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13th January - Science without borders: Unravelling the mysteries of Mt. Paektu Volcano, North Korea

Source info:

Author: Edie
Date: 2015-01-12 12:33:00
Blog: Geology in the West Country
URL: http://geologywestcountry.blogspot.com/2015/01/13th-january-science-without-borders.html

Summary:

Science without borders: Unravelling the mysteries of Mt. Paektu Volcano, North KoreaDr. James Hammond, NERC Research Fellow, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College LondonMt. Paektu volcano (otherwise known as Changbaishan in China) is a stratovolcano on the North Korea/China border.  In the 10th century it was responsible for one of the largest eruptions in the last 2000 years, forming a 5 km wide caldera at the volcano summit with ash fall as far away as Japan.  More recently (2002-2005) the volcano showed an increase in activity with a marked increase in the number of earthquakes, measurable volcanic deformation and an increase in gas emissions - all pointing to magma recharge beneath the volcano. However, despite such a dramatic history and recent signs of magma movement, the volcano remains poorly understood. The volcano’s location on the border of two of the world’s most secretive states is a major factor in limiting understanding of its behaviour.  In 2011 a UK delegation of scientists was invited to North Korea to discuss volcanic hazards and Mt. Paektu volcano with North Korean scientists. This led to a UK-US-North Korean collaboration (the first of its kind) to better understand the volcano.  In August 2013 a team of UK/US scientists deployed seismometers and collected geological samples around the volcano.  The seismic data is used to image magma storage beneath the volcano and this combined with constraints on historical eruptions from dating and characterising previous eruptions allows us to better understand the potential effects of future eruptions. This work, hopefully the first step in a longer lasting collaboration between the UK and North Korea, is allowing us insights into this enigmatic and potentially hazardous volcano.7.30 p.m. Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol

Content analysis:

Geographic context:

LocationCountryLatitudeLongitude
ChinaCN36.8944104.166
ComorosKM-11.651643.36
JapanJP37.4876139.838
North KoreaKP40.3396127.495
United KingdomGB54.3141-2.23001
Wills Memorial BuildingGB51.456-2.60474
the First StepIN28.466877.0307
University of BristolGB51.4568-2.60064

Keywords:

activity, ash fall, borders, century, Changbaishan, constraints, Department, dramatic history, Earth Science, earthquakes, Engineering, future eruptions, gas emissions, geological samples, historical eruptions, Imperial College LondonMt, James Hammond, Japan., km wide caldera, largest eruptions, longer lasting collaboration, magma movement, magma storage, major factor, marked increase, measurable volcanic deformation, mysteries, NERC Research Fellow, North Korea, North Korea Science, North Korea/China border., North KoreaDr, North Korean scientists, paektu volcano, potential effects, potentially hazardous volcano.7.30, previous eruptions, recent signs, recharge, secretive states, seismic data, seismometers, stratovolcano, UK delegation, UK-US-North Korean collaboration, UK/US scientists, volcanic hazards, volcano summit, volcano’s location, West of England Geologists' Association, Wills Memorial Building

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