Latest news with #PabloMoreno
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Study: Melting Glaciers could cause more volcanic eruptions
July 8 (UPI) -- The melting of glaciers due to the climate crisis could make volcanic eruptions more catastrophic than before, scientists cautioned in a study. The loss of ice from the rapid glacial melting releases pressure on magma chambers underground and could cause volcanic eruptions to become more frequent and intense, the study, presented at the Goldschmidt Conference in Prague, said. "As glaciers retreat due to climate change, our findings suggest these volcanoes go on to erupt more frequently and more explosively," Lead researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Pablo Moreno, said. The study placed six volcanoes in Chile under crystal analysis to determine how the shifting of the Patagonia Ice Sheet impacted the strength and frequency of previous volcanic eruptions. Studies linking the impacts of climate change on volcanic eruptions had previously been conducted in Iceland, but the latest study was the first to assess the links to continental volcanic systems. "Our study suggests this phenomenon isn't limited to Iceland, where increased volcanic activity has been observed, but could also occur in Antarctica," said Moreno. "Other continental regions, like parts of North America, New Zealand, and Russia, also now warrant closer scientific attention," "We found that following deglaciation, the volcano starts to erupt way more, and also changes composition," said Moreno. The composition changed as the magma melted crustal rocks while eruptions were suppressed. This made the molten rock more viscous and more explosive on eruption. Scientists found that during the last ice age, thick ice covered and suppressed the number of eruptions. Then, as the Earth heated up, volcanic activity increased by two to six times. "Glaciers tend to suppress the volume of eruptions from the volcanoes beneath them. But as glaciers retreat due to climate change, our findings suggest these volcanoes go on to erupt more frequently and more explosively," said Dr Moreno. "The key requirement for increased explosive is initially having a very thick glacial coverage over a magma chamber, and the trigger point is when these glaciers start to retreat, releasing pressure, which is currently happening in places like Antarctica."
Gizmodo
08-07-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
Melting Glaciers Could Unleash a Barrage of Volcanic Eruptions Worldwide, Scientists Warn
As if we needed another reason to worry about the climate crisis, researchers have found that melting glaciers could trigger a surge of intense volcanic eruptions in the future. Across the globe, hundreds of subglacial volcanoes—formed by eruptions beneath glaciers—lie dormant under thick layers of ice. A new study, presented at the Goldschmidt Conference in Prague, suggests that these volcanoes could awaken as climate change accelerates glacier retreat, potentially leading to an increase in volcanic eruptions around the world. This is particularly concerning in West Antarctica, where at least 100 subglacial volcanoes have been identified. Glaciers in this region are rapidly disappearing as the planet warms. 'Our study suggests this phenomenon isn't limited to Iceland, where increased volcanicity has been observed, but could also occur in Antarctica. Other continental regions, like parts of North America, New Zealand, and Russia, also now warrant closer scientific attention,' said Pablo Moreno, a geologist from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and one of the study's authors, in a statement. According to a 2020 study, 245 of the world's potentially active volcanoes lie underneath or within 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) of glacial ice. Since the 1970s, Iceland has experienced increased volcanic activity linked to retreating glaciers. However, this study is among the first to show how melting glaciers have influenced volcanic behavior across an entire continent. To investigate the link between past volcanic activity and glacier retreat, researchers studied the melting of the Patagonian ice sheets thousands of years ago and the ensuing eruptions. They used argon dating and crystal analysis on six volcanoes in southern Chile, including the inactive Mocho-Choshuenco volcano. This allowed them to determine the timing of past eruptions and trace how the weight and pressure of glacial ice affected the behavior of magma underground. The study was a collaboration between scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the University of California, Los Angeles, Dickinson College, and Lehigh University. The researchers found that during the peak of the last Ice Age—around 26,000 to 18,000 years ago—the thick ice cover suppressed volcanic activity, allowing large pools of magma to accumulate 6.2 to 9.3 miles (10 to 15 kilometers) below the surface. Then, as the ice sheet melted around 13,000 years ago, the sudden loss of weight caused the Earth's crust to relax and allowed gases and magma underground to expand. This pressure buildup triggered explosive eruptions. 'The key requirement for increased explosivity is initially having a very thick glacial coverage over a magma chamber, and the trigger point is when these glaciers start to retreat, releasing pressure,' said Moreno-Yaeger. Increased volcanic activity could also have global climate effects. In the short term, eruptions release aerosols that can temporarily cool the planet. But over time, the cumulative effect of multiple eruptions can contribute to warming by releasing greenhouse gases. 'Over time the cumulative effect of multiple eruptions can contribute to long-term global warming because of a buildup of greenhouse gases,' said Moreno-Yaeger. 'This creates a positive feedback loop, where melting glaciers trigger eruptions, and the eruptions in turn could contribute to further warming and melting.'
UPI
08-07-2025
- Science
- UPI
Study: Melting Glaciers could cause more volcanic eruptions
The melting of glaciers due to the climate crisis could make volcano eruptions more catastrophic than before, scientists cautioned in a study. Photo by NASA/UPI | License Photo July 8 (UPI) -- The melting of glaciers due to the climate crisis could make volcanic eruptions more catastrophic than before, scientists cautioned in a study. The loss of ice from the rapid glacial melting releases pressure on magma chambers underground and could cause volcanic eruptions to become more frequent and intense, the study, presented at the Goldschmidt Conference in Prague, said. "As glaciers retreat due to climate change, our findings suggest these volcanoes go on to erupt more frequently and more explosively," Lead researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Pablo Moreno, said. The study placed six volcanoes in Chile under crystal analysis to determine how the shifting of the Patagonia Ice Sheet impacted the strength and frequency of previous volcanic eruptions. Studies linking the impacts of climate change on volcanic eruptions had previously been conducted in Iceland, but the latest study was the first to assess the links to continental volcanic systems. "Our study suggests this phenomenon isn't limited to Iceland, where increased volcanic activity has been observed, but could also occur in Antarctica," said Moreno. "Other continental regions, like parts of North America, New Zealand, and Russia, also now warrant closer scientific attention," "We found that following deglaciation, the volcano starts to erupt way more, and also changes composition," said Moreno. The composition changed as the magma melted crustal rocks while eruptions were suppressed. This made the molten rock more viscous and more explosive on eruption. Scientists found that during the last ice age, thick ice covered and suppressed the number of eruptions. Then, as the Earth heated up, volcanic activity increased by two to six times. "Glaciers tend to suppress the volume of eruptions from the volcanoes beneath them. But as glaciers retreat due to climate change, our findings suggest these volcanoes go on to erupt more frequently and more explosively," said Dr Moreno. "The key requirement for increased explosive is initially having a very thick glacial coverage over a magma chamber, and the trigger point is when these glaciers start to retreat, releasing pressure, which is currently happening in places like Antarctica."
