Ancient East African stones provide a clue about rare volcanoes

The rock found in a remote mountain edge in East Africa gave scientists new knowledge about a strange volcano - a more dangerous volcanic mechanism than previously thought.

Aluto, a volcanic volcano in the Rift Valley , Ethiopia, erupted last 2,000 years ago. Previous surveys show that the eruption is quite small, only threatening those living near the volcano. But this kind of mountain activity that created this ancient eruption, known as pumice cone eruption , is still not well understood.

Special stones have a foam-like inner part surrounded by a thin layer of volcanic glass.

To better describe the nature of Aluto's last eruption, which took place in 50 BC, scientists used a variety of analytical techniques to study a number of rock samples.

The special stone has a foam-like inner part surrounded by a thin layer of volcanic glass, showing volcanic ruins very hot and sticky as they are deposited by the ancient eruption.

Around the world, volcanic cone volcanoes are rare, but popular in East Africa, Iceland and New Zealand.

Because the rock was found far from Aluto's cone, the scientists concluded that the eruption was far more intense than the researchers' previous estimate. The authors of the new study, published in Nature Communications this month, suggest that the stones have been removed from the crater by a stream of rocks, ash and intense superheated gases and fast moving. .

The findings could help geologists more accurately estimate the risks of volcanic cone eruptions.

Ben Clarke, a graduate student at the University of Edinburgh, said: 'There are many people living on and around volcanoes with valuable geothermal energy structures. Our research suggests that future eruptions in these volcanoes are likely to cause great damage, farther away from the volcano than we once thought. Continuing multidisciplinary research to understand and control this risk is essential to safeguarding the safety of people and infrastructure in Ethiopia. '