Newswise — Researchers at the University of Queensland have enhanced a fresh method to predict the behavior of volcanoes, potentially safeguarding lives and assets worldwide.
Dr. Teresa Ubide from UQ’s School of the Environment and an international team of collaborators have tested a novel utilization of the challenging technique: laser ablation inductively coupled plasma quadruple mass spectrometry.
"Though it may be a mouthful, this advanced technique provides more precise data on the chemical processes taking place within a volcano's magma. Such information is essential for accurately predicting eruption patterns and detecting any alterations," explained Dr. Ubide.
She described magma as the ‘computer code’ of volcanoes, providing information on the eruption style and lava flow.
“The chemical changes that occur within the liquid portion of the magma during a volcanic eruption are quite incredible,” Dr Ubide said.
“The magma is made up of liquid melt, gas and crystals that combine inside the volcano.
“There are often so many meddling crystals that the magma looks like rocky road, and it’s difficult to observe its chemistry.
“To get these crystals out of the way, we blast the cooled melt – which is known as the rock matrix – with a laser like those used for eye surgery.
“Then we analyze the material measuring its chemical make-up.”
Dr. Ubide and the team examined the technique using samples gathered during the remarkable yet destructive 2021 volcanic outburst on La Palma, a Canary Island, that persisted for a total of 85 days.
"The volcanic event encompassed an area exceeding 12 square kilometers and unleashed 159 cubic meters of molten lava, obliterating approximately 1,600 residences and compelling over 7,000 individuals to evacuate. Dr. Ubide stated that this calamity incurred a financial toll of approximately $1.4 billion for the nation."
"In order to comprehend the potential trajectory of volcanic eruptions and offer timely guidance and alerts to individuals, the acquisition of real-time monitoring data is of utmost importance."
"Seismic activities, alterations in the Earth's surface, and gas data offer indirect insights into the internal dynamics of an active volcano. However, the chemical composition of the molten magma serves as a direct gauge of its unique characteristics, including its eruption behavior and potential consequences on communities and infrastructure."
“The information we gathered during this eruption could help inform volcano monitoring and hazard management in the future.”
The team is now trialing a similar technique on volcanic ash, which can be sampled more readily during a volcanic event.
“We are excited to collaborate with volcano observatories to implement the method as a monitoring tool,” Dr Ubide said.
The research is published in Science Advances.
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