New research shows that glaciers near active volcanoes flow faster than other glaciers. The findings suggest it would be possible to predict volcanic eruptions by tracking the speed of glaciers.
Study coauthor Matteo Spagnolo, a geologist at the University of Aberdeen, said that glaciers could provide “much needed forewarning to local authorities to plan the possible evacuation of a nearby city, or impose a no-fly zone, without relying on last-minute decisions.”
For the study, researchers analyzed satellite data on the speed of close to 180,000 glaciers worldwide. Controlling for the local climate, the thickness of ice, and the slope of mountains, they found that glaciers that lie within three miles of an active volcano flow 46 percent faster, on average, than other glaciers. Their findings were published in Communications Earth & Environment.
Authors believe that underground heat from active volcanoes is melting the undersides of nearby glaciers, causing those glaciers to flow more quickly. In light of their findings, authors warn that volcanic activity in Antarctica could further destabilize the massive West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
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