Thursday, November 14, 2024 The world’s largest active volcano, Mauna Loa, erupted in November 2022 after nearly 40 years of dormancy. Two years later, new research confirms the timeline of magma movement leading up to the eruption, providing critical insights into forecasting volcanic activity. These findings are invaluable not only for scientists but also for travelers and tourism operators in volcanic regions.
Mauna Loa, located on Hawaii’s Big Island, began showing signs of activity approximately two months before the eruption. Geologists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory detected small earthquakes and ground swelling, indicating magma rising beneath the volcano’s surface. This early detection allowed authorities to warn residents and tourists about the potential eruption, minimizing risks and ensuring public safety.
Now, a groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications reveals new details about the volcanic processes leading up to the eruption. Using samples of volcanic rock collected after the eruption, researchers analyzed the chemical makeup of crystals within the lava. Their findings confirmed that around 70 days before the eruption, large quantities of molten rock moved from depths of 1.
9 to 3 miles (3 to 5 kilometers) beneath the summit to less than a mile (2 kilometers) below the surface. This timeline matches the geophysical signs observed by scientists in the lead-up to the eruption. “Volcanoes are tricky because we don’t get to watch direct.
