32,000 Olympic Pools of Magma Nearly Erupted Beneath Atlantic Island

Scientists mapped a rapid magma intrusion beneath Portugal’s São Jorge Island that triggered thousands of earthquakes in 2022 but did not erupt.

Using seismic, satellite, and GPS data, the team traced the magma’s path and found it stalled about 1.6 km below the surface.

The intrusion was linked to the Pico do Carvão Fault Zone, showing faults can guide magma underground and help halt eruptions.

The study suggests large magma movements may happen with little warning, improving volcanic hazard assessment in the Azores and beyond.