'Dark Magma' Could Explain Mystery Volcanoes

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'Dark Magma' Could Explain Mystery Volcanoes

Posted by Soulskill on Tuesday November 11, 2014 @10:20AM from the i-prefer-the-term-stealth-magma dept.

sciencehabit writes: The magma fueling the volcanoes of Hawaii and Yellowstone National Park pipes up from deep inside the planet. Scientists have struggled to understand why there are hot spots there, so far from the grinding tectonic plate boundaries at which volcanoes normally appear. New research chalks the mystery up to 'dark magma': deep underground pockets of red-hot molten rock that siphon energy from Earth's core. If the team is right, its work could illuminate a key part of Earth's geology. These plumes are one of the most important things to understand because the movement of heat powers many processes on the planet. For one, Earth's magnetic field depends on how the core spins and flows inside the planet. As a result, the way heat flows from the core to the mantle could potentially affect the way Earth's magnetic field evolves over time.

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really? by uslurper · 2014-11-11 10:29 · Score: 5, Interesting

"Dark Magma" -really? no i didnt read tfa but "Dark Magma"!?
Dont you think the term "Dark ???" is being overused now?
Hey! theres something we dont know what it is.. lets call it "Dark... Meatcake!"

--
oldhack: "Security is a waste of money until shit hits the fan. 5 minutes later, it becomes waste of money again. "
1. Re:really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:32 · Score: 0
  
  Reading the article wouldn't have helped you.
  There's not any good science in there.
2. Re:really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:33 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  I suspect "dark moderation" is why you're only at +1 right now.
3. Re:really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:52 · Score: 0
  
  Is that an African heavy metal cover band?
4. Re:really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:58 · Score: -1
  
  I agree, they should have called it Nigger Magma.
5. Re:really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 11:51 · Score: 1
  
  In years past, this comment would have been +5 funny.
  With -1 moderation on posts like this, Slashdot isn't worth reading anymore.
6. Re:really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 15:36 · Score: 0
  
  Ok, how do I flag the two posts above for being awesome? Hah!
7. Re:really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 15:55 · Score: 0
  
  I'm not 23 any more, and things like that simply aren't funny. Slashdot isn't attracting a crowd of young people who laugh at things like that any more since the existing crowd refuses to let the site adapt into the sort of thing 20-something technical people will tolerate.
8. Re: really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 17:21 · Score: 0
  
  They put the Dark term on everything they do not know or for sure they do not understand. It is intuitive, it is dark to them.
9. Re:really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 20:03 · Score: 0
  
  "Dark Magma" -really? no i didnt read tfa but "Dark Magma"!?
  Dont you think the term "Dark ???" is being overused now?
  Hey! theres something we dont know what it is.. lets call it "Dark... Meatcake!"
  Let's call it "Strange Magma" instead. Or maybe "Left Magma". Or an acronym.
10. Re:really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 21:34 · Score: 0
  
  Brown fat (the dark sort of fat) usually disappears sometimes after birth. It burns energy and keeps you warm to prevent you from dying in the cold. Cold treatment can produce adult brown fat for some people, so your winter must have been cold with lots of swimming among the ice. It's horrible when a joke is converted to a serious conversation, isn't it? ;)
11. Re:really? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-12 00:13 · Score: 0
  
  I'm not 23 any more, and things like that simply aren't funny.
  To YOU they're not funny. There was absolutely no reason to downmod that post. Your second sentence makes no sense, and that makes me sad. For you.
naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:29 · Score: 1

please stop calling things we have yet to understand "dark".
1. Re:naming things by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2014-11-11 10:40 · Score: 2
  
  "Dark matter" and "dark energy" at least make some intuitive sense - we've postulated they exist, but have been unable to observe them. But, yeah, "dark magma"? We can see the magma just fine, and we know exactly where these hot spots are - we just don't completely understand why.
  I guess next time I see a friend somewhere unexpected, I should refer to him as my "dark buddy".
  
