thunderstorms, volcanic eruptions, volcanoes

2020 Volcanic Eruption Leads to Hours-Long Thunderstorm

A study of a 2020 volcanic eruption conducted by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Vaisala Inc., published yesterday in the Geological Society of America’s journal Geology, discusses how advances in global lightning detection have provided novel ways to characterize explosive volcanism. Lead author Alexa Van Eaton said: “It’s ...

Troy Oakes

Lightning generated by Taal volcanic eruption.

NASA Confirms Thousands of Massive, Ancient Volcanic Eruptions on Mars

Scientists have found evidence of ancient volcanic eruptions on Mars in a region of northern Mars called Arabia Terra. This area experienced thousands of “super eruptions,” the biggest volcanic eruptions known, over a 500-million-year period. Some volcanic eruptions on Mars are so powerful they release oceans of dust and toxic gases into the air, blocking ...

Troy Oakes

The planet Mars.

Volcanism Drove Rapid Ocean Deoxygenation During the Time of the Dinosaurs

Ocean deoxygenation from volcanism during the Mesozoic Era was much more rapid than previously thought, with CO2-induced environmental warming creating ocean “dead zones” over timescales of only tens of thousands of years. The research from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and University of Hong Kong (HKU) Earth scientists paints a new picture of severe ...

Troy Oakes

An active volcano spewing ash.

New Study Shows Microbes Trap Massive Amounts of Carbon

Violent continental collisions and volcanic eruptions are not things normally associated with comfortable conditions for life. However, a new study unveils a large ecosystem of microbes living deep within the earth that is fueled by chemicals produced during these tectonic cataclysms. This study involves Associate Professor of Microbiology Karen Lloyd from the University of Tennessee, ...

Troy Oakes

A volcano erupting.

The Secret of Australia’s Volcanoes Revealed

Why have there been so many eruptions since the age of the dinosaurs? Geoscientists at the University of Sydney can now provide a clear reason why Australia’s volcanoes have peppered the east coast, from North Queensland to Tasmania. The remnants of hundreds of Australia’s volcanoes have littered the east coast — the most recent just ...

Troy Oakes

Ancient Australian volcanoes.

Venus’ Ancient Layered, Folded Rocks Point to Volcanic Origin

An international team of researchers has found that some of the oldest terrain on Venus, known as tesserae, has layering that seems consistent with volcanic activity. The finding could provide insights into the enigmatic planet’s geological history. Tesserae are tectonically deformed regions on the surface of Venus that are often more elevated than the surrounding ...

Troy Oakes

A volcano.

Researcher Investigates the Most Lethal Volcanic Phenomena

Like many who grew up in East Germany, Dr. Gert Lube always yearned to travel and explore different places. Ten years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, when he was a first-year geology student at the University of Greifswald, he heard about a field trip to Iceland and seized the opportunity to study volcanic ...

Troy Oakes

Volcanic Ash May Have a Bigger Impact on the Climate Than We Thought

When volcanos erupt, these geologic monsters produce tremendous clouds of volcanic ash and dust — plumes that can blacken the sky, shut down air traffic, and reach heights of roughly 25 miles above Earth’s surface. A new study led suggests that such volcanic ash may also have a larger influence on the planet’s climate than ...

Troy Oakes

Volcanic ash from an erupting volcano.

Texas Cave Sediment Upends Meteorite Explanation for Global Cooling

Researchers say global cooling 13,000 years ago is coincident with major volcanic eruptions. Texas researchers from the University of Houston, Baylor University, and Texas A&M University have discovered evidence for why the Earth cooled dramatically 13,000 years ago, dropping temperatures by about 3°C. The evidence is buried in a Central Texas cave, where horizons of sediment ...

Troy Oakes

Scientists at Hall's cave.