New hints of volcanism under the heart of northern Europe

Date:
June 9, 2020
Source:
Royal Astronomical Society
Summary:
Scientists have discovered new evidence for active volcanism next
door to some of the most densely populated areas of Europe. The
study 'crowd- sourced' GPS monitoring data from antennae across
western Europe to track subtle movements in the Earth's surface,
thought to be caused by a rising subsurface mantle plume.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Scientists have discovered new evidence for active volcanism next
door to some of the most densely populated areas of Europe. The study 'crowd-sourced' GPS monitoring data from antennae across western Europe
to track subtle movements in the Earth's surface, thought to be caused
by a rising subsurface mantle plume. The work is published in Geophysical Journal International.


==========================================================================
The Eifel region lies roughly between the cities of Aachen, Trier, and
Koblenz, in west-central Germany. It is home to many ancient volcanic
features, including the circular lakes known as 'maars'.

These are the remnants of violent volcanic eruptions, such as the one
which created Laacher See, the largest lake in the area. The explosion
that created this is thought to have occurred around 13,000 years ago,
with a similar explosive power to the cataclysmic Mount Pinatubo eruption
in 1991.

The mantle plume that likely fed this ancient activity is thought to still
be present, extending up to 400km down into the Earth. However, whether
or not it is still active is unknown: "Most scientists had assumed that volcanic activity in the Eifel was a thing of the past," said Prof. Corne' Kreemer, lead author of the new study. "But connecting the dots, it seems
clear that something is brewing underneath the heart of northwest Europe."
In the new study, the team -- based at the University of Nevada, Reno
and the University of California, Los Angeles in the United States --
used data from thousands of commercial and state-owned GPS antennae all
over western Europe, to map out how the ground is moving vertically and horizontally as the Earth's crust is pushed, stretched and sheared.

The research revealed that the region's land surface is moving upward and outward over a large area centred on the Eifel, and including Luxembourg, eastern Belgium and the southernmost province of the Netherlands, Limburg.

"The Eifel area is the only region in the study where the ground motion appeared significantly greater than expected," adds Prof. Kreemer. "The
results indicate that a rising plume could explain the observed patterns
and rate of ground movement." The new results complement those of a
previous study in Geophysical Journal International that found seismic
evidence of magma moving underneath the Laacher See. Both studies point
towards the Eifel being an active volcanic system.

The implication of this study is that there may not only be an increased volcanic risk, but also a long-term seismic risk in this part of
Europe. The researchers urge caution however: "This does not mean that
an explosion or earthquake is imminent, or even possible again in this
area. We and other scientists plan to continue monitoring the area using
a variety of geophysical and geochemical techniques, in order to better understand and quantify any potential risks."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Royal_Astronomical_Society. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Paul M Davis, Geoffrey Blewitt, Corne' Kreemer. Geodetic evidence
for a
buoyant mantle plume beneath the Eifel volcanic area, NW Europe.

Geophysical Journal International, 2020; 222 (2): 1316 DOI:
10.1093/gji/ ggaa227 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200609095108.htm

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