???? The most powerful volcanic eruption in 5000 years left vitrified traces as far as Antarctica

2023-10-15 06:00:07

The eruption of the Taupō volcano in New Zealand, which occurred 1,800 years ago, still raises questions. Thanks to shards of volcanic glass found in Antarctica, researchers might finally precisely date this cataclysmic event.
Image d’illustration Pixabay

Taupō is one of the most violent eruptions of the last 5000 years. Its exact dating has divided scientists for decades. Radiocarbon tests point to the year 232, but some experts dispute this date. Stephen Piva, a doctoral student at Wellington’s Te Herenga Waka Victoria, and his team examined ice cores. water in a solid state.) in Antarctica (Antarctica (pronounced [ɑ̃.taʁk.tik] Listen) is the continent most…) of the West (West is a cardinal point, opposite to the east. It is the direction towards which…). They thus found seven shards of volcanic glass, almost confirming the eruption in the year 232. The researchers analyzed the chemical composition waste. Six of them correspond to Taupō and the seventh to an earlier eruption, the Ōruanui eruption, which occurred around 25,500 years ago.
The shards of volcanic glass traveled to Antarctica, dispersed by the wind.
Credit: James L. Amos via Getty Images

The shards, found at similar depths, suggest that debris from the Ōruanui eruption was remobilized with that of Taupō. Strong winds then dispersed them as far as Antarctica, 5,000 kilometers away. To confirm these results, the team examined the layers of ice surrounding the shards.

The impact of these eruptions is highlighted by the distance between New Zealand and Antarctica. The Taupō eruption lasted from several days to several weeks and devastated an area of ​​20,000 square kilometers. .

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