Friday, February 3, 2012

Predicting caldera volcanic eruptions

USA Today reports that scientists are making some progress in predicting when a caldera volcano may erupt.  Scientists report in Nature magazine about the 1600 BC Santorini volcano in Greece.  Analysis of the feldspar crystals suggest that the magma chamber increased by as much as 10% in the decades before the eruption.  These changes can be detected by satellite images.  Scientists are asking for additional monitoring of less well known caldera volcanoes such as the Ubehebe crater in Death Valley, California.   Neil Bowdler from BBC news reports that scientists are hoping to get months to decades notice before a super volcano erupts. 
Galapagos island Caldera Volcano http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16834570

Artist Rendering of a Supervolcano eruption http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16834570
One of the more difficult challenges would be to find a way to slowly release the built up pressure to minimize the impact of a caldera eruption.  Unfortunately, it probably is one on the forces of nature too powerful to be controlled  through an engineering solution designed to limit local devastation and subsequent climate disruption.

1 comment:

  1. Steve,

    Thanks, Given the focus of your blog you may like two books on this subject. Bob Merritt's book: When Life is not Working and Henry Cloud's book: Nine Things You Simply Must Do.

    Best wishes.

    ReplyDelete