Bolivia’s Uturuncu volcano has been quiet for over 250,000 years, but a new study suggests it may be on the verge of returning to life. The volcano, known as a “zombie” volcano due to its ongoing activity, is located in the Central Andes and has been exhibiting signs of unrest, including earthquakes and gas emissions.
A team of international scientists from China, the UK, and the USA collaborated on the study, using advanced techniques such as seismic tomography to create high-resolution images of the shallow crust beneath Uturuncu. By analyzing over 1,700 earthquake events, the researchers were able to map the underground landscape precisely.
The findings point to a new explanation for Uturuncu’s zombie-like behavior: the movement and accumulation of geothermally heated liquids and gases deposited in reservoirs just beneath the volcano’s crater. This movement is likely driving the ground deformation observed at the center of the volcanic system, rather than a prelude to a major eruption.
However, the study suggests that the likelihood of an imminent eruption is low. The research team believes that their techniques could be valuable for investigating other potentially active volcanoes and zombie-like volcanoes around the world, with over 1,400 known cases in the Andes alone.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/bolivia-long-dormant-zombie-volcano-190100479.html