News: Scientists have successfully created the first ever 3D image of the internal structure of Popocatépetl, one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in the world, located in Mexico

Led by Marco Calò from National Autonomous University of Mexico

Significance

• Around 25 million people live within 100 km
• Important infrastructure like cities, airports, hospitals, schools lie in the danger zone
• Earlier studies (about 15 years ago) produced contradictory and low-resolution images
• Scientists could not clearly identify where magma was stored
• Without this knowledge, accurate eruption prediction is difficult

Key Technology Used

• Seismographs: Measure ground vibrations 100 times per second
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Processes massive seismic data

What did scientists discover?

• A 3D cross-sectional image up to 18km below the crater
• Multiple magma pools at different depths
• Not just a single magma chamber → multi-level magma system

Popocatépetl’s activity

• Formed over 20,000 years ago
• Active since 1994
• Almost daily emission of smoke, gas and ash
• Scientists call the volcano a “natural laboratory”