  --
  #DeleteChrome
2. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:44 · Score: -1
  
  Just as long as you don't try using that line in Ferguson, MO... I think the results might not be what you would expect.
3. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:52 · Score: 0
  
  "News at 11: Some people robbed the bank, but we don't yet know who... these mysterious dark-people are to be considered armed and dangerous."
  Ya.. not such a good idea to be doing this.
4. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 11:02 · Score: -1
  
  HOW TO BE A WORTHLESS, VILE YARD APE!!!!
  - Slink around, shuffling your feet and bobbing your neck like the lazy retard you are.
  - Walk down the middle of the street because you don't know what a sidewalk is for.
  - Hang out at carwashes and mini-marts because everybody knows these are the best places to be a dope, I mean dope.
  - If you're a nigger bitch, shit three nigger babies into the world before 17 years of age. This assures that welfare money will support you, so your nigger men have more time to commit crimes. Oh yes, make sure each nigger baby has a different father.
  - Bastardize the English language in the name of nigger culture. Make sure that several terms have multiple meanings and others have ambiguous meanings and that only 50% of nigger words are even complete words. Real niggers will know what you're trying to say.
  - As a culture, make sure there are always more bucks in prison than in college at any given time.
  - Hang out in packs of 10 to 15 and make sure everyone acts as annoying as possible. This helps to promote nigger individuality.
  - Always talk loud enough so everyone in the 'hood' can fucking hear you, and if they are niggers, they will know what your saying, bro.
  - Wear clothes that are 10 sizes too big, making sure the pants hang off your ass. Also huge pants facilitate stealing (let me translate that: "it be easier to lift dat 'box at the K-mart, homes"). If you have to hold them up while you walk, it only looks badder.
  - Park at least 5 junk cars in your yard while being careful not to use the driveway. It's OK to abandon them in the street as long as it's in front of someone else's crib.
  - Exaggerate every motion, every tonal inflection and grab your dick a lot.
  - Have red carpet, blue walls, brass and overstuffed furnishings (all rented), purple bathrooms and keep all windows covered so that no light can enter and no cops can see in while you...
  - Do drugs, sell drugs, make drugs.
  - Turn your backyard into a junk yard. If you don't have a backyard, turn your mother's into a junk yard. Eliminate every blade of grass.
  - Travel around leaching off relatives, friends, salvation armies. Abandon your children with them also.
  - Smack your kids and yell at them a lot. Make them feel less than human and that they have no future, which they don't because they're niggers like you.
  - Drink cheap wine and malt liquor every day, forgetting that "malt liquor" is just fortified cheap beer.
  - If you're a nigger buck: fuck anything that moves, no matter how ugly she is. After two eight-balls, even the ugliest, fattest nigger bitch will look good.
  - Be charitable and covet fat, ugly white chicks. After all, they're niggers too. They can't help being so undesirable to white men that they have to fraternize with black dudes on a 20/20 trip. And white ho's are a special trophy too, especially the not so ugly ones.
  - Spray paint everything in sight with scribbles that mean nothing to White people but mean things to fellow niggers (except niggers from another hood who will probably try to kill you for tresspassing on their turf)
  - Use the term "motherfucker" in every sentence. It's one of the most versatile words in the nigger language, being a noun, verb, adjective and complete mini-sentence in event you run out of thoughts.
  - Stop in the middle of the street, blocking all traffic to converse with fellow niggers and have complete disregard for everyone else.
  - Delay everybody at the checkouts while you and 3 other dudes fumble around for the $1.42 for the bottle of Magnum.
  - Clog isles at K-mart with strollers, bastard kids and your fat selves. If you're a cashier, never look at or be cordial to a customer and always talk to other niggers while you ring up the customer.
  - Overcharge customers at Taco Bell and pocket the difference.
  - Drive your car while slouched so low that you can barely see over the wheel (gangsta drivin').
  - Get a job under affirm
5. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 12:15 · Score: -1
  
  Speaking of bastardizing the English language:
  "they will know what your saying, bro"
  your, huh?
6. Re:naming things by riverat1 · 2014-11-11 12:30 · Score: 0
  
  What a sad example of humanity you are.
7. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 13:12 · Score: 0
  
  "Dark matter" and "dark energy" at least make some intuitive sense - we've postulated they exist, but have been unable to observe them.
  
  i'll give you dark matter, because it describes matter that neither emits nor absorbs light*. but, dark energy? either someone was jumping on the dark matter bandwagon, or was watching too much batman at the time. why not something like intrinsic energy, or quintessence? oh, right.. those terms already exist for this very concept. but, they don't remind us of any comic book superheroes.
  *among other things. i don't know what i'm talking about.
8. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 13:17 · Score: -1
  
  HOW TO BE A WORTHLESS, VILE YARD APE!!!!
  - post stupid jokes shitting on other ethnic groups
9. Re:naming things by xaotikdesigns · 2014-11-11 13:22 · Score: 2
  
  I believe the "dark" in dark energy comes from the fact that we cannot detect it, we can only see one of it's possible effects, much like Dark matter, which we cannot detect except possibly though it's gravitational effects.
  
