No two volcanic eruptions are exactly alike, but scientists think a series of explosive eruptions at Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano fit into a whole new category.
No two volcanic eruptions are exactly alike, but scientists think a series of explosive eruptions at Hawaii's Kīlauea volcano fit into a whole new category.
By analyzing the dynamics of 12 back-to-back explosions that happened in 2018, researchers describe a new type of volcanic eruption mechanism. The explosions were driven by sudden pressure increases as the ground collapsed, which blasted plumes of rock fragments and hot gas into the air, much like a classic stomp-rocket toy.
Researchers from the University of Oregon, United States Geological Survey and China’s Sichuan University report their findings in a paper published May 27 in Nature Geoscience.
Read more at: University of Oregon
Photo Credit: USGS
