Scientists have discovered a giant magmatic lake below Uturunku volcano in Bolivia, South America. Uturuncu is a dormant volcano in Bolivian Altiplano that last erupted more than 270,000 years ago.
The body of water, which lies 15 kilometers below the surface, is dissolved in partially molten rock with heat of nearly 1,000 degrees Celsius.
The amount of water found here is estimated by scientists to be comparable to what is present in some of the world's giant freshwater lakes.
Anomalous Region Below The Earth's Surface
The Bolivian Altiplano does not currently have an active volcano but has been the site of extensive volcanism over the last 10 million years.
Altiplano also has a large geophysical anomaly about 15 kilometers below the Earth's surface characterized by massive volume, increased electrical conductivity and reduced seismic wave speeds, which suggest the presence of molten rock.
Study researcher Jon Blundy, from the University of Bristol, and colleagues conducted high temperature and pressure experiments as well as measured electrical conductivity of the molten rock to know what is going on in this anomalous region.
Dissolved Water Equal To What Is Found In Lake Superior
Based on their observations, the researchers concluded that the anomalous region is composed of between eight and 10 percent water dissolved in silicate melt.
Blundy said that this is an incredible amount of water given that it is roughly equal to that of Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes of North America, which holds 10 percent of the surface freshwater in the world.
Unlocking Mysteries Of Volcanic Eruptions
The discovery may shed more light on how volcanoes erupt. Scientists have been conducting studies to know more why volcanoes erupt as well as to identify signs that a volcano is about to blow up. Findings may help in predicting future volcanic eruptions and help save more lives.
The discovery of the giant lake below Uturuncu volcano suggests bubbles have something to do with eruptions. Water can only be dissolved in silicate melt at high pressure. At lower pressures, water comes out of the silicate and form bubbles that can drive volcanic eruptions.
"This suggests that large amounts of water in super-hydrous andesitic magmas could be a common feature of active continental arcs and may illustrate a key step in the structure and growth of the continental crust," the researchers reported in their study, which was published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters on Oct. 26.
