Health of Trees Could Help Predict Volcanic Eruptions [Study]

The health of the trees can help us determine if a volcanic eruption is coming. Geologists noticed how the trees' health changes based on the presence of volcanic gasses.

Trees To Predict Volcanic Eruptions

A new study learned that some trees are susceptible to volcanic gases and could be used to predict eruptions because the changes are visible from space. Robert Bogue of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Canada's McGill University observed a forest from Yellowstone National Park between 1984 and 2022 and noticed the changes.

From 1984 to 2001, the researchers found signs of this improved health at Yellowstone National Park, USA. The authors noted that a section of the forest exposed to volcanic gasses was healthier than very similar, neighboring woods growing unaffected by the volcano.

This implies that water and volcanic carbon dioxide are good for the trees and their flora. However, as volcanic activity rises, the trees' health begins to suffer. Plants browned, the researchers discovered, as eruptions approached.

"We detected increases in plant stress caused by increases in soil temperature and sulfur emissions before they were detectable by other types of satellites," the authors wrote. "Combining these two contrasting effects represents a promising new path for additional monitoring of active volcanoes."

Although the activity that a volcano is displaying can help scientists determine when an eruption is likely to occur, volcanoes are often very difficult to predict. Numerous indicators of a potential eruption may occasionally exist, but none appears. In other cases, there is not much notice before an eruption happens.

Because of this, researchers are constantly searching for fresh approaches to gauge volcanic activity.

These results could eventually allow scientists to forecast eruptions using satellite imagery based on the condition of the vegetation surrounding volcanoes.

While the method might not be effective for all volcanoes, it could be especially helpful for volcanoes with dense forests and trees surrounding them, such as Mount Etna in Italy and the Taal Volcano in the Philippines.

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46 Volcanoes in Continuous Eruptive State

Last month, nearly 50 volcanoes were in eruptive state. The Smithsonian Institution reports that at least 46 volcanoes continuously erupt. The Reykjanes-Svartsengi volcano, which is close to the Fagradalsfjall fissure in Iceland, is among them. Three volcanoes from Kamchatka, Russia; Grindavík, Iceland; and Iwo Jima, Japan, were also on the list.

Numerous signs of instability have been displayed by the Icelandic volcano, such as hundreds of earthquakes and the sinking of a substantial portion of Grinadvík's land, which suggests that magma was nearing the volcano and eruption was expected.

An expert said that despite the several eruptions that have occurred globally, people shouldn't be concerned. According to them, it's typical to have 40 to 50 yearly volcanic outbursts.

"The number of volcanoes erupting right now is normal," Global Volcanism Program Director Ben Andrews said. "There are currently 46 ongoing eruptions, and over the past 30 years, there have generally been about 40-50 eruptions happening at any given time. Since 1991, there have been between 56 and 88 eruptions each year; 67 eruptions have happened thus far this year, and there were 85 in 2022."