under neighboring plates, creating quakes and eruptions. Even with the flurry of quakes and lava, none of these volcanoes currently threaten the nearby communities. Each of the rumbling volcanoes has its own history and behavior pattern. The Great Sitkin Volcano, located in Alaska's Aleutian Islands, began erupting in 2021 after decades of inactivity. In April, USGS volcanologist reported that lava has slowly filled the crater over the years, building a thick dome, but it has not triggered ash clouds or air travel disruptions, a key concern for aviation in the region. Lava is still pushing out of the summit crater at Great Sitkin Volcano in Alaska. It is not explosive, but steady. Small quakes continue, and there is no sign the eruption is ending anytime soon. Mount Spurr, roughly 80 miles west of Anchorage, had its last explosive eruption in 1992, sending ash clouds 40,000 feet into the sky. The recent shallow earthquake swarms echo early warning signs from that event, though experts say there is no magma movement yet. Nearby, Mount Spurr has had shallow earthquake swarms since February. As of now, it is quiet, no gas, no lava, and no expected eruption, but USGS has kept it under an advisory level. However, Kilauea, on Hawaii's Big Island, is being monitored around the clock because of its proximity to residential areas. In 2018, lava flows from the volcano destroyed over 700 homes in the Leilani Estates subdivision. Scientists are now tracking surface deformation, quake movement, and gas emissions to anticipate another potential hazard phase. Kilauea is one of the most active volcanoes in the world but is not part of the Ring of Fire. It sits above a hot spot in the Earth's mantle, a fixed plume of heat and magma that stays in place while the Pacific Plate moves slowly over it. Seismologists are now concerned that Kilauea is swelling again and showing more quakes, signs it could erupt soon. A vent on the undersea volcano Axial Seamount. Scientists expect an eruption next year, but it will likely go unnoticed by anyone except the seafloor monitoring teams The activity could mark the start of what is known as Episode 29, the latest phase in the volcano's ongoing eruption cycle that began in 1983. The volcano, containing gas, ash, and threads, poses a threat to humans due to its confined nature and potential for eruptions. Mount Rainier, despite not erupting in centuries, remains one of the most hazardous volcanoes in North America because of its massive glacial coverage. A 2023 USGS risk assessment found that even small eruptions or earthquakes could trigger deadly mudflows, known as lahars, capable of reaching communities like Orting and Puyallup within minutes. Earlier this month, the volcano experienced its largest earthquake swarm since 2009, with hundreds of small tremors rattling the area. According to USGS, each quake was under magnitude 1.7 and originated just a few miles beneath the summit, deep enough to raise concern among scientists. While the volcano's alert level remains at 'normal' and no ground deformation has been detected, this swarm adds to approximately thousands, of quakes recorded at Rainier since 2020. Although an eruption is not expected in the immediate future, experts still rank Mount Rainier among the most dangerous volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest due to its potential to unleash lahars, ash fall, and pyroclastic flows. Scientists emphasize that it is not lava that poses the greatest threat, but the lahars. These violent mudflows can form during an eruption or even without one, triggered by intense rainfall, melting snow, or weakened slopes. Off Oregon's coast, Axial Seamount continues to slowly inflate. Scientists expect an eruption next year, but it will likely go unnoticed by anyone except the seafloor monitoring teams. Volcano experts say there is no cause for panic. The activity fits into long-term patterns in the Ring of Fire and Hawaii's hot spot as the scientists are watching them closely.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Dangerous US volcano 'is still active' as scientists reveal troubling source behind hundreds of earthquakes
More than 400 earthquakes rattled Washington's Mount Rainier over just 12 hours on Tuesday, sparking fears that the catastrophic volcano could soon erupt. The US Geological Survey (USGS) issued an update at 1:00pm PT, reminding the public that Rainier is far from extinct, but 'is still active.' This huge, stratovolcano looms over nearly 90,000 people living in cities such as Seattle, Tacoma, and Yakima in Washington as well as Portland, Oregon. Even though Rainier has not produced a significant eruption in more than 1,000 years, this weeks swarm of earthquakes caught the attention of the USGS as such events are often associated with volcanic unrest. A USGS geophysicist clarified that the current tremors at Rainier are not being driven by rising magma, but are likely the result of hot fluids. Alex Iezzi explained that hot water is probably circulating through pre-existing fractures in the rock beneath the surface, which can generate small, frequent earthquakes as the pressurized fluids cause the surrounding rock to shift and crack. However, Rainier is still closely monitored, as changes in these fluid-driven systems can sometimes precede more serious volcanic activity. A network of webcams, seismometers, GPS stations and infrasound sensors at the volcano are watching it around the clock, looking for any changes that signal an eruption. Volcanologists have said that it is only a matter of time until Rainier, arguably the most dangerous volcano in the US, unleashes on the Pacific Northwest. 