Measuring the speed magma creeps toward the surface

[dlamberth]

"In some volcanic eruptions, magma creeps toward the surface so slowly that it would lose to the sloth, while in others, it would leave even Usain Bolt in the dust. But how do scientists measure a process that happens miles underground, hidden from view? The answer lies in tiny chemical changes preserved within erupted materials—microscopic clues that reveal the speeds at which magma rises toward the surface during explosive eruptions."

Slow as a Sloth or Swift as a Sprinter? Clocking the Speed of Yellowstone’s Magma