Eifel under pressure: New information on active volcanoes and their danger!

Eifel under pressure: New information on active volcanoes and their danger!

The Eifel, known as the largest volcanic area in Central Europe, is the focus of geological research. Current studies show information on active magma chambers in the region. According to merkur.de , the volcanoes of the Eifel have remained calm over the past 12,000 years, with the last significant vulcan eruption around 11,000 years ago. These activities could be the result of geological processes that still run in the earth.

dr. Andreas Schüller, Managing Director of the Natur- und Geoparks Vulkaneifel, describes the region as a "perforated like a Swiss cheese". In the past 40 million years there have been over 400 volcanic eruptions with an average of an outbreak every 5,000 to 10,000 years. The Laacher-Seee volcano has been showing signs of activity for years.

new research results

The analysis of seismic data that comes from the decorative project has brought new insights. In a joint examination by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and other research institutions, seismic structures were discovered at depths of 10 to 30 km. This data was evaluated using the latest methods, so that detailed images of the underground structures were possible. There are indications of magma chambers that contain volcanic CO₂ and glowing -fluid magma, including a chamber with around 50 million cubic meters of rock meltdown, such as research-und-wissen.de reported.

remains of magmatic activity indicate that the magma could have gathered under the earth's surface for thousands of years. These circumstances clarify that although there is currently no acute risk of a volcanic eruption, a future outbreak cannot be excluded. This is also supported by the fact that the earth in the Eifel rises by about 1 millimeter per year and low -frequency earthquakes were measured at depths of 10 to 45 kilometers.

historical outbreaks and their consequences

The last major volcanic eruption in the Eifel occurred 12,000 years ago, and the consequences were devastating. At that time, a tsunami was created in the Rhine, which covered half of Europe with ashes. Although the likelihood of future major outbreaks is estimated to be low, smaller eruptions could be quite possible, especially if the magma receives enough buoyancy.

Research on volcanic activity in the Eifel is coordinated by various institutions, including the German GeoForschungszentrum (GFZ). Over 350 seismic stations were temporarily installed in the region and the measuring network is continuously expanded. The aim is to better understand the earthquake activity and the background noise and to create forecasts based on volcanic activity. A reference to a magmatic reservoir under the Laacher See could be a further indication of the ongoing activity in this volcanic system, which has been considered active since 2019, such as geo.de reported.