'Mount Rainier keeps me up at night because it poses such a great threat to the surrounding communities,' Jess Phoenix, a volcanologist and ambassador for the Union of Concerned Scientists told CNN. But for now, the USGS has found 'no indication that the level of earthquake activity is cause for concern, and the alert level and color code for Mount Rainier remain at GREEN / NORMAL.' Tuesday's earthquakes were very small, measuring up to a 1.6 magnitude. 'Earthquakes are too small to be felt at the surface and will likely continue for several days. There would be no damage caused by such small events,' the USGS said. The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, which monitors seismic activity in the area, detected 25 earthquakes as of 11:20am PT, with a magnitude 2.3 as the strongest. However, this is the largest swarm of earthquakes since 2009 that saw over 1,000 tremors. The volcano typically experiences a rate of about nine earthquakes per month and swarms every one to two years. 'Earthquakes are one of several parameters we monitor to indicate what a volcano is doing,' said the USGS. 'Right now, this swarm is still within what we consider normal background levels of activity at Mount Rainier.' The USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) added: 'Instruments do not show any detectable ground deformation at the volcano, and no anomalous signals have been seen on the infrasound monitoring stations.' When this volcano eventually blows, it won't be lava flows or choking clouds of ash that threaten surrounding cities, but the lahars: violent, fast-moving mudflows that can tear across entire communities in a matter of minutes. Large lahars can crush, abrade, bury, or carry away almost anything in their paths, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). 'Tacoma and South Seattle are built on 100-foot-thick ancient mudflows from eruptions of Mount Rainier,' Phoenix said. This is a strong indication that these populous cities lie within the path of potential lahars generated by a future eruption. Volcanic eruptions usually cause lahars by rapidly melting snow and ice that covers the volcano's slopes, which then destabilizes loose dirt, rock and volcanic debris and causes it to flow rapidly downward. But it doesn't always take an eruption to trigger a lahar, according to the Seismological Society of America. Rarely, these powerful mudslides can form as the result of gradual weakening of the volcano's slopes due to past eruptions, or heavy rainfall after an eruption. The deadliest lahar in recent history resulted from a 1985 eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz stratovolcano in Tolima, Columbia. Within hours of the eruption, a torrent of mud, melted snow and rock inundated the town of Armero and killed an estimated 25,000 people. This event, now known as the Armero tragedy, was the costliest volcanic disaster in history, according to The International Disaster Database. The total economic impact was estimated at $1 billion. The 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens, located in Washington just 50 miles from Mount Rainier, also produced a dangerous lahar that destroyed more than 200 homes, over 185 miles of roads and contributed to the total death toll of 57 people.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Kilauea volcano spews lava more than 1,000 feet into Hawaiian air
June 20 (UPI) -- Jets of searing hot molten lava spewed more than 1,000 feet into the Hawaiian air Friday from the Kilauea volcano. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said in a statement that the "eruption began at approximately 1:40 a.m. HST, June 20, with lava fountains and flows erupting from the north vent. Fountain heights are well over 1,000 feet. Plume is over 20,000 ft." Kilauea is one of six active volcanoes in Hawaii, including Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world. The cloud released by the lava eruption can include hazards like volcanic glass called Pele's hair and rock fragments known as tephra. The observatory said that has the potential to cause "far-reaching effects downwind." The current eruption was Kilauea's 26th since December 2024. The lava jet is known as lava fountaining. The Hawaii Volcano Observatory predicted in a June 16 statement: "Episode 26 lava fountaining will likely begin between June 18 and 20 based on current rates of summit inflation." The main hazards of the lava fountaining include volcanic gas, primarily water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide; and volcanic haze or smog, known as vog, which can blow downwind." Residents of area affected by the lava fountaining cloud are advised to minimize exposure due to the glass and other fragments within it.
