On July 31^st 2020, Sun et al. published a paper in Science Advances [1] that suggests the Younger Dryas cooling event nearly 13000 years ago was triggered by the Laacher See volcanic eruption rather than a cosmic impact, the usual explanation. Until now, over 60 primary peer-reviewed journal papers together with dozens of supporting responses all agree the Younger Dryas event was caused by Earth's collision with debris from a disintegrating comet. Only one paper has previously suggested it was caused by the Laacher See volcanic explosion - and that paper was thoroughly refuted only a year later.

In their new paper, Sun et al. focus on platinum group elemental abundances, and especially osmium isotope abundances and ratios, found in the sediment of Hall's Cave, Texas. The sediment in this cave, many meters deep, has accumulated over tens of thousands of years, providing a convenient record of environmental conditions near the cave over this time (see photo below). An easily visible transition in the colour of the sediment at a depth around 1.51 m signifies a dramatic change in climate, and has been suggested to indicate the onset of the Younger Dryas climate anomaly when the Northern Hemisphere experienced a sudden return to near ice-age conditions for over 1000 years. This view is supported by the discovery in this boundary layer of the same kinds of microscopic impact debris found at many other Younger Dryas boundary sites across four continents [2]. So, it appears that Hall's Cave is yet another record of this most dramatic and important cosmic impact event, thought to have reset human Cultures and extinguished many species of large animal across the globe. An event that is probably remembered by numerous extant religions, and might even have helped trigger the rise of our own civilisation [3].
However, the platinum group metal abundances in the sediment around the Younger Dryas boundary layer at Hall's Cave have not previously been investigated. If the prevailing view is correct, we should find anomalies in them very close to this layer, since cosmic impacts generally produce enhancements in several of these elements. For example, the dinosaur-killing Chicxulub impactor was particularly rich in iridium, and coated Earth in an iridium-rich layer of dust and debris. However, we know from analysis of the GISP2 ice core in Greenland, that the Younger Dryas impactor was instead rich in platinum.[4] Since that discovery peaks in platinum concentration within sediments have been used to locate the Younger Dryas boundary accurately at many other sites [5].

Measurements made near stratovolcano Hekla indicate a build-up of magma pressure that has become considerably greater than when the volcano last erupted in 1991 and 2000.

The Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, which performed the measurements, warns that eruptions in Hekla usually happen suddenly and that hikers in the vicinity of the volcano might be in danger in case of volcanic activity.

"It is not possible to guarantee that people visiting the area could be warned in time to seek shelter before an eruption would start. It is also worth noting that eruptions in Hekla often start with a powerful phreatomagmatic eruption," says the Institute. "Should a group of unprepared hikers find themselves near the eruption they would have few means of escaping."

In a phreatomagmatic eruption water and magma interact to produce tephra. There is a chance of pyroclastic flow where the tephra flows quickly down the hills of the volcano, similar to the flow of tephra that covered Pompeii in 79 AD.

The measurements were done near the farm of Næfurholt at the foot of Hekla where geologists discovered that the earth would rise during magma build-up underneath the volcano and then fall post eruption.

Maunakea volcano hasn't erupted in over 4,500 years, but that doesn't mean it's quiet. In fact, for decades it has been hiding one of the most unique seismic signals seen at any volcano.

Some discoveries are just serendipity. Several years ago, U.S. Geological Survey seismologists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Alaska Volcano Observatory were trying out a new method to track seismicity at Kilauea Volcano. The method scans 24-hour sections of seismometer data looking for signal similarity on many instruments. Out of curiosity, they decided to look at the rest of the Island of Hawaii to see what else they might find.

What they found came as a surprise. A study published in the journal Science in May, 2020 describes how they detected deep earthquakes beneath Maunakea that repeat every 7-12 minutes. Noise in the seismic records from wind and nearby cars, together with the small size of the individual earthquakes (magnitude 1.5), had prevented these earthquakes from being detected with the regular earthquake detection system.

The small, repeating earthquakes occur at depths of about 20-25 km (12-15 mi) directly beneath Maunakea's summit and happen every 7-12 minutes with surprising regularity. Furthermore, the repeating events can be detected going back to at least 1999. This was when a particularly quiet seismic station was installed in the saddle between Maunakea and Mauna Loa. It is very likely that the repeating earthquakes were occurring even further back in time.

Summer snow India, 500 year storm New Zealand along with new data showing no warming in the country for the last 130 years. Brazil record cold in 23 municipalities and multiple volcanic eruptions across Japan. Is it a sign from nature that the changes begin ?

