A Precautionary Tale
If you’re like most people, the words “volcanic eruption” probably spark fear into your mind: rumbling earthquakes, hot lava, and volcanic ash likely aren’t something you want to encounter. Luckily, a recent discovery allows scientists to accurately predict volcanic eruptions, keeping people safe both on the ground and during air travel.
Warning System at Work
Geophysicist Maurizio Ripepe has made a historical achievement by discovering a method for detecting volcanic eruptions before they happen. Ripepe’s system, which is the first in the world to successfully predict volcanic eruptions, is currently in use at Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano. The warning system, which relies on vibrations made by sounds too low for humans to hear, alerts authorities near Mount Etna about an hour before the eruption will take place. Since its beginnings in 2010, the warning system has successfully predicted 57 out of the 59 eruptions that have taken place at Mount Etna.
Eruption at Mount Etna that took place in October 2013. Source: Wikimedia Commons
How Does it Work?
The warning system devised by Ripepe relies on infrasound waves, which are extremely low vibrations that are produced by volcanoes before an eruption. As gas rises out of a volcano’s magma before an eruption, it causes air movement within the craters, producing sound waves. Much like a musical instrument, the shape of the craters affects the kinds of sounds that are produced. These infrasound waves are then detected by the warning system, indicating that an eruption will happen soon. At Mount Etna, which is an open-vent volcano, the exposed magma provides plenty of gases to produce the infrasound waves that alert the warning system. Volcanoes with closed vents make early detection a little more difficult – a challenge scientists are continuing to tackle.
Video describing an infrasound detection system. Source: CTBTO
Looking to the Future
The success of Ripepe’s warning system at Mount Etna has paved the way for many more advancements in predicting volcanic eruptions. Scientists believe similar technology can be applied to volcanoes around the world, even those with different structures than Mount Etna. Although volcanoes still pose a threat to human safety, hopefully we’ll be able to rest a little easier knowing that warning systems can help people stay safe.
