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A Google Earth view showing Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, under which a large unexpected amount of molten magma was detected. (Google Earth, News.com.au)
Something unexpected has gradually been made known to geologists in the United States. An enormous mass of molten rock climbs upward under the northeastern states of the nation.
"The upwelling we've detected is like a hot air balloon, and we infer that something goes up in the deepest part of our planet under New England," says Vadim Levin, a geophysicist at the University. Rutgers.
Traces of the incubating mass became evident only through a new large-scale seismic study.
The idea that there might be a super-volcano brewing under Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire is something of a surprise.
"Our study challenges the established notion of how the continents we live on behave," says Professor Levin. "It challenges the concepts of textbooks taught in introductory geology courses."
The region is geologically stable. There are no active volcanoes.
So the massive accumulation of magma has to be a relatively recent event.
But, in the time of the geological processes of the Earth, it still means tens of millions of years.
"It will probably take millions of years for the upwelling to reach its goal," says Professor Levin. "The next step is to try to understand exactly what is happening."
Something strange had been noted about the area earlier. Somewhere over there was an anomaly hundreds of degrees Celsius warmer than its surroundings.
The new study helped identify blob blended as being centered under Vermont, with parts of western New Hampshire and western Massachusetts also in its embrace.
"It's not like Yellowstone, but it's a distant relative," says Professor Levin.
As to whether or not the magma bubble will eventually make its way to the surface, we do not know.
"Perhaps he has not had the time yet, or maybe he is too small and will never do it," said Professor Levin. National Geographic.
"Come back in 50 million years, and we'll see what happens."
This story originally appeared in news.com.au.
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