A violent eruption jolted residents of the Italian volcanic island of Stromboli awake at 3 a.m. Sunday.

The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology's observatory at Etna reports that its network recorded a loud explosion and eruption, sending lava and debris falling around the crater of the volcano and slope known as the Sciara del Fuoco, which is sometimes visited by hikers.

Webcam video shows "lava bombs" raining down on the area.

Data from the Laboratory of Experimental Geophysics at the University of Florence indicate that the eruption lasted for about four minutes before conditions on the island returned to relative normal

A volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean appears to be experiencing a "vigorous growth spurt," with images from space showing it expanding in size since the middle of June.

The island, Nishinoshima, is located about 600 miles south of Tokyo, Japan. While it first emerged from the sea in the 1970s, it started growing in 2013 following an eruption of an underwater volcano. Initially, another volcanic island was formed around 1,600 feet from Nishinoshima, but in 2014 satellite images showed the two had joined together to form one landmass.

Scientists thought the second island would disintegrate with time. However, the island continued to grow and in the last month, more volcanic eruptions have led it to increase in size even further.

Images from a NASA satellite taken on July 4 showed heat signatures from erupting lava. Aerial photographs from Japan's Coast Guard also show how volcanic activity appears to have started up in May, with more ash and lava being produced than had been over previous months.

Sheets of rain, floods and hail left a path of destruction all over the world, and the northern hemisphere still got snow in June.

The unbelievable amount of precipitation during the past months can be explained with the increasing amount of charged particles in upper layers of the atmosphere.

When meteors and meteorites pass through our lower atmosphere, or when our planet goes trough a comet dust stream, charged particles accumulate between the ionosphere and the surface of the earth causing storms to intensify, clouds to grow and more rain to fall. Wildfires and volcanic eruptions, for example, also contribute to this accumulation of particles.

At the same time, rain can conduct the accumulated electrical charge of the ionosphere to the ground, which increases the occurrence of other electrical phenomena, as tornadoes, hurricanes and plasma formations.

The accumulation of charged aerosols and increasingly colder temperatures in upper layers of the atmosphere - caused by the current solar minimum - can also be responsible of the increasing amount of hail and unseasonable snow around the world.

Charged particles influence weather much more than has been appreciated.

Heavy rain and raging floods took the life of hundreds and affected millions in south China, and destroyed 1,470 houses and 3 bridges in Gorontalo Province, Indonesia. Heavy floods also hit Assam, India leaving 16 dead and over 253,000 affected.

While Romania got its second coldest day in June, Montana got more than 1 foot of snow and southeast Wyoming got 6 inches... just at the beginning of summer.

Siberia got a share of extreme weather this month, from tornadoes to floods and extreme temperature swings.

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake rattled large swaths of southern and central Mexico, killing at least five people. No major damage was reported.

Locusts continued to ravage Africa, India, Brazil, Argentina and the Middle East, with no sign that they'll be gone soon.

All that and more in our SOTT Earth Changes Summary for June 2020:

The worldwide volcanic uptick associated with the next Grand Solar Minimum is continuing. We can now add Nishino-shima volcano to the list after its ongoing effusive-explosive, high-level eruptions which started in mid-June.

Nishino-shima volcano (Volcano Islands, Japan) awoke last December after a two-or-so year quiescence. And now, on the back of June's string of 12,000 ft vulcanian-strombolian-type eruptions and active lava flows on its northern slopes, the volcano has ejected a very dense ash plume to an altitude of 27,230 ft (8,300 m).

Today, July 6, both the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and HIMAWARI-8 satellite data have confirmed the July 4 eruption, which is considered to be the highest ash plume of the volcano since 2013.

Guatemala's Pacaya Volcano erupted on Friday, June 19, spewing lava and ash into the air.

The country's National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) confirmed the volcano emitted a continuous flow of lava and explosions on Friday and said it would continue to monitor the situation. No injuries or damage were reported.


Credit: Deybin Garcia Tomas via Storyful

The activity of the volcano continues at elevated levels.

The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) observed strong explosions that generated a dense dark ash plume, which reached approx. 8,500 ft (2,600 m) above the summit. Volcanic ash is extending about 330 km to the northeast of the volcano.

Lava effusions continue to be active on the northeastern slopes of the volcano.

Very high thermal anomaly was observed in satellite images.


Source: Japan Meteorological Agency volcano activity update 25 June 2020