A team of international researchers are preparing to drill two kilometres of the Krafla volcano of Iceland. This will be world’s first underground magma observatory. The drilling is due to start from 2024 and this project is worth $100-million. This project will include scientists and engineers from 38 research institutes form 11 countries.
The team will drill into the volcano’s magma chamber. This project will help in predicting volcanic eruption.
An unexpected discovery
In 2009, while expanding the Krafla geothermal power plant, a bore drill hit 900-degree Celsius magma by mistake at 2.1-kilometre depth.
Lava flowed nine metres up from that bore which damaged the drill, but no one got hurt from it.
Scientists were amazed to find magma at that place, because they were expecting they have to drill 4.5 kilometres before finding magma.
The scientists say it will widen their knowledge of the origins of continents and geothermal systems.