Volcanologists warned of impending Mt. Ruapehu eruption, New Zealand

volcanologists-warned-of-impending-mt-ruapehu-eruption-new-zealand

Volcanologists have warned about impending eruption from one of the most active volcanoes of New zealand, Mt. Ruapehu in central North Island. As a result, New Zealand authorities have instructed climbers to stay away from the peak of Mt. Ruapehu. As per news reports, area within 2 km of the center of Crater Lake has been declared summit hazard zone and should be avoided.

"We are monitoring Ruapehu closely, but it often does not give any immediate warning that it is going to erupt. We think that the temperature a few hundred meters beneath Crater Lake is about 800 °C, but the lake itself is only about 20 °C. This suggests the vent is partly blocked which may be leading to a pressure build-up beneath Crater Lake. A sudden release of the pressure may lead to an eruption," said Steve Sherburn, GeoNet's duty volcanologist.

As a precautionary measure, aviation alert level around the central North Island has been raised to yellow – suggesting unrest above background levels. Volcanic alert level remains unchanged at 'signs of unrest.'

Mt. Ruapehu is a complex stratovolcano that has formed during at least 4 cone-building episodes dating back to about 200 000 years ago. It is believed that several subplinian eruptions took place at Ruapehu between about 22 600 and 10 000 years ago, though pyroclastic flows have not been frequent at Ruapehu. Historically, Crater Lake has been the only opening at the broad summit of the crater.

Featured images: Massive Ruapehu volcano, seen here from the south, forms an elongated massif composed of at least 4 overlapping volcanic edifices. Photo by Bruce Houghton, 1980 (Wairakei Research Center).

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One Comment

  1. Most interesting to say the least when it came to the dating of the last estimated cycle. From 22,600 to 10,000 years ago. When we study the way we understand things, like our carbon dating system, drilling core samples, etc. We can only decipher from what we see from these tests and what elements are shown at different times in depths/layers..deposits, magnetic alignments etc. But we do it with our best guess’s on what we do see. So when some one like me see’s 22,600 years ago, I read 25,920 years ago. Think about that. Cycles. Solar, climate, HMO’s. If an HMO cycled our solar system, from the 25,920 yr end/start, when its at its closest point to our solar system, then approximately 10,000yrs later brings another earth changing cycle when it returns to deeper space, after going around its heavy star. If not an HMO, then it’s our cycle of the equinox and the energy output in the plain. Affects our sun, affects us. All of these earth events in the past years all lead up to Global climate change. I think in the end it will effect everything. Not just warmer winters and colder in other places. Not just fish and birds dying and the melting methane or the shrinking atmosphere, star water, but land mass changes too. Some up, some down. The entire world need to stop what it is doing and turn to Fukushima and ask…WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS THINKING OVER THERE…….MOVE THAT STUFF OUT OF THERE!!! Momma says, “Stupid is what stupid does”

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