Latest news with #geology
New York Times
8 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
There Might Not Be a Map for That: Budget Cuts Threaten Geological Surveys
Every spring for the last 31 years, Reed Lewis has traversed Idaho to do what technology still cannot: examine rocks, collect samples and make a map that is critical for mining, oil and gas and other industries. He knows getting an early start is essential, as summer smoke and winter snows limit the days that are useful for gathering data. Dr. Lewis, a geologist for the state of Idaho, is normally in the field by June at the latest. But halfway through the month, he's stuck at his desk. That's because amid uncertainty over the federal budget, funds from Washington that pay for geological mapping have not arrived. 'It's starting to be worrisome,' Dr. Lewis said. The concern is widespread; no states have received their 2025 mapping money. What's more, one line in the Trump administration's proposed budget could hamstring the ability of states to create basic geologic maps for years to come. Geologists in every state use federal funds to study wildfires, water resources, hazards and to map the locations of mineral deposits and energy sources. In addition to mining and fossil fuel industries, the free and publicly available maps are used by geothermal energy and real estate companies. Private companies might map a small area of particular interest but they generally do not share the information. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CNA
a day ago
- Science
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Indonesia eruption: One Singaporean in Bali could smell acrid smoke in the air
CNA938 Rewind Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin also speak with a volcanologist on whether this could trigger a chain of eruptions in the 'Ring of Fire'.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Plume of smoke and ash in Indonesia after volcanic eruption
Plume of smoke and ash in Indonesia after volcanic eruption Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano erupts and unleashes towering mushroom-shaped ash cloud.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Scientists spot a mysterious 'ghost plume' in Oman – and it suggests Earth's core could be LEAKING
A mysterious 'ghost plume' has been spotted beneath eastern Oman. Emanating from the Earth's core, this hot pillar of soft rock is pushing upwards from 410 miles (660km) beneath the planet's surface. Until now, the ghost plume was hidden because it hadn't broken through the surface to form volcanoes. But, in a new study, researchers have proved the 'ghost plume' exists by looking at how it slows down passing earthquake waves. Since waves move slower through hot, soft rock, this is a key sign that there is a plume hidden beneath the surface. Having shown that one ghost pillar exists, the researchers say there might be many more waiting to be found around the world. Worryingly , that might mean the Earth's core is leaking heat faster than scientists previously thought. Lead author Dr Simone Pilia, of the King Fahd University of Petroleum, Engineering and Geosciences, told MailOnline: 'It's a reminder that surface silence doesn't mean the mantle is quiet.' Ghost plumes are a type of mantle plume, pillars of hot rock which form when heat wells up from the boundary of the Earth's outer core, some 1,800 miles (2,890 km) beneath the surface. These are usually easy to find because they produce lots of volcanic activity at the surface as the molten rock is forced upwards. Dr Pilia says: 'A ghost plume is a mantle plume that doesn't produce observable surface volcanism, making it essentially "invisible" to traditional geological observation.' Although there are no volcanoes in Oman, Dr Pilia noticed that seismic waves from earthquakes slow down as they travel through this area. By analysing the way these waves were warped, Dr Pilia, who named the feature 'Dani' after his son, realised that there might be a cylinder of hot rock hidden beneath the ground. Dr Pilia and his co-authors used geological evidence and computer simulation to show how the presence of a mantle plume fits with what geologists already know about the area. Together, this evidence created a strong case that there is an elusive ghost plume lurking underground. Dr Pilia says: 'Despite lacking surface volcanic activity, all the deep-Earth signals of the plume are there.' Normally, mantle plumes would emerge at the surface as volcanoes. But Oman is above a layer of thick rock which keeps the plume well below the surface which it can't melt through Five layers of Earth Crust: To a depth of up to 43 miles (70km), this is the outermost layer of the Earth, covering both ocean and land areas. Mantle: Going down to 1,795 miles (2,890km) with the lower mantle, this is the planet's thickest layer and made of silicate rocks richer in iron and magnesium than the crust overhead. Outer core: Running to a depth of 3,200 miles (5,150km), this region is made of liquid iron and nickel with trace lighter elements. Inner core: Going down to a depth of 3,958 miles (6,370km) at the very centre of Earth, this region is thought to be made of solid iron and nickel. Innermost core: Within the inner core, this region is solid iron in a different, but unknown structure to the inner core. Based on this evidence, the plume is likely to be a cylinder around 125 to 185 miles in diameter (200-300km) and extends at least 410 miles (660km) deep. The rocks within the plume are up to 300°C (540°F) hotter than the surrounding mantle. Although these rocks are extremely hot, the researchers say the plume isn't producing volcanic activity due to a 'lid' of rock near the surface. Unlike above many other plumes, this 60-mile-thick (100km) layer of rock prevents the plume from melting its way to the surface. Dr Pilia says: 'Even if the plume is hot - and our data suggest it is - the pressure at those depths makes it very hard for melt to form and reach the surface. So, the plume exists, but it's essentially trapped.' Luckily for the people of Oman, Dr Pilia says this means the plume is 'very unlikely' to produce any volcanic activity in the foreseeable future. According to the modelling, the plume has been there for at least 40 million years, during which time it affected the drift of the Indian continental