Is climate change lighting a fuse under Iceland's volcanoes?

The aim of the volcano observatory at the Icelandic Meteorological Office is to monitor the country’s volcanoes for changes in activity, like those now observed at Askja, helping to protect the nation’s nearly 400,000 citizens and the hordes of foreign tourists who visit every year to enjoy Iceland’s world-renowned geothermal attractions.

However, the team’s work has taken on broader significance. Last year, Parks and colleagues with the University of Iceland received government funding for a pioneering research project across 12 institutions to test a theory that could have dire implications not just for Iceland, but for every person on the planet: Whether the rapid retreat of glaciers as a result of human-caused climate change will trigger increased volcanic activity.

The basic process underpinning the idea is simple. The tremendous weight of glaciers and ice sheets can tamp down volcanoes. When the ice retreats, the downward pressure on the planet’s thin outer crust and much thicker underlying mantle eases, allowing the ground to rebound. This change in pressure spurs dynamic forces beneath volcanoes to produce more magma and alter its movement, influencing eruptions.