After 3 weeks of earthquakes, the Fagradalsfjall volcano exploded after over 7 centuries. Many people in Iceland raced out of their homes to take a picture. As the eruption continued for the next six months; locals got even closer to take pictures of the red bursts of lava flying out of the black pyramid.
Scientists wanted to look even further, miles into the volcano where the flowing rock works in undiscovered ways. Researchers sent a helicopter to retrieve some samples of the lava, and they got some unexpected results. The lava had crystals in it! Additionally, the lava came from a very deep pit underground, and when researchers noticed this, they rushed to collect more samples. Dr. Ed Marshall, one of the scientists conducting the study explained, “We were working all hours — you’re asleep and the volcano’s still erupting and you’re like, ‘I got to get back out there. But it’s hard to describe how rare this kind of thing is.”
Usually, volcanic eruptions are caused by small magma colliding, but scientists think that the magma from this eruption came straight from the mantle source. Scientists are hoping to get samples deeper down into the volcano.
According to Dr. Frances Deegan, and her partner, Ilya Bindeman, a geochemist, who were both conducting the study, “The researchers found that not only were the chemicals incredibly varied over time, suggesting that many different parts of the mantle had combined in the eruption, but also that the oxygen isotopes were virtually identical across these samples.” This contributes to a long mystery regarding Iceland’s low levels of oxygen-18, which is usually found in volcanic rock.
Because this is such a rare eruption, scientists and tourists alike are racing to get as much information – and pictures! – as they can.
Link to Article: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658688653049x483566818130665200/In%20Iceland%2C%20a%20Volcanic%20Eruption%20Brings%20Researchers%20Closer%20to%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20Core%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
Scientists wanted to look even further, miles into the volcano where the flowing rock works in undiscovered ways. Researchers sent a helicopter to retrieve some samples of the lava, and they got some unexpected results. The lava had crystals in it! Additionally, the lava came from a very deep pit underground, and when researchers noticed this, they rushed to collect more samples. Dr. Ed Marshall, one of the scientists conducting the study explained, “We were working all hours — you’re asleep and the volcano’s still erupting and you’re like, ‘I got to get back out there. But it’s hard to describe how rare this kind of thing is.”
Usually, volcanic eruptions are caused by small magma colliding, but scientists think that the magma from this eruption came straight from the mantle source. Scientists are hoping to get samples deeper down into the volcano.
According to Dr. Frances Deegan, and her partner, Ilya Bindeman, a geochemist, who were both conducting the study, “The researchers found that not only were the chemicals incredibly varied over time, suggesting that many different parts of the mantle had combined in the eruption, but also that the oxygen isotopes were virtually identical across these samples.” This contributes to a long mystery regarding Iceland’s low levels of oxygen-18, which is usually found in volcanic rock.
Because this is such a rare eruption, scientists and tourists alike are racing to get as much information – and pictures! – as they can.
Link to Article: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658688653049x483566818130665200/In%20Iceland%2C%20a%20Volcanic%20Eruption%20Brings%20Researchers%20Closer%20to%20Earth%E2%80%99s%20Core%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