The Independent
03-06-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Volcanologist reveals exactly what happened at Mount Etna
On Monday morning local time, a huge cloud of ash, hot gas and rock fragments began spewing from Italy's Mount Etna. An enormous plume was seen stretching several kilometres into the sky from the mountain on the island of Sicily, which is the largest active volcano in Europe. While the blast created an impressive sight, the eruption resulted in no reported injuries or damage and barely even disrupted flights on or off the island. Mount Etna eruptions are commonly described as 'Strombolian eruptions' – though as we will see, that may not apply to this event. What happened at Etna? The eruption began with an increase in pressure in the hot gases inside the volcano. This led to the partial collapse of part of one of the craters atop Etna. The collapse allowed what is called a pyroclastic flow: a fast-moving cloud of ash, hot gas and fragments of rock bursting out from inside the volcano. Next, lava began to flow in three different directions down the mountainside. These flows are now cooling down. On Monday evening, Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology announced the volcanic activity had ended. Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, so this eruption is reasonably normal. What is a Strombolian eruption? Volcanologists classify eruptions by how explosive they are. More explosive eruptions tend to be more dangerous because they move faster and cover a larger area. At the mildest end are Hawaiian eruptions. You have probably seen pictures of these: lava flowing sedately down the slope of the volcano. The lava damages whatever it runs into, but it's a relatively local effect. As eruptions grow more explosive, they send ash and rock fragments flying further afield. At the more explosive end of the scale are Plinian eruptions. These include the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, described by the Roman writer Pliny the Younger, which buried the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum under metres of ash. In a Plinian eruption, hot gas, ash, and rock can explode high enough to reach the stratosphere, and when the eruption column collapses, the debris falls to Earth and can wreak terrifying destruction over a huge area. What about Strombolian eruptions? These relatively mild eruptions are named after Stromboli, another Italian volcano, which belches out a minor eruption every 10 to 20 minutes. In a Strombolian eruption, chunks of rock and cinders may travel tens or hundreds of metres through the air, but rarely further. The pyroclastic flow from yesterday's eruption at Etna was rather more explosive than this, so it wasn't strictly Strombolian. Can we forecast volcano eruptions? Volcanic eruptions are a bit like weather. They are very hard to predict in detail, but we are a lot better than we used to be at forecasting them. To understand what a volcano will do in the future, we first need to know what is happening inside it right now. We can't look inside directly, but we do have indirect measurements. For example, before an eruption, magma travels from deep inside the Earth up to the surface. On the way, it pushes rocks apart and can generate earthquakes. If we record the vibrations of these quakes, we can track the magma's journey from the depths. Rising magma can also make the ground near a volcano bulge upwards very slightly, by a few millimetres or centimetres. We can monitor this bulging, for example, with satellites, to gather clues about an upcoming eruption. Some volcanoes release gas even when they are not strictly erupting. We can measure the chemicals in this gas, and if they change, it can tell us that new magma is on its way to the surface. When we have this information about what's happening inside the volcano, we also need to understand its 'personality' to know what the information means for future eruptions. Are volcanic eruptions more common than in the past? As a volcanologist, I often hear from people that it seems there are more volcanic eruptions now than in the past. This is not the case. What is happening, I tell them, is that we have better monitoring systems now, and a very active global media system. So we know about more eruptions – and even see photos of them. Monitoring is extremely important. We are fortunate that many volcanoes in places such as Italy, the United States, Indonesia and New Zealand have excellent monitoring in place. This monitoring allows local authorities to issue warnings when an eruption is imminent. For a visitor or tourist out to see the spectacular natural wonder of a volcano, listening to these warnings is all-important.
Gizmodo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
Monitoring Tree Leaves From Space Could Help Predict Volcanic Eruptions
Forecasting volcanic eruptions is difficult, but not impossible. By keeping an eye on features such as ground deformation, changes in gas emissions, and ground tremors, volcanologists can sometimes make successful predictions, which save countless lives. NASA and the Smithsonian Institution are now teaming up to monitor another volcanic harbinger, but from space: leaves. Scientists already knew that tree leaves can change color when a nearby volcano becomes more active, but this collaboration aims to observe the mechanism using satellite imagery. Given that there's no way to avoid volcanic eruptions, early warning systems are the only way to keep the public safe. 'Volcano early warning systems exist,' Florian Schwandner, a volcanologist and chief of the Earth Science Division at NASA's Ames Research Center, said in a NASA statement announcing the collaboration. 'The aim here is to make them better and make them earlier.' As magma rises toward the surface of the Earth before an eruption, it releases gases such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. In fact, in 2017, a monitoring network at a volcano in the Philippines—which Schwandner and his colleagues had previously upgraded to read carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions—enabled government researchers to forecast a major volcanic eruption. Thanks to mass evacuations, no lives were lost. Carbon dioxide emissions are one of the earliest signs that a volcano is waking up, but they are difficult to spot directly from space. Why would we want to see carbon dioxide emissions from space? Because otherwise, volcanologists have to trek to volcanoes in person to measure them directly—a task that can be difficult, expensive, and even dangerous. 'Volcanoes emit a lot of carbon dioxide,' said Robert Bogue, a volcanologist from McGill University. However, 'a volcano emitting the modest amounts of carbon dioxide that might presage an eruption isn't going to show up in satellite imagery,' he explained. Carbon dioxide does show up, however, in trees' foliage, making it greener and more lush. As such, the NASA and Smithsonian collaboration is bringing together volcanologists, botanists, and climate scientists to investigate how researchers can use trees to monitor volcanic activity. 'The whole idea is to find something that we could measure instead of carbon dioxide directly,' Bogue explained, 'to give us a proxy to detect changes in volcano emissions.' 'There are plenty of satellites we can use to do this kind of analysis,' confirmed Nicole Guinn, a volcanologist from the University of Houston. Guinn has previously monitored trees near Italy's Mount Etna volcano using satellite imagery. The approach has constraints, however. For example, some volcanoes aren't close enough to trees for satellite images to be useful, and different trees can experience different responses to carbon dioxide. Furthermore, fires, weather events, and plant diseases can make satellite data difficult to interpret. But the truth is that no single feature can perfectly predict volcanic activity. 'There's not one signal from volcanoes that's a silver bullet,' Schwandner said. 'And tracking the effects of volcanic carbon dioxide on trees will not be a silver bullet. But it will be something that could change the game.'
