Scientists finally reveal what really lies beneath a volcano

Ever wondered what really lies underneath a volcano? Well researchers have developed a new imaging technique that lets them do just that.

A research team from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Paris Institute of Planetary Physics (IPGP) have come up with a take on a technique known as matrix imaging (which is used in the medical profession) alongside using optical microscopes, reports Science Alert.

It helps to overcome the problem of volcanoes not having many geophones (devices that transform ground vibrations into voltage).

These basically help measure seismic activity which tells scientists what exactly is beneath the surface.

As seismic waves ripple around, they can also be interpreted using matrix imaging to work out different materials and different types of layouts in Planet Earth's crust.

The researchers used the La Soufriere volcano in Saint Vincent to test it which has a "sparse" network of geophones.

The team basically found a way to combine data from a number of geophones to work out details individual ones cannot capture on their own.

La Soufriere erupted for the first time in 40 years in 2021 / Kingsley Roberts, AFP via Getty Images

The researchers wrote in their Communications Earth & Environmentpaper: "Using wave correlations resistant to disorder, matrix imaging successfully unscrambles wave distortions, revealing La Soufriere's internal structure down to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) with 100-metre (328-ft) resolution.

"Volcanic eruptions necessitate precise monitoring of magma pressure and inflation for improved forecasting.

"Understanding deep magma storage is crucial for hazard assessment, yet imaging these systems is challenging."

Sure enough, this study found a number of complex layers of magma storage underneath La Soufriere and the way these layers are connected to other deep-lying features.

This additional data helps give more accurate predictions of when a volcano might erupt which could save lives in some parts of the world.

Matrix imaging can work with data that already exists.

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