“More Explosive And Frequent”: Melting Glaciers Might Trigger Volcanic Eruptions Globally, Study Warns

A recent study indicates that the climate crisis may lead to an increase in volcanic eruptions as melting glaciers and ice caps reduce pressure on subsurface magma chambers. This occurrence has been noted in Iceland, yet recent studies in Chile offer proof of heightened volcanic activity on the continent after the last ice age. Numerous volcanoes, especially in areas such as Antarctica, Chile, and Alaska, are blanketed by ice. With increasing global temperatures and melting ice, the reduction in weight and pressure can lead to explosive eruptions. Researchers caution that this concealed threat demands significant focus because of its potential for intense volcanic eruptions .

At the 2025 Goldschmidt Conference in Prague, a leading international geochemistry event, researchers showcased their results. The research investigated six volcanoes in southern Chile, monitoring eruptions from the end of the last ice age. Lead investigator Pablo Moreno Yaeger discovered that the melting of glaciers results in bigger and more frequent eruptions. Although this link is found in Iceland, this research is among the first to investigate its effects on continental volcanic systems.

“Glaciers tend to suppress the volume of eruptions from the volcanoes beneath them. But as glaciers retreat due to climate change, our findings suggest these volcanoes go on to erupt more frequently and more explosively,” Mr Yaeger said in a statement.

By studying crystals from past eruptions, researchers discovered that glacial ice significantly influences volcanic activity. During the last ice age, thick ice sheets pressed down on the Earth’s crust, suppressing volcanic eruptions. This pressure allowed magma reservoirs to build up deep underground. As the glaciers melted, the decrease in pressure enabled gases in the magma to expand, leading to more explosive eruptions. The researchers suggest that a similar process may be occurring today as modern glaciers melt due to climate change.

“Our study suggests this phenomenon isn’t limited to Iceland, where increased volcanicity has been observed, but could also occur in Antarctica. Other continental regions, like parts of North America, New Zealand, and Russia, also now warrant closer scientific attention,” said Mr Yaeger.

Researcher Thomas Aubry observed that precipitation, affected by climate change, can also affect volcanic activity by penetrating deep underground and interacting with the magma system, possibly initiating an eruption.

The researchers also caution that heightened volcanic activity may affect the worldwide climate. Although single eruptions can briefly lower global temperatures by emitting aerosols, numerous eruptions may result in lasting warming from the buildup of greenhouse gases. This establishes a feedback cycle in which melting glaciers cause eruptions, which consequently lead to additional warming and melting.