plate. The plume may also explain why parts of Oman continue to rise even after tectonic compression, a process which squeezes the Earth's crust together, has stopped. The researchers' modelling (pictured) suggests that the plume is a cylinder around 125 to 185 miles in diameter (200-300km) extending at least 410 miles (660km) beneath the surface Most importantly, this discovery also suggests that there may be many other ghost plumes out there waiting to be discovered, especially under areas with thick rock caps. That would mean more heat is leaking from the Earth's core than researchers previously thought, which could have big implications for the study of Earth's inner layers. Mantle plumes are a key part of how the Earth distributes heat and pressure deep beneath the surface. Studies have shown that they are closely linked to plate tectonics, the planet's magnetic field, and even the evolution of life on Earth. Dr Pilia says there are 'likely' many more ghost plumes around the world but these may be small and hard to spot without special networks of seismic detectors. 'What makes the Dani plume stand out is that we had just the right data, in just the right place, to finally see it. 'It's a reminder that surface silence doesn't mean the mantle is quiet.' The Earth is moving under our feet: Tectonic plates move through the mantle and produce Earthquakes as they scrape against each other Tectonic plates are composed of Earth's crust and the uppermost portion of the mantle. Below is the asthenosphere: the warm, viscous conveyor belt of rock on which tectonic plates ride. Earthquakes typically occur at the boundaries of tectonic plates, where one plate dips below another, thrusts another upward, or where plate edges scrape alongside each other. Earthquakes rarely occur in the middle of plates, but they can happen when ancient faults or rifts far below the surface reactivate.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Indonesia volcano live: Many flights to Bali cancelled after eruption spews ash 6 miles into sky
Indonesia 's Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano spewed towering columns of hot ash more than 6 miles into the air, triggering the highest possible volcano alert and causing significant flight cancellations. One of Indonesia's most active volcanoes east of Bali erupted at 5.35pm local time on Tuesday and unleashed 10,000m (about 32,800ft) of grey clouds in the air that could be seen from 150km away. Indonesia's Geology Agency expanded the danger zone surrounding the volcano to 8km from the crater and warned residents to be vigilant about heavy rainfall triggering lava flows. The volcanic activity forced dozens of flights to Bali to be cancelled on Wednesday, with many airlines saying they were closely following the developments. Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Air New Zealand confirmed cancellations of planes flying out of Bali airport. Air India, Singapore 's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines also suspended flight operations 'due to volcano', Bali's international airport said. It forced dozens of residents living in two villages near the volcano to evacuate their houses, officials at the local disaster mitigation agency said. An eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki – a 1,584m (5,197ft) mountain – in November killed nine people and injured dozens. It also erupted in May. Officials record 50 tremors in 2 hours as Lewotobi volcano erupts Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki produced more than 50 tremors in just two hours before it erupted, far exceeding its usual 8–10 daily events, according to the country's geological agency. Officials said this marks the most intense activity recorded at the volcano in recent months. While similar eruptions were observed in May, this latest episode has dwarfed them in intensity and frequency. The 1,584-metre volcano is part of a twin system with the taller Mount Lewotobi Perempuan (1,703 metres) in East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara province. A series of eruptions from the Lewotobi complex last November killed nine people and injured dozens. Thousands were forced to evacuate as falling ash blanketed villages and disrupted air travel, including international flights to Bali. Stuti Mishra18 June 2025 10:50 Ash and debris falling outside danger zone after eruption Ash and debris are falling in a number of places outside the danger zone, the National Disaster Management Agency said. The villages affected by the falling ashes and debries are Boru, Hewa and Watobuku. Some residents from Nurabelen village in Ile Bura subdistrict fled to evacuation sites in Konga to avoid the impact of the eruption, it said. 'Some residents have also evacuated to Nileknoheng village, which is 12kms (7.4 miles) from the crater,' said Abdul Muhari, the National Disaster Management Agency's spokesperson. The danger zone was expanded to 8km from the crater after the eruption. Shweta Sharma18 June 2025 10:20 Air India Delhi to Bali flight returns due to eruption An Air India flight coming from Delhi to Bali was forced to return to the Indian capital today after Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted, the airline said in a statement. The flight safely landed back in Delhi and all passengers have been disembarked, Air India said in the statement. "Air India flight AI2145 on June 18 from Delhi to Bali was advised to air return to Delhi due to reports of volcanic eruption near destination airport Bali, in the interest of safety," it said. Passengers have been provided with hotel accomodation, Air India said, adding that full refunds on cancellation or complimentary rescheduling has also been offered to the passengers. Stuti Mishra18 June 2025 09:51 Villages near volcano evacuated, officials say Dozens of residents living in two villages near the volcano have been evacuated after the eruption of one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, a National Disaster Mitigation Agency official said. Avi Hallan, an official at the local disaster mitigation agency told Reuters that the villagers had been evacuated. "Streets in the two villages were filled with thick ash, gravel, and sand," she said, adding no casualties were reported. Remaining residents were warned to be vigilant about heavy rainfall triggering lava flows in