According to a new study, glaciers could serve as powerful volcano monitoring tools. The study is the first to demonstrate the potential of these massive glaciers situated on volcanoes to signal future disruptions that could indicate a looming eruption.
Glaciers as a Volcano Monitoring Tool
While volcano monitoring is crucial, it has become a challenging feat to pull off especially for those volcanoes with glaciers sitting on top of them.
A team that was led by academics from the School of Geosciences at the University of Aberdeen examined 600 glaciers across South America. They demonstrated that glaciers situated over volcanoes have higher altitude confinements, while those surrounding volcanoes have lower altitude limits.
This is mainly because the heightened temperature on or close to a volcano leads to ice melts. Because of this, glaciers are prevented from rising higher.
Before unrest and disruption hits, volcano temperatures typically increase. By establishing a connection between volcanoes and the glaciers atop them, specialists can examine which volcanoes have higher temperatures and have higher likelihoods of eruption. This could even help with monitoring when other methods fall short or are not feasible.
The research was led by Professors Brice Rea and Matteo Spagnolo. According to professor Spagnolo, volcanoes are one of the Earth's biggest geological hazards. Over 500 people die yearly due to these hazards, while affected areas also face great financial strains.
Monitoring Volcanoes: One of Earth's Biggest Geological Hazards
Remote and on-the-ground sensing methods have vital roles when it comes to the monitoring of volcanoes. However, there are challenges when it comes to monitoring 16% of the volcanoes of the Earth due to the glaciers that sit on top of them. There are roughly 250 of these glacier-covered volcanos. These geological mounts tend to be situated in remote regions.
Aside from other telltale signs, the temperature of volcanoes tend to go up at least five years before they erupt.
The recent research is the first to come up with a quantitative link between volcanic temperature and glacier elevation over a large terrain. This leads to more doors for volcano monitoring.
Professor Rea also explains that by establishing the connection between glacier elevation and volcano temperature, analysis on glaciers can then be performed in order to know which volcanoes have higher temperatures and are most likely to erupt in the coming future. As such, it would also aid in ground monitoring and remote sensing.
The method could supplement existing approaches for volcano monitoring or could serve as a handy alternative when other methods are not feasible.
Volcanic Eruptions
During eruptions, volcanoes spit out fiery and dangerous lava, rock, rock, and gas that are intensely destructive. Aside from posing as a life threat to humanity, these events can also prompt mudslides, floods, water contamination, wildfire, and power outages. Post-eruption health concerns also include burns, respiratory illness, infectious disease, vehicle accidents, and injuries from falls.
When people follow through with volcanic eruption warnings, the risks of adverse health effects significantly decrease.
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