Unusual tremors in Southeast Alaska have led scientists to uncover signs of the long-dormant Edgecumbe volcano.
According to SciTech Daily, new research from the Alaska Volcano Observatory has discovered that magma beneath the dormant Edgecumbe is attempting to rise through the Earth’s crust.
Using computer models based on satellite data, researchers found that magma beneath this inactive volcano has unexpectedly surged from a depth of 12 miles to about 6 miles, causing significant surface deformation and earthquakes.
“This is the fastest volcanic deformation rate we have recorded in Alaska,” said lead author Ronni Grapenthin, an associate professor of geodesy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Satellite data shows surface deformation in the Edgecumbe area – (Photo: KCAW)
According to him, while volcanic deformation is not uncommon, the activity at Edgecumbe, which has been dormant for a long time, is unusual because the reactivation of inactive volcanic systems is rarely observed.
However, Professor Grapenthin also reassured that there is no imminent eruption predicted, according to calculations.
Previously, concerns were raised when a series of earthquakes were detected around the area from April 11. The research team began analyzing ground deformation through radar data over the past seven and a half years and discovered some anomalies.
The earthquakes had actually started quietly back in 2020, coinciding with the noticeable surface deformation, where the tumultuous magma mass lies hidden beneath. The upward deformation began abruptly in August 2018 and has continued at a rate of 3.4 inches (8.6 cm) per year.
This deformation is caused by the pressure of the magma mass pushing toward the surface. This volcano last erupted about 800-900 years ago, at a time when Alaska was still pristine, leaving only oral histories.
In addition to the aforementioned fire monster, its companions in Alaska, including the Trident volcano, are also being monitored by scientists.
The study has just been published in Geophysical Research Letters.
