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Inside the Active Volcano On Montserrat
Roland Piquepaille writes "An international team of researchers has begun collecting imaging data on the Soufriere Hills Volcano in Montserrat, which has been erupting regularly since 1995. They're using the equivalent of a CAT scan to understand its internal structure and how and when it erupts. The experiment is dubbed SEA-CALIPSO and 'will use air guns and a string of sensors off the back of a research ship combined with sensors on land to try to image the magma chamber.' Early results are surprising. Quoting one of the leading scientists: 'The interesting thing is that much more magma is erupting than appears represented by the subsiding bowl. ... The magma volume in Montserrat eruptions is much larger than anyone would estimate from the surface deformation, because of the elastic storage of magma in what is effectively a huge magma sponge.'"
The topography of the world's Zits. I wonder whether we will ever find a magma variant for Clearasil? Or is the Yellowstone Caldera still doomed to become one of those huge monstrous red scars no matter how much we scrub?
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it well worth the effort.