Japanese scientists caution that the magma chamber of Mount Fuji has already surpassed the the pressure that caused caused the massive volcano to erupt over 300 years ago in 1707. The pressure needed to trigger an eruption is only 0.1 megapascals and the current pressure has been around 1.6 mega-pascals. The earthquake that caused the recent tsunami is said to have increased the pressure on the magma chamber of mount Fuji quite a bit and any tectonic shifts will continue to increase the likelihood of a massive eruption.
Mount Fuji is sitting on a fault line that if an earthquake were to occur, would surely bring about an eruption.If mount Fuji were to erupt, it would be catastrophic and result in the loss of many lives and an economic cost of up to $31 billion.
Scientists will be keeping a close eye on the volcano by monitoring seismic data and looking for visual cues like stream and gas emitting from the volcano. Mount Fuji is over 12,000 feet high and is known as an active stratovolcano which sits about 60 miles south west of Tokyo.
It has been long speculated that the volcano would soon erupt but even with the best of technology, it’s just too hard to predict. With hundreds of thousands at risk, it brings to light the importance of research in this field. Let us not forget the super volcanoes that lay quietly among us. These super volcanoes will have a massive global impact, so understanding Earth’s geological processes is extremely important. It is also crucial to exercise evacuation plans and prepare the public in case of an major eruption to reduce the loss of life.