The Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, USA
A team of researchers has just discovered a new structure in the depths of Yellowstone supervulk that may be playing an important role in containing an eruption of this volcanic system.
Researchers have used seismic data and computational models to study the deepest layer under Yellowstone and found proof of what they call a sharp layer rich in volatile substances, located 3.8 kilometers below the surface.
According to the, it works as a magma lidallowing the gas to be released to the above layers, but keeping the system stable.
“For decades we have known that there is magma under Yellowstone, but the exact depth and structure of its upper border have been a big question,” said the Brandon Schmandtco -author and professor of land sciences, environmental and planetary at Rice University.
“What we found is that this reservoir has not closed – it has been there a few million years ago, but it is still dynamic“He adds.
There was a great Uncertainty about the location of the magma. The team had to work hard to find it, since the data was not easy to analyze. The data collection was also interesting.
The team used a vibrosis truck, a vehicle that can send small earthquakes to the groundobserved the reflection of these waves to study the inner layers and commented that the lid seems to be breathingwhich suggests it is unlikely that an eruption is imminent. The results were in the magazine Nature.
“Although we have detected a rich pair of volatiles, its bubble content and melting is below levels normally associated with an imminent eruption“, Disse Schmandt.
“Instead, it seems that the system is efficiently release gas Through cracks and channels between mineral crystals, which makes sense to me, given the abundance of Yellowstone hydrothermal characteristics that emit magmatic gases, ”he added.
The investigation puts a clear structure in the depths of the supervulcão. Future monitoring may focus on characterizing it better.
If the structure begins to melt or if there are changes in gas accumulation, it may indicate that something is change or move toward an eruption. The approach developed in this work can have applications beyond volcano monitoring.
“Being able to View what is happening in the underground It’s important to everything from geothermal energy to carbon dioxide storage, ”said Schmandt.
“This work shows that, with creativity and perseverance, we can see through complicated data and reveal what is happening under our feet,” concludes the researcher.
Teresa Oliveira Campos, Zap //
