A volcano in southeastern Iran, believed to have been dormant for roughly 700,000 years, is showing signs of renewed activity, according to a new study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Satellite data revealed that the ground near the summit of the Taftan volcano rose about 3½ inches between July 2023 and May 2024, a change researchers said signals a buildup of gas pressure beneath the surface, Live Science reports.
The deformation has not subsided, leading scientists to suggest that the volcano, previously labeled as extinct, may be more accurately described as dormant. Mohammadhossein Mohammadnia, a doctoral student at the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology in Spain, initially saw no signs of unrest in 2020 imagery. However, by 2023, reports of sulfurous odors, detectable as far as 31 miles away in the city of Khash, prompted a closer look. Using data from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 satellites, Mohammadnia and colleagues identified the uplift and concluded it likely stems from gas accumulating 1,600 to 2,000 feet below the surface, possibly due to changes in the volcano's hydrothermal system or minor magma movement.
The Taftan volcano, a 12,927-foot stratovolcano, is already known for its active fumaroles but has not erupted in recorded history. Study author Pablo González emphasizes that there's no immediate threat of eruption, but he urges local authorities to allocate resources for monitoring. The volcano doesn't have the type of GPS monitoring system in place that active volcanoes such as Mt. Saint Helens in Washington state has, per Popular Mechanics. "It has to release somehow in the future, either violently or more quietly," González said.
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