A scientist who led one of the first projects to map the Hawaiian Islands’ deep volcanic plumbing explains what’s going on under the surface as Mauna Loa erupts.
In the Lord of the Rings prequel, The Rings of Power, the dark realm of Mordor is created by diverting a river into a dormant volcano, setting off a huge eruption – but is this scientifically viable?
The eruption in East Java that claimed 22 lives on Saturday was likely triggered by weather conditions rather than by internal unrest inside Mount Semeru, which would have been easier to monitor.
An area on the summit of the West Mata Volcano erupting in 2009.
NOAA / NSF / WHOI
Volcanic ash is made of tiny crystal and rock fragments that during an eruption can reach as high as the cruising altitude of commercial aircraft, and that’s a concern for airlines.
The 2018 eruption of Kilauea volcano was preceded by damage of the magma plumbing system at the summit.
Courtesy of Grace Tobin, 60 Minutes
Compared to Earth, more “oomph” is required to bring magma to the surface of Mars, and this is probably why we haven’t seen any recent eruptions on the red planet.
Some explosive volcanoes can send ash high up into the sky and it can travel around the world over different countries.
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When magma rises towards the surface gas bubbles start to form. Whether or not they can escape as the magma is rising affects how explosive the eruption will be.