  --
  XDInd
10. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 13:28 · Score: -1
  
  No no, you got me all wrong. I don't do any of those things, I'm only saying that you can do those things if you want to be a sad example of humanity, like niggers.
11. Re:naming things by riverat1 · 2014-11-11 14:33 · Score: 1
  
  And you got me wrong because I wasn't accusing you of any of those things. In fact I would hold you in lower esteem than you hold the straw men you were talking about.
12. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 15:39 · Score: 0
  
  So you do, in fact, hold niggers in low esteem. Thanks for the admission.
13. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 15:42 · Score: 0
  
  If your mommy and daddy will let you out of your sheltered little world, try looking at a black neighborhood some time. They are horrible places, made so by the very people who live in them.
14. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 16:30 · Score: 0
  
  If your mommy and daddy will let you out of your sheltered little world, try looking at a black neighborhood some time. They are horrible places, made so by the very people who live in them.
  but you didn't post those jokes because black neighborhoods are horrible places; you posted them because you have the mind of a child, that giggles at the idea of shitting on other people. let's talk about horrible places.
15. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 17:16 · Score: 0
  
  I believe the "dark" in dark energy comes from the fact that we cannot detect it, we can only see one of it's possible effects, much like Dark matter, which we cannot detect except possibly though it's gravitational effects.
  then why was it called gravity, instead of darkity? dark energy isn't the first thing we couldn't detect.
16. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-12 01:06 · Score: -1
  
  HOW TO BE A WORTHLESS, VILE YARD APE!!!!
  Don't worry, you already are one cracker. You proved you are nothing more than vile, white trailer trash. Only stupid crackers like you voted for Romney. Face it, the white race is doomed. You are the last reminisce of the failed neanderthal species and soon will be extinct as your race will die off. Girls love alphas and crackers are omegas. People of African decent are the real alphas and betas so I can understand your anger, you can't get a girl to fuck. So go die off immediately to eliminate global warming.
  Perfect Captcha : Submit as in submit to my people's will
17. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-12 10:11 · Score: 0
  
  Funny how perspectives can be. Sheltered little you whines when your delicate, porcelain ears hears something that is offensive. That indicates lack of life experience and that you still have a stick up your ass. When you grow up, maybe you'll relax.
18. Re:naming things by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-12 10:20 · Score: 0
  
  Stupid nigger thinks I'm American. You only reinforce the points made about your limited kind. Don't you have some drugs to sell and a rap "album" to make, monkeyboy?
  Captcha: bondage, the state that your subhuman ancestors lived in when they were dominated by superior races.
Magnetic field. by BrevardBlythe · 2014-11-11 10:34 · Score: 2

As a geologist, in school I always postulated that hot spots were a function of the magnetic field. Rotation resistance provides the field but the field 'channels' a portion of the mantle. Tit for tat.
1. Re:Magnetic field. by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:43 · Score: 0
  
  As a geologist, in school I always postulated that hot spots were a function of the magnetic field.
  What do you postulate now? Or are you still in school?
2. Re:Magnetic field. by mbone · 2014-11-11 10:54 · Score: 1
  
  Doesn't the field move around too fast for it to be tightly coupled to the mantle? For example, look at the motion of the magnetic poles - surely hot spots in the mantle are not moving 50 km / year.
3. Re: Magnetic field. by BrevardBlythe · 2014-11-11 12:43 · Score: 1
  
  Not my field anymore. My volcanology classes gave way to petroleum and environmental.
4. Re: Magnetic field. by BrevardBlythe · 2014-11-11 13:00 · Score: 1
  
  Think of it on the million/billion year scale. The pole is oriented N/S or S/N for 99.99 percent of the time.
5. Re:Magnetic field. by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 13:29 · Score: 0
  
  You're a geologist? Where do you work and what is your position there?
6. Re:Magnetic field. by MickLinux · 2014-11-11 15:15 · Score: 1
  
  For myself, I'm more partial to the De Meijer idea that calcium bergs in the mantle collect uranium; I would posit that a collection of such calcium bergs might make enough of a reactor to power Hawaii or iceland.
  Or, for that matter, a plume under the Scotia Plate / African Karoo (at least until a large, shallow asteroid struck one of the collection, driving it to the center, it in the Permian).
  Maybe another under the Carribean Plate â"Hudson bay, until the shock waves from the first super-critical explosion caused that one to detonate, too, splitting Pangea.
  
