Tag

Volcanism

All articles tagged with #volcanism

space-and-spaceflight12 days ago•15 min saved

Hidden Lava Tubes Hint at a Subsurface Network Beneath Venus

Researchers analyzing radar data from the Magellan mission detected what appears to be a large underground lava tube beneath Venus, near the Nux Mons region. The tube is about 1 kilometer wide, with a roof around 150 meters thick and a hollow cavity at least 375 meters high, marking the first confirmed subsurface feature on Venus and supporting long-held ideas about the planet’s volcanic activity. If confirmed, there may be more tubes beneath Venus’ surface, a task for upcoming radar-focused missions VERITAS and EnVision, planned to launch around 2031.

via Gizmodo|

#lava-tube #radar #space-and-spaceflight

science14 days ago•31 min saved

Yellowstone’s Inch-High Uplift Doesn’t Signal Impending Eruption

USGS scientists report a roughly one-inch uplift over a 19-mile area near Yellowstone’s Norris Geyser Basin, likely due to deep magmatic activity about 10 miles beneath the surface. It’s considered part of the Norris Uplift Anomaly and does not indicate an imminent eruption of the park’s supervolcano. A separate Yellowstone study found deep-borehole microbes spike around earthquakes, revealing subsurface life dynamics with implications for life-detection on other worlds. In short, Yellowstone stays geologically active, but a cataclysmic eruption is not expected soon.

via Yahoo|

#norris-geyser-basin #norris-uplift-anomaly #science

space27 days ago•4 min saved

Venus May Hide Kilometer-Wide Lava Tubes Beneath the Surface

New modeling suggests Venus could harbor underground lava tubes up to about 1 kilometer wide, implying a vast subsurface network. Surface radar observations hint at ongoing volcanism, especially at Maat Mons and Idunn Mons, while simulations indicate explosive plumes could reach tens of kilometers into the atmosphere, informing future missions to study Venus's geology and atmospheric chemistry.

via Indian Defence Review|

#lava-tubes #planetary-science #radar-imagery

space1 month ago•73 min saved

Juno Spots Io's Most Powerful Volcanic Eruption Yet

NASA's Juno spacecraft captured what scientists describe as the solar system's most energetic eruption observed on Io, with multiple volcanoes lighting up simultaneously from a vast subterranean magma network. The Dec. 27, 2024 event, spotted by JIRAM during a flyby about 74,400 km above Io, released an estimated 140–260 terawatts of power and covered about 40,400 square miles (65,000 sq km). Io harbors around 400 active volcanoes driven by Jupiter's tidal forces. The synchronized eruption suggests interconnected magma reservoirs beneath Io's lava-encrusted surface, and future Io flybys will map new lava flows and ash deposits.

via Space|

#io #juno #jupiter

science1 month ago•34 min saved

Ice‑Covered Volcanoes May Wake Up as Ice Melts, Scientists Warn

Scientists warn that about 245 volcanoes are ice‑covered and could awaken as glaciers melt, releasing pressure and allowing more magma to form. Iceland’s Bardarbunga beneath Vatnajökull is a prime example—its 2014 eruption showed how ice‑bound volcanoes can erupt violently. Ongoing research links warming climate to potential increases in ice‑volcano activity, which could affect regions near ice‑covered volcanoes around the world, including parts of North and South America and Antarctica, with millions living within reach of possible eruptions.

via Yahoo|

#bardarbunga #climate-change #ice-volcanoes

science2 months ago•3 min saved

Ancient Volcano and Hidden Heat Source Discovered on the Moon

Scientists have discovered a deep-seated heat source beneath the Moon's surface in the Compton-Belkovich region, linked to ancient volcanic activity and radiogenic granite, indicating the Moon's interior remains geothermally active long after its volcanic period.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#granite #heat-source #lunar-geology

science8 months ago•5 min saved

Rhythmic Mantle Activity Sparks Africa's Continental Split and New Ocean Formation

Scientists have discovered rhythmic pulses of molten mantle rock beneath Ethiopia's Afar Rift, which influence the stretching and cracking of Earth's crust, potentially leading to the formation of a new ocean basin, and revealing a dynamic connection between deep Earth processes and surface geological activity.

