Extinct volcanoes may pose future catastrophic threat, study finds

Volcanoes long considered dormant may not be extinct after all, according to a new study published in Science Advances. Geoscientists have found evidence that these "dead" volcanoes might be in a growth phase, potentially leading to catastrophic eruptions.

The research challenges the conventional understanding of volcanic lifecycles. A volcano that has been dormant for more than 100,000 years before its next eruption upends the notion of when a volcano should be classified as extinct or active. "What we discovered is that, surprisingly, it was able to reawaken and erupt quite intensely after 110,000 years of inactivity," said Răzvan-Gabriel Popa, as quoted by Live Science.

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What we discovered is that, surprisingly, it was able to reawaken and erupt quite intensely after 110,000 years of inactivity.

This finding prompts a re-evaluation of other volcanoes currently believed to be extinct. "For me, the important thing is that we start examining other volcanoes that are currently considered extinct, because they might have growth periods, and perhaps they will awaken precisely in this catastrophic phase," Popa added.

The study highlights examples like the Methana volcano, which erupted intensely after an 110,000-year dormancy. Closer to home for some, the Csomád volcanic complex in Romania was also thought to be extinct after its last eruption around 27,000 years ago. However, research led by academician Szabolcs Harangi indicated that a significant amount of magma still exists in its reservoir, theoretically capable of causing a new eruption.

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For me, the important thing is that we start examining other volcanoes that are currently considered extinct, because they might have growth periods, and perhaps they will awaken precisely in this catastrophic phase.