White Island/Whakaari in the Bay of Plenty ca. 50 km off the North Island’s east coast is one of New Zealands most active volcanoes, well known for its spectacular crater with strong hydrothermal activity and sulphur deposits. It is part of the active Taupo volcanic zone and last erupted in 2001 (phreatic explosion).
On December 9, 2019, the island volcano of Whakaari/White Island in New Zealand erupted. The eruption sent a plume of ash and steam 12,000 feet (3,700 meters) into the air and caused widespread disruption to air travel in the country. More than 50 people were killed or injured in the eruption, making it the deadliest volcanic eruption in New Zealand’s history.
Photo by David Maunsell on Unsplash
The Whakaari eruption was a tragedy, but it also gave scientists a rare opportunity to study an active volcano up close. In this post, we’ll take a look at what caused the eruption and what scientists have been able to learn from it.
What Caused the Eruption?
The most likely cause of the Whakaari eruption was an influx of magma into the volcano’s shallow subsurface chambers. This magma likely interacted with groundwater, causing an increase in pressure that led to an explosive rupture of the chamber walls. This type of magmatic-hydrothermal interaction is thought to be responsible for many phreatic eruptions, which are relatively common at volcanoes around the world.
What Have Scientists Learned?
Since the Whakaari eruption occurred just six months ago, scientific research on the event is still ongoing. However, scientists have already made some key observations about the eruptive process that could help us better understand—and predict—future eruptions at other volcanoes.
For example, researchers have found thatWhakaari’s magma is unusually gas-rich, which likely contributed to the explosive nature of the eruption. They’ve also discovered thatthe magma contains a high concentration of silica, which makes it more viscous—and therefore more dangerous—than other types of magma . These findings could help us understand why some volcanoes are more prone to violent eruptions than others.
The Whakaari eruption was a tragedy that took many lives and caused widespread damage. However, it also gave scientists a rare opportunity to study an active volcano up close. By understanding what caused the eruption and observing its effects, we can better prepare for future eruptions at other volcanoes around the world.
For more information on the current 2019 eruption see some of the links below:
BBC article
CNN article
Reuters article
