By studying micron-millimeter sized slices of fist-sized rocks collected from the earth’s surface, Bowdoin Professor of Earth and Oceanographic Science Rachel Beane can discern what has been happening miles below ground, in the depths of supervolcanoes.
Her investigation of volcanic rocks is pushing forward our understanding of these enormous volcanoes, and could lead one day to better prediction models for their eruptions. While most volcanoes are scary, supervolcanoes — or “mega-collosals” — are many times worse. Read more.