
Extreme rainfall triggered the 2018 rift eruption at Kīlauea Volcano - bookofjoe
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2172-5.epdf?sharing_token=6LYDO8JoCHQkNa_zM3cJctRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0P_UKQLNI_4RagXctaNlQzYXL_kHNotNaTmeRUagcvADMe6baXcGd53G7OFNSitk29E4QvfzK11HRvajPnhuXW_AU4vT4hPNMlg-Mj7NPYrokLBc0wXD1gYdCoV9AaoQI3Xkt2PhC4YpYmcU6t3HuZI-NPJ6G55CXiUk83CPfLchAsJadBBA9hts1AHv0tANpHbl1NNqzrKAK0aAqlX9AnXeNsCbB0687TCIsb0PCH1og%3D%3D&tracking_referrer=www.sciencenews.org
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evan-arm
For what it's worth, the scientists at the US Geological Survey who study
Kīlauea do not agree with the Nature paper:

[https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_wat...](https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/hvo_volcano_watch.html?vwid=1461)

"""

Our analysis indicates that increasing pressure in the magmatic system, which
far exceeds the change in pressure modeled as due to rainwater infiltration,
was the primary driver in triggering the 2018 eruption.

For HVO, the smoking gun is found in the ground deformation record across a
broad region of Kīlauea Volcano leading up to the eruption.

...

In summary, our consensus interpretation of HVO's monitoring data is that
magma pressurization was the driving force in triggering the events of late
April and early May of 2018.

No external process, such as rainfall, is needed to explain this.

But what about the rainfall hypothesis? While the role of groundwater and rain
infiltration impacting the behavior of the volcano remains an interesting area
of research, we know that extreme rainfall events have occurred many times in
the recent past when no eruptions occurred, and the spring 2018 rains were no
greater than many previous rainstorms.

"""

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vikramkr
Strange to think something as powerful and seemingly primal as a volcano could
be triggered by rain, a phenomenon we dont consider as nearly the same level
of fundamental primal power

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the8472
Cyclones can get pretty crazy. This one deposited 6m worth of water over an
island over the course of a few days:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Hyacinthe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Hyacinthe)

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sudoaza
Add volcanoes to climate change outcomes

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phkahler
No, this is a surface phenomenon. No amount of rain is going to determine
weather a seafloor volcano forms or is active.

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sudoaza
Who said anything about seafloor?

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phkahler
Kilauea is in Hawaii right? Those islands are all sea floor volcanos that
reached the surface.

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sudoaza
And with changing weather patterns and more evaporation I'd expect more rain
in some places, probably around some volcanoes too.

