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Regarding natural disasters, volcanic eruptions are one of the most terrifying. The most recent major eruption in the United States took place in 1980 in Mount St. Helens in the state of Washington. Fifty seven People were killed And 47 bridges, 200 houses, 15 miles of railway line and 185 miles of the highway were destroyed, according to the World Atlas. Fortunately, scientists were able to use data on the seismic activity of the volcano to predict that an eruption arrived more than a month before the event, and evacuated the houses in its danger zone the day before. Now, while seismic activity is reproducing in one of the "very high threat" volcanoes in the country, many ask if an eruption is imminent - and scientists think they have an answer. Continue reading to learn more.

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Over the past four decades, Scientists looked at La Caldera de Long Valley, a volcano at around 250 miles north of downtown Los Angeles and 40 miles east of the Yosemite valley, because it saw a notable increase in earthquakes and fluctuations in the fluctuations in soil over the years.

In May 1980, there were four earthquakes of magnitude six in the region, and there have been growing movements since then. These types of changes are often observed before eruptions, which put high alert experts, according to the L.A. Times . However, changes do not always mean that an eruption is imminent.

Two theories could Explain the activity , according to San Francisco Chronicle : The volcano is about to burst or cools. In a recent study published in the journal Scientists progress , scientists from the California Institute of Technology say it is the last. Increased earthquakes are due to what the gas is bubbling while the magma inside the caldera cools.

"We do not think that the region is preparing for another supervolcanic eruption, but the cooling process can release enough gas and liquid to cause earthquakes and small eruptions", " Zhongwen Zhan , a geologist who worked on the study, said in a press release .

It should be noted that volcanic earthquakes are different from the Trectcones. THE US Geological Survey (USGS) writes: "While the magma moves through the earth, it moves and fracture of the rocks along the way. This movement causes earthquakes which can be recorded with seismometers on the surface of the earth. . They tend to be found at lower depths than 10 km, are of small amplitude (<3 [magnitude]), occur in swarms and are limited to the area under a volcano. "

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In 2018, the USGS appointed the Caldera de Long Valley a "very high threat", which is the highest risk category that the agency attributes. Two other state volcanoes, Mount Shasta and the Lassen Volcanic Center, were also assigned to the category, as well as 15 other volcanoes in the United States.

However, evaluation does not mean that the volcano is more likely to break out than others; Instead, it is determined by the level of threat of the volcano for people were to burst.

"The threat is defined as the combination of a Risk potential for volcano And the exposure of people and goods to these dangers, "writes the USGS". Lava), there are people or goods at risk of this danger. ""

According to the agency, threatening volcanoes with the highest threats are Kilauea in Hawaii, Mount St. Helens in Washington and Mount Rainier in Washington. Long Valley Caldera ranked number 18.

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If the caldera should burst, the USGS says it is The impact would depend On the site of the eruption, its size, its type and the direction of the wind.

"In addition, an eruption during the winter months could melt heavy snow packs, generate locally destructive slum flows and floods," they write. Volcanic ashes could fire more than six miles in the air and travel hundreds of kilometers under the wind, close the roads and disturb communications and public services such as electricity and water for weeks or months.

In order to determine the level of risk of CALDEIRA, researchers from the California Institute of Technology used an optical fiber cable of 60 miles to measure the seismic waves sent by the earthquakes of Caldeira. They analyzed how long the waves took to travel through the material to determine which materials constituted the zones of the caldera. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

After having noticed that the magma of the volcano was separated from its crust by a layer of crystallized rock, they determined that the magma does not flee upwards, which could point out an imminent eruption, explains the San Francisco Chronicle .

The USGS determined that the risk of bursting of the Caldeira of the long valley one day given is about as probable as an earthquake of magnitude 8 occurring along the fault of San Andreas (AKA " Really big "). For the moment, it seems that the area is safe.

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