History has hundreds of times proven the danger of volcanic eruptions. It would seem that there is nothing worse than approaching the mass of molten rocks, but they can also explode. This happens very rarely in contact of lava and water — explosions were seen during the eruption of volcanoes, Eflation in Iceland and Kilauea in Hawaii. Scientists still don’t know all the conditions under which explosions occur, but they have become closer due to the threat experiment.
How to check what provokes an explosion of lava? That’s right: you need to take a pile of various breeds, melt it and add water. Did geologists from the University at Buffalo in your long term study. According to Professor Ingo of Sønder, their work is focused on the process when water gets trapped inside molten rock.
To make the lava was quite simple: it took scientists a powerful induction furnace and a basalt — a type of volcanic rock. Threw it in the oven for four hours until the temperature reached 1350 degrees Celsius. To achieve the explosion, the lava poured in a steel box, added the water and hit a rock at the bottom of the box.
Research has shown that most explosions occur when the point of the explosion is about 35 centimeters of lava. Scientists also noticed that the faster a fluid is introduced, the more powerful was the explosion. The last statement is confirmed by the results of the study in 1983 — then German scientists also proved that the injection capacity directly affects the strength of the “bomb”.
According to researcher Greg Valentine, this is not the end of the experiment. Ahead of them, long years of work, which will last right up until they reveal all the factors affecting lava explosions. The study will allow the residents of volcanically active areas to improve the protection of their homes.
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