REDSTATE | Published November 24, 2024
When set against the scale and scope of the world, humans and our efforts can look pretty tiny. When we have visitors here in the Great Land, one of my favorite places to take them is right up the road to the hill overlooking our little community center, where on a clear day, Denali and the Alaska Range absolutely dominate the northern horizon. And Denali, I always point out, is 150 miles away from that overlook.
And when something happens on the earth – weather, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions – those events can make us feel downright puny. This brings us to the Phlegraean Fields in Italy, one of the world’s largest supervolcanos, and one that is becoming more active.
These volcanic fields, nestled just west of Naples, Italy, are among the top eight emitters of volcanic carbon dioxide worldwide.
Since 2005, one spot in particular — the Solfatara crater — has been releasing increased volumes of gas, catching the attention of researchers and locals alike.
Gianmarco Buono, a volcanologist at the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), is leading a study to understand what’s behind this surge in gas emissions.
“Estimating the source of the carbon dioxide is important to properly reconstruct what is happening in the magmatic system and the hydrothermal system,” says Buono.
His team aims to provide a tool that can distinguish between carbon dioxide coming from magma and that released by other processes, a method that could be useful in volcanic regions around the world.
So what would it mean if this thing woke up one morning and decided to go “Blooie!” Well, nothing good.
In the simplest of terms, a supervolcano is essentially a volcano on steroids. It’s a massive volcanic system capable of producing eruptions thousands of times more powerful than a regular volcano.
These eruptions can eject more than 1,000 cubic kilometers of material into the atmosphere, which can have catastrophic effects on the global climate and environment.
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SOURCE: www.redstate.com
RELATED: Supervolcano shows signs of waking up, which would plunge the world into chaos
EATTH.COM | Published November 24, 2024
The Phlegraean Fields, now considered one massive supervolcano, are beginning to stir, making the scientific community uneasy.
These volcanic fields, nestled just west of Naples, Italy, are among the top eight emitters of volcanic carbon dioxide worldwide.
Since 2005, one spot in particular — the Solfatara crater — has been releasing increased volumes of gas, catching the attention of researchers and locals alike.
Gas emissions at Solfatara crater
Gianmarco Buono, a volcanologist at the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), is leading a study to understand what’s behind this surge in gas emissions.
“Estimating the source of the carbon dioxide is important to properly reconstruct what is happening in the magmatic system and the hydrothermal system,” says Buono.
His team aims to provide a tool that can distinguish between carbon dioxide coming from magma and that released by other processes, a method that could be useful in volcanic regions around the world.
What exactly is a supervolcano?
In the simplest of terms, a supervolcano is essentially a volcano on steroids. It’s a massive volcanic system capable of producing eruptions thousands of times more powerful than a regular volcano.
These eruptions can eject more than 1,000 cubic kilometers of material into the atmosphere, which can have catastrophic effects on the global climate and environment.
You’ve probably heard of places like Yellowstone National Park in the United States — that’s one of the most famous supervolcanoes.
When a supervolcano erupts it can form a giant caldera, which is a huge crater that can span dozens of miles.
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