Crystals can help predict volcano eruptions, scientists say
Thursday, May 24, 2012 - 19:50
in Earth & Climate
Research on Mt. St. Helens links the movement of underground magma to warning signs such as earthquakes and gas emissions.Scientists dissecting the remains of the disastrous 1980 explosion of Mt. St. Helens in Washington state say that crystal formations trapped in volcanic rocks hold important clues about when a magma-loaded mountain is about to blow — a discovery that could help volcanologists make more accurate predictions about future eruptions.