Does seismic activity under this long-dead volcano mean it’s about to rise from the grave? That’s what an international research team set out to discover as this Bolivian “zombie” volcano continues to show signs of activity.
Using modern technology, the team mapped out the internal workings of the volcano and determined how likely it could erupt, according to a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Uturuncu, The Zombie Volcano
Uturuncu hasn’t erupted in over 250,000 years. And while many claim that it is a dormant volcano, area residents and researchers continue to notice signs of volcanic activity, such as earthquakes and plumes of smoke emanating from it.
According to the study, this type of unrest is characterized by a sombrero pattern, where the landmass in the center of the volcano rises, while the land around it sinks.
This activity has caused unrest to the surrounding populations, as an eruption could cause untold harm and destruction. Thankfully, with this new study, the area residents could have peace of mind.
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Analyzing Volcanic Plumbing
For this study, an international research team from the University of Science and Technology of China, the University of Oxford, and Cornell University analyzed signals derived from more than 1,700 earthquakes, mapping out the internal workings, or plumbing, of Uturuncu. The team took these signals and generated high-resolution images that showed how liquids and gases moved under the volcano’s crust.
Volcanic plumbing systems are a complex network of hydrothermal activity and the flow of liquids and gases through a magmatic reservoir, according to a press release. Uturuncu, especially, is unique as it sits atop the Altiplano-Puna Volcanic Complex, the largest known magma body on the planet.
According to the findings, the research team believes that there is a very low risk of the volcano erupting.
Internal Volcanic Mapping
To generate the high-resolution images, the team used seismic tomography, along with studying the volcano’s physical properties, such as rock composition. From there, the research team could get a clearer view of what lay beneath Uturuncu’s surface. This method helped the team identify migration pathways through which heated fluids moved and where those liquids and gases accumulated in specific magma reservoirs.
The magma reservoir, where gases and liquids seemed to accumulate, was directly under the center of the volcano. This would explain when the exterior seems to be forming a sombrero. However, this indication is also why researchers believe that the eruption risk is low.
Uturuncu isn’t the only zombie volcano researchers are monitoring. From this study, the research team is hoping to apply these methods towards understanding and mapping other volcanoes.
"The methods in this paper could be applied to the more than 1400 potentially active volcanoes and to the dozens of volcanoes like Uturuncu that aren't considered active but that show signs of life — other potential zombie volcanoes," said study co-author Matthew Pritchard from Cornell University in a press release.
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Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Anatomy of the magmatic hydrothermal system beneath Uturuncu volcano, Bolivia, by joint seismological and petrophysical analysis
A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. Her current work also appears on her travel blog and Common State Magazine. Her love of science came from watching PBS shows as a kid with her mom and spending too much time binging Doctor Who.
