Summary
Scientists discovered how magma behaves under volcanoes, which could help improve monitoring and extraction of green energy. They conducted a study in Iceland where drilling accidentally reached magma, and they found that the magma lost gas quickly during this process.
Key Facts
- Researchers focused on magma behavior beneath an active volcano.
- The study was led by Janine Birnbaum from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and published in Nature.
- Magma can stay trapped in the Earth's crust for long periods, cooling and changing over time.
- A drilling project in Iceland unexpectedly hit a magma body just over two kilometers deep.
- When drilled, the magma quickly lost gas before cooling into glass fragments.
- Scientists used a numerical model to understand how gas escaped during drilling.
- Findings may help in safer geothermal drilling and improve volcano monitoring.
- The research could also aid in extracting green energy from volcanic areas.
