LISBON (Reuters) – Volcanic and tectonic tremors, which indicate the movement of magma, were recorded for the first time since an alarming seismic crisis began two weeks ago on the island of São Jorge in the Azores archipelago in the Atlantic. state officials said Wednesday.
The lush volcanic island in the Portuguese archipelago has been hit by 27,626 minor tremors, and there are fears that activity indicates an eruption or a powerful earthquake.
Fátima Viveiros of Civisa, an observatory for seismic activity in the area, said volcano-tectonic earthquakes, also known as hybrids, occur when low-frequency volcanic tremors merge with high-frequency tectonic tremors.
“This shows that fluids are moving deeply,” Viveiros explained, adding that more earthquakes of this type are expected. “These signals show what can be expected in active volcanic systems.”
Volcanic alert is at level 4 on a five-level scale, meaning the volcano’s first chance of erupting since 1808 is real.
A study published in the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research in 2015 says volcanic tectonic tremors are “the first reported seismic precursors of eruptions in volcanoes that have typically been dormant for decades or longer.”
Civisa says an eruption is not imminent, but such a scenario cannot be ruled out.
(Reported by Catarina Demony)
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.