  --
  Correct Horse Battery Staple: 72 bits of entropy. Enter "Correct H" into google. When it generates the phrase, that's
7. Re:Magnetic field. by DerekLyons · 2014-11-11 18:39 · Score: 1
  
  The earth's magnetic field isn't even remotely strong enough to channel a couple of millions tons of magma.
This author has dark intellegence by trout007 · 2014-11-11 10:35 · Score: 2

because it sure didn't show up in this article.

--
I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
1. Re:This author has dark intellegence by SpankiMonki · 2014-11-11 10:45 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I think I just discovered dark spelling. Nobel Prize here I come! ;-)
2. Re:This author has dark intellegence by trout007 · 2014-11-11 13:55 · Score: 1
  
  It's not the first, nor shall it be the last, time I've been burned by you, grammar Nazi.
  
  --
  I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
Branding by mbone · 2014-11-11 10:36 · Score: 2

As someone who works in Dark Matter, I have to say I am glad that the brand has now reached the point that scientists in other fields appropriate it, apparently purely as a branding mechanism. I mean, I hate to be pedantic, but magma at 3200 C will not be dark.
1. Re:Branding by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 11:02 · Score: 0
  
  Dude, "Dark Megma" is an African-American porn star . Look it up (maybe not on your work computer...)
2. Re:Branding by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 11:40 · Score: 0
  
  Dude, "Dark Megma" is an African-American porn star
  
  Not anymore. He lost his job when he got Dark Smegma.
3. Re:Branding by CrankyFool · 2014-11-11 12:43 · Score: 1
  
  Magma at ANY temperature will not be dark.
4. Re:Branding by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 14:25 · Score: 0
  
  Obsidian?
oooooh mysterious dark by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:43 · Score: 0

Must be the new religion. Anything you don't understand must be explained by the Almighty Dark.
Dark Magma .... like dark matter? LOL by Cammi · 2014-11-11 10:43 · Score: 1

Umm yeah ... until either a proven ... they are both lovely fantasies.
when do we get by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:49 · Score: 0

articles about dark penises and dark pussies, oh wait...
Global Warming? by Mazda6s · 2014-11-11 10:49 · Score: 2, Funny

Could Dark Magma be responsible for global warming?
1. Re:Global Warming? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 10:55 · Score: 0
  
  No, but if you stand near it you might get Dork Warming.
2. Re:Global Warming? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 11:12 · Score: 0
  
  Nope, as everyone knows global warming is caused by dark suckers (https://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~dfischer/dark_sucker_2.html).
3. Re:Global Warming? by tinfoilhatz · 2014-11-11 11:16 · Score: -1
  
  I think that what this guy claims. http://www.vukcevic.talktalk.n... Direct relationship between GMFz, Arctic temperature anomaly and the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation index is established, with the GMFz in the lead on the time scale. It should be borne in mind that the AMO was identified in 2001 by Goldenberg et al and since it is correlated to air temperatures and rainfall of the North America and Europe it was reconstructed back to late 1850s, based on available instrument data . Note: There is no delay between the Arctic temperature and GMFz. However there is variable delay between the Arctic temperature and the AMO, this is possible due to variable velocity of the Arctic ice drift into the Northern Atlantic. On the average, it takes ice about 6-10 years (min 6 years) to drift from the Beaufort Sea to the Fram Strait. Sea ice from the Kara Sea region reaches Fram Strait from 2 to 4 years (min 2 years) on average, while sea ice from the Laptev Sea takes roughly 4 to 6 years (min 3 years) to reach Fram Strait (see the Arctic map above). Journal of Marine Systems, Volume 48, Issues 1-4, July 2004, Pages 133-157 This is reflected in the optimal correlations calculated for the 3 indices: Excel calculated correlations: Arctic temper anomaly - GMFz R = 0.9434 AMO ( advanced 7 yr ) - GMFz R = 0.8246
4. Re:Global Warming? by riverat1 · 2014-11-11 13:09 · Score: 1
  
  GMFz? What does and airport in Morocco have to do with anything?
New Madrid Seismic Zone by theshowmecanuck · 2014-11-11 10:56 · Score: 1, Interesting

I wonder if they can apply this to why New Madrid Missouri had one of the biggest recorded earthquakes in US history while not being very near any fault line.

