Similar to rivers and oceans, volcanoes are essentially a common form of natural terrain. They are classified into active volcanoes, dormant volcanoes, and extinct volcanoes. Inside them, there is hot magma reaching thousands of degrees Celsius and other materials, which can cause severe impacts on the surrounding areas if they erupt.
As we know, on January 15, 2022, the Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific was struck by a catastrophic underwater volcanic eruption that paralyzed the region, disrupting national communication on a wide scale.
Mount Fuji basking in the first sunlight of the year on the morning of January 1, 2019. (Photo: Shunsuke Sakamaki / Japan-forward)
Coincidentally, Japanese media reported that Mount Fuji in Japan is also experiencing rapid development, with internal pressure reaching 1.6 MPa, like a ticking time bomb. It could erupt at any moment.
Moreover, since the beginning of 2022, the number of earthquakes has increased in the vicinity of Fuji. For example, on January 3, 2022, an earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale occurred in the Ogasawara Islands, a remote archipelago off the coast of Tokyo.
Some experts believe this could be a precursor to a massive earthquake off the Pacific coast of Japan along the Nankai Trough.
Experts have warned that “Mount Fuji has entered the waiting phase for its first eruption in 300 years.”
The last eruption of Mount Fuji was in the Hoei era in 1707. In fact, 49 days before that event, a strong earthquake measuring 8.6 on the Richter scale occurred along the Nankai Trough. Many experts believe that “the Hoei earthquake” and “the Hoei eruption” are interconnected.
There is a 70-80% probability of a major earthquake occurring in the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years. If it coincides with an eruption of Mount Fuji, it would be the largest natural disaster since the establishment of Japan.
It is not hard to imagine what would happen if volcanic ash from Mount Fuji swept over Tokyo and fell onto the Boso Peninsula in Tokyo Bay, Chiba Prefecture. The weight of the ash falling on rooftops would devastate homes. Air filters at thermal power plants would become clogged and cease operations. Communication networks like the Internet would also fail. Widespread power outages would be inevitable.
Within 2 hours of the eruption, a pyroclastic flow consisting of hot lava and other volcanic materials would rapidly flow into some residential areas at the foot of Mount Fuji. If lava reaches the Pacific Ocean, the Shinkansen train system and national highways would be disrupted. Compromised infrastructure would trigger a food supply chain crisis…
Crazy Idea: Extracting Magma
Mount Fuji stands at 3,775 meters above sea level and covers an area of 1,200 square kilometers, making it the largest active volcano in Asia. Experts say that the energy accumulation in Mount Fuji is immense, and it is ready to erupt.
Once Mount Fuji erupts, it will have a significant impact on Asia and even the entire world.
The devastation from a volcanic eruption is immense, leading some to question: With today’s advanced technology, is it possible to extract all the magma? If it can be achieved, then the disaster could be averted.
Before answering this question, we need to understand how magma is formed.
Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.
As we know, from the outside in, the Earth is divided into layers: the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core.
About 100-150 km vertically from the surface is a “zone of extremely high temperature liquid”, where the molten substances are called magma, which can reach temperatures of 700-6,600 degrees Celsius. Magma also flows continuously, causing movement in the Earth’s crust.
The crust exists in the form of solid rock layers, and when active, it is subjected to forces. When the crust cannot withstand the pressure, it fractures, and the high-temperature magma inside erupts under extreme pressure. Scientists refer to this as a volcanic eruption.
From a distance, Mount Fuji resembles a giant cone with a base diameter of about 40-50 km, and its summit features a crater left after an eruption, with a diameter of 488 meters and a depth of about 250 meters.
In 1707, Mount Fuji erupted in Japan, marking the strongest eruption ever recorded.
Statistics show that 600 million cubic meters of volcanic material were expelled during the 1707 eruption. With such a massive volume of magma, how could we extract it?
To reach the magma, it is estimated that drilling would need to reach about 30,000 meters.
First, we would need an enormous drilling rig, also made from materials that can withstand high temperatures, to drill holes in the volcano and hit the magma zone. It is estimated that to reach the magma, drilling would need to extend about 30,000 meters.
Then, 255 magma pumps would need to be installed, continuously operating every day, with a pumping capacity of over 10,000 cubic meters per hour. Continuous pumping for 10 days could significantly reduce the 600 million cubic meters of volcanic material.
Assuming we could reach the magma zone and install hundreds of those magma pumps on Mount Fuji, there would still be a significant obstacle.
The magma must remain in a pure liquid state and cannot cool down. Once it cools, it is estimated that the machinery would cease to operate because cooled magma turns as hard as rock.
Although this idea may currently seem crazy or delusional, if this obstacle can be overcome, it is possible that in the future, we may be able to “neutralize” volcanic eruptions!
