Jan. 23, 2009 -- In May of 1960, the most powerful earthquake on record rocked southern Chile. At magnitude 9.5, the quake killed thousands of people and sent a massive tsunami rippling across the Pacific Ocean. It also triggered a cluster of volcanic eruptions up and down the Andes mountains that persisted into the spring of 1961, according to new research. Scholars have puzzled over whether earthquakes can cause eruptions for almost two millennia; in the 1st century, Pliny the Younger wrote about the relationship as a possible cause of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D.. Similarly, Charles Darwin reported that volcanoes in Chile awoke violently following an earthquake during his visit to Chile aboard the Beagle in 1835. In recent years, scientists have worked out a solid correlation; volcanic eruptions in a given region are far more frequent for the few days following an earthquake than they are otherwise. Now Sebastian Watt of Oxford University and a team of researchers are adding a new twist -- some of the world's biggest tremors can make volcanoes blow their tops for up to a year afterwards. Related Content: Get the Latest in Science and Tech News From Discovery Project Earth Slide Show: Volcano of the Year When the team measured earthquake activity against volcanic records southern in Chile for the last 150 years, they found two large clusters of eruptions occurred following quakes -- one after an 8.3 temblor in 1906, and again after the 1960 mega-quake. In the southern half of the Andes, 25 historically active volcanoes produce a total of 1.3 eruptions per year, on average. But each time a huge quake rattled the mountains, it triggered between seven and eight eruptions. The team calculates the odds the events are just a coincidence are around one in 10,000. "At no other time in the record do we see this level of activity," Watt said. "The next largest number of eruptions in a 12-month period is four." Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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