--
-- I ignore anonymous replies to my comments and postings.
1. Re:New Madrid Seismic Zone by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 16:56 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Um, New Madrid is on/near a fault. It has the cryptic name "New Madrid Fault."
2. Re:New Madrid Seismic Zone by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 22:46 · Score: 0
  
  As I recollect, a number of earthquakes in North America can be attributed to the deformation of the earth crust related to the last Ice Age.
  In short, the amount of ice sitting on the continent was such that its weight deformed it, and the crust resuming back to its "normal" shape is a continuing process. Put another way, think of it as putting high pressure on the top of a car: sometimes it'll can cave in, and return to its original shape with a pop when you remove the weight -- there's your earthquake in the middle of nowhere, no fault lines needed.
3. Re:New Madrid Seismic Zone by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 23:19 · Score: 0
  
  It is nowhere near the edge of a tectonic plate where it is more usual to see really big earthquakes.
Only one superhero can save us now by ArcadeMan · 2014-11-11 10:57 · Score: 1

Darkwing Duck!

--
Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
really? by theronb · 2014-11-11 11:17 · Score: 4, Funny

So I think that weight I put on over last winter is dark fat - I don't where it came from.
The Best Volcano Crater Name by tquasar · 2014-11-11 11:31 · Score: 1

Ubehebe Crater is located in Death Valley, California. You-Bee-Hee-Bee. There is a place to view the crater from above the rim, really impressive. Death Valley attracts visitors from around the world and I met many travelers at the Stovepipe Wells General Store and at the Texas Spring camp. .
1. Re:The Best Volcano Crater Name by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 14:05 · Score: 0
  
  I dunno, Wolfe Creek (called Wolf Creek in the movie) is pretty good too: it was a scary movie name before it was a scary movie.
Well, that explains my underwear by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 12:26 · Score: 0

Dark Smegma.
Is "dark" the new God? by AndyKron · 2014-11-11 12:45 · Score: 1

Dark Magma? Really? They couldn't have come up with a more original term than to rip off the physicist's term for "we don't know what the fuck it is"?
1. Re: Is "dark" the new God? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 13:11 · Score: 0
  
  Dark Magma? Really? They couldn't have come up with a more original term than to rip off the physicist's term for "we don't know what the fuck it is"?
  You mean "unexplained"?
2. Re: Is "dark" the new God? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 14:00 · Score: 0
  
  No i think he meant "we don't know what the fuck it is".
Causes Global Warming - [InsrtPoliticlGrp]'s Fault by pubwvj · 2014-11-11 12:49 · Score: 1

Obviously they've finally found the cause of global warming! And it is all man kind's fault right to the core! Specifically the fault of the White Male [Republican | Democrat] majority!
Glad to get that all cleared up. Now we can go back to blowing our top and spouting nonsense like normal Vulcans.
Dark Gas by easyEmu · 2014-11-11 13:31 · Score: -1

I have a theory about why my body produces insane amounts of gas even in the absence of beans, raw veggies, and other fibrous foods.... I'm calling it "dark gas" and it is the only reason my body could be producing such excessive amounts of gas in the absence of typical gas causing agents.
Dumb term. by duke_cheetah2003 · 2014-11-11 13:53 · Score: 1

"Mystery Magma" would have been my first choice, but after reading the article... seems like a much better choice would have been "Deep Magma"... Dark Magma makes zero sense and is just dumb. Someone needs to get kicked in the arse for thinking this was a good term.
Why are so many comments focused on the name? by blue+trane · 2014-11-11 14:51 · Score: 1

What does the name matter? It's arbitrary. Focus on the theory.
It's like looking only at Jesus's finger, when he's pointing at the moon.
Dark Magma by rossdee · 2014-11-11 15:01 · Score: 1

So thats why Anakin/Vader didn't get all burned to a crisp at the end of Ep 3 - it was dark magma
Obfuscation by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 15:29 · Score: 0

The term "Dark Magma" is oxymoronic.
Mantle plumbs and even a mantle plumb reference frame have been a topic of geophysics research from more than 30 years and well known.
The "Dark Magma Naughts" are severely mistaken and "without a paddle."
"Dark" meme yet again by Tablizer · 2014-11-11 16:55 · Score: 1

Dark Onion going on here?

--
Table-ized A.I.
Dark Dice, anyone ? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-11 18:19 · Score: 1

There's not any good science in there

Ever since /. was sold to Dice this place is getting darker and darker ...

Dark Dice, anyone?
Importance by itzly · 2014-11-11 18:41 · Score: 1

These plumes are one of the most important things to understand
Not really. We are still at the mercy of Mother Earth, whether we understand what's going on, or not.
Magnetic field depends on how the core spins? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-12 01:19 · Score: 0

This is a *real* simplification. Note that the magnetic field cannot be from the core spinning (directly) because angular momentum is conserved, and the magnetic field periodically switches direction.