Shake earthquakes and turn on volcano

2007/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Geologia

Once the internal structure of the volcanoes and the nature of the earthquakes are known, it is not surprising that both events have to do with increasing the activity of a volcano due to an earthquake. Historically, the two phenomena have happened several times. However, so far there has been no clear relationship between the two. Not at least until they have analyzed a fact that has happened now.

Geologists from the universities of Hawaii and Firenz investigated the activity of two volcanoes in Indonesia, Merapi and Semeru. And one day Java Island was shaken by an earthquake of magnitude 6.4. Merapi is 50 km from Java and 280 Semeru. Three days after the earthquake, volcanic activity increased, doubling the temperature of lava and flow.

According to these geologists, it is no coincidence that the two volcanoes increased their activity after a nearby earthquake.