X-rays provide insights into volcanic processes
Example of skeletonization techniques used to measure bubble and pore throat sizes. a) The topology preserving skeleton with nodes shown in red at the intersections of the branches. b) The maximal inscribed spheres used to calculate the bubble volumes. c) The maximal inscribed spheres used to calculate the pore throat diameters. Wall thicknesses were also determined using maximal inscribed spheres. (Graphic: J. Fife/PSI; D. Baker/McGill University)
Please note: all images are for single use only to illustrate this press release and are not to be archived. Please credit the copyright holder.
Please note: all images are for single use only to illustrate this press release and are not to be archived. Please credit the copyright holder.
Experiments performed at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) investigate processes inside volcanic materials that determine whether a volcano will erupt violently or mildly.
In the experiments, an international team of scientists used a laser-based heating system to heat small pieces of volcanic material similarly to conditions present at the beginning of a volcanic eruption. They used X-rays from the Swiss Light Source (SLS) at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) to observe, in real time, what happens to the rock as it goes from the solid to the molten state. A determining factor to the type of eruption that occurs is how fast gas bubbles form inside the material. These studies indicate that the type of eruption taking place may be established as early as the first few seconds of bubble growth. The researchers have published their results in the online journal Nature Communications.
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In the experiments, an international team of scientists used a laser-based heating system to heat small pieces of volcanic material similarly to conditions present at the beginning of a volcanic eruption. They used X-rays from the Swiss Light Source (SLS) at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) to observe, in real time, what happens to the rock as it goes from the solid to the molten state. A determining factor to the type of eruption that occurs is how fast gas bubbles form inside the material. These studies indicate that the type of eruption taking place may be established as early as the first few seconds of bubble growth. The researchers have published their results in the online journal Nature Communications.
Read the full story