via SciTechDaily|

#afar-rift #continental-breakup #mantle-plume

science8 months ago•5 min saved

Deep Earth Pulses and Magma Threats Beneath Africa

Scientists have discovered rhythmic pulses of molten mantle rising beneath Africa's Afar region, revealing a dynamic, pulsing mantle plume that influences tectonic rifting and ocean formation, with implications for volcanism and earthquakes.

via Phys.org|

#afar-rift #earths-interior #mantle-plume

science8 months ago•11 min saved

Unveiling the Secrets of Io, Jupiter's Volcanic Moon

Recent NASA Juno spacecraft data suggest that Io, Jupiter's volcanic moon, does not have a shallow magma ocean as previously thought, challenging existing theories about its intense volcanism driven by tidal heating, and raising questions about the internal structures of other tidally heated moons like Europa and Enceladus.

via WIRED|

#io #jupiter #magma-ocean

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Juno Mission Challenges Understanding of Io's Volcanic Activity

NASA's Juno mission has revealed that the volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io are powered by individual magma chambers rather than a global magma ocean, solving a long-standing mystery about Io's volcanic activity. This discovery, based on data from Juno's close flybys, suggests that tidal flexing from Jupiter's gravitational pull generates internal heat, melting parts of Io's interior. The findings have broader implications for understanding other celestial bodies, including moons like Enceladus and Europa, as well as exoplanets.

via NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory|

#io #juno-mission #jupiter

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Reevaluating Venus: New Insights on Water and Habitability

A new study by researchers from the University of Cambridge suggests that Venus likely never had liquid water on its surface, challenging previous theories that it might have once harbored oceans. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, analyzed the chemical composition of Venus' atmosphere and found that volcanic gases released on the planet contain less than 6% water vapor, indicating a very dry interior. This suggests Venus was never habitable, as water is crucial for supporting life.

via VOA Learning English|

#atmosphere #habitability #liquid-water

science1 year ago•4 min saved

New Research Suggests Venus Never Had Oceans or Earth-like Life

New research from the University of Cambridge suggests that Venus never had oceans and was always a hot, inhospitable planet, challenging the idea that it could have once supported life. By analyzing the chemical composition of Venus's atmosphere, scientists found that its volcanic gases contain minimal steam, indicating a dry interior. This finding has implications for the search for habitable exoplanets, as it suggests Venus-like planets may not be suitable for life. NASA's upcoming DAVINCI mission may provide further insights into Venus's history.

via Space.com|

#atmospheric-chemistry #exoplanets #habitability

science1 year ago•3 min saved

China's Moon Sample Unveils Unexpected Volcanic Activity

China's Chang'e 6 mission has returned the first samples from the moon's far side, revealing volcanic activity 2.8 billion years ago. The analysis of these basalt samples shows a lack of potassium, rare Earth elements, and phosphorus, possibly due to the South Pole-Aitken basin impact. This elemental imbalance may explain why the far side has fewer mare basalts compared to the near side, as the absence of radioactive elements like potassium and uranium could have reduced heat production and volcanic activity.

via Space.com|

#change-6 #geochemistry #lunar-samples

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Lunar Far Side Samples Unveil Ancient Volcanic Activity

China's Chang'e 6 mission has returned the first samples from the moon's far side, revealing volcanic activity 2.8 billion years ago. The analysis of these basalt samples shows a lack of potassium, rare Earth elements, and phosphorus, possibly due to the South Pole-Aitken basin impact. This elemental imbalance may explain why the far side has fewer mare basalts compared to the near side. The findings provide new insights into the moon's geological history and the differences between its two sides.

via Livescience.com|

#change-6 #china #lunar-geology

science1 year ago•6 min saved

Volcanic Activity Unveiled on Moon's Far Side by New Studies

Recent findings from China's Chang'e 6 mission, which returned samples from the Moon's far side, suggest that volcanic activity there may have occurred more recently than previously thought. The samples, containing basalt fragments, indicate volcanic activity around 2.8 billion years ago, younger than those from earlier missions. This challenges existing theories, as these samples lack KREEP elements, typically associated with volcanic heat sources, raising questions about the Moon's geological history and internal heat mechanisms.

via BBC Science Focus|

#change-6 #geology #lunar-samples