rivers originating from the volcano. Shweta Sharma18 June 2025 08:55 Why is Indonesia the hottest spot on the Ring of Fire? Indonesia has approximately 130 active volcanoes. Due to its population density and the fertile soils that volcanic slopes provide, hundreds of thousands of Indonesians live close to active volcanos. They have learnt to live with the rumblings and frequently ignore orders to leave. The huge archipelago sits between the most active seismic region in the world, the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur, and the Alpide Belt. The United States Geological Survey has described the region as among the most seismically active zones in the world. The Ring of Fire, or the circum-Pacific belt, is the world's greatest earthquake belt, according to Live Science, because of fault lines running from Chile to Japan and Southeast Asia. These fault lines are breaks in the plates of the Earth's crust and are where earthquakes are likely to occur. The Pacific Ring of Fire is also home to 453 volcanoes and more than half of the world's active and dormant volcanoes are found here. Indonesia is located between the Pacific, Eurasian, and Australian tectonic plates. When one of the plates moves, it causes earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and even tsunamis in Indonesia and the surrounding areas. Katherine Cashman, a professor of Volcanology at Bristol University explained: "Indonesia lies on a subduction zone, where one plate dives under the other. Subduction causes big earth quakes and volcanoes. It's also quite a complex set of subduction zones. "The earth is divided into plates, which are semi rigid, but they do move sometimes and interact with each other. Indonesia has the unlucky circumstance of being on a very major plate boundary, and particularly under Java, you have one plate diving directly under another plate, so as it dives under it starts to produce melt that comes up as a volcano." Shweta Sharma18 June 2025 08:12 Everything we know about the major volcanic eruption in Indonesia Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in East Flores, Indonesia, erupted at 5.35pm local time on Tuesday. The eruption spewed out a massive ash column exceeding 10km in height and sent hot ash clouds spreading in all directions. The ash column could be seen from 90-150km away. The ash expanded into a mushroom-shaped cloud, affecting areas far beyond the immediate vicinity of the volcano. Rapid response teams reported challenges due to darkness, ash rain and gravel, which hindered access and information gathering. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths. The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation raised the volcano's status to the highest level four after record seismic activity. The danger zone was expanded to 8km from the crater. Residents were advised to be aware of potential lahar floods in rivers originating from the volcano's peak, particularly in areas like Dulipali, Padang Pasir, Nobo, Nurabelen, Klatanlo, Hokeng Jaya, Boru, and Nawakote, if heavy rain occurred. A number of flights to and from Bali international airport and other airports around the volcano were cancelled, disrupting travel for thousands of people. At least two villages near the volcano were evacuated. Shweta Sharma18 June 2025 07:51 Over 20 flights cancelled from Bali airport and many delayed Over 20 flights have been cancelled in the aftermath of the volcano eruption, according to flight data from Bali's international airport. Several domestic flights and international flights leaving I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport have been cancelled. Air India, Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Juneyao Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia have cancelled their flights to the airport, distrupting travel for thousands of people and causing travel chaos. The government closed the Fransiskus Xaverius Seda airport in Maumere from Wednesday until Thursday "to ensure the safety of the passengers," said the airport operator AirNav in its Instagram post. Shweta Sharma18 June 2025 07:11 Japan confirms no tsunami threat from Indonesia volcano eruption Japan's Meteorological Agency has confirmed that there is no tsunami threat to Japanese coastlines following a major volcanic eruption in Indonesia. In a statement issued at 4 am on Wednesday, the agency reported no significant changes in sea levels at tidal observation points within or outside Japan. According to the agency, Mount Lewotobi on Flores Island erupted at approximately 5.45pm local time local time, sending a volcanic plume soaring to an estimated 16,000m. While large volcanic eruptions can occasionally generate tsunamis due to abrupt changes in atmospheric pressure, no such effects have been observed in this instance. Shweta Sharma18 June 2025 06:57 In pics: Streets filled with filled with thick ash, gravel, and sand Thick sheets of grey ash covered the streets and roofs of houses around the villages near the volcano. The eruption also forced local authorities to evacuate dozens of residents living in two villages near the volcano, Avi Hallan, an official at the local disaster mitigation agency, told Reuters. "Streets in the two villages were filled with thick ash, gravel, and sand," she said, adding no casualties were reported. Shweta Sharma18 June 2025 06:46 JetStar says number of flights cancelled and more flights to be delayed Many international flights from India, Singapore and Australia to Bali were cancelled due to the eruption. Qantas' low-cost carrier JetStar cancelled several morning flights to Bali from Australia and expects afternoon flights to be delayed. "Due to volcanic ash caused by an eruption of Mount Lewotobi in Indonesia, a number of Jetstar flights between Australia and Bali have been cancelled this morning," a Jetstar statement read. "Impacted customers have been notified directly and provided a range of options. At this stage, forecasts show the ash cloud is expected to clear by later tonight. As a result, this afternoon's flights will be delayed to operate later this evening. "We are reaching out to customers on these flights to advise them of the delay. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will contact customers directly if there are any further changes to our schedule." Shweta Sharma18 June 2025 06:33
