An ancient European volcanic region may pose greater long-term volcanic and seismic risks to northwestern Europe than scientists had realized, according to a study co-authored by a UCLA research professor.
The study reported in Geophysical Journal International revealed activity uncommon for the region, but researchers are not predicting that a volcanic eruption or earthquake is imminent in the densely populated area, centered in the Eifel region of Germany and covering parts of Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Luxembourg.
“Our findings suggest this region is an active volcanic system, and much more seismically active than many of the faults in Europe between the Eifel volcanic region and the Alps,” said Paul Davis, a UCLA research professor of geophysics and a senior author of the study.
The team of geophysicists analyzed GPS data from across Western Europe that showed subtle movements in the Earth’s surface and reported that the land surface in that region is lifting and stretching apart, both of which are unusual in Europe.
The Eifel volcanic region houses many ancient volcanic features including circular lakes known as “maars” — remnants of violent volcanic eruptions, such as the one that created Laacher See, the area’s largest lake, according to researchers.
Scientists believe the explosion that created Laacher See occurred about 13,000 years ago with an explosive power similar to that of the Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines in 1991.
Researchers plan to continue monitoring the area to better understand potential risks. The research was supported by the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences, the United States Geological Survey, the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program and NASA.