Melting glaciers could trigger hundreds of dormant volcanoes and spark a wave of explosions across the globe, says study

Melting Glaciers Could Awaken Hidden Volcanoes, Scientists Warn (Image: Canva)

As glaciers vanish across the planet, something stirs beneath. Scientists now believe climate change could make volcanoes more explosive and frequent than ever before.

Retreating Ice May Spark Volcanic Surges

A new study reveals that shrinking glaciers could unleash powerful eruptions. Hundreds of volcanoes in regions like Antarctica, Chile and Alaska sit beneath ice. As global temperatures rise, that icy cover melts. The weight once held above these volcanoes is lost, removing the pressure and triggering explosive activity. Researchers say this hidden danger deserves serious attention.

The findings will be shared at the 2025 Goldschmidt Conference in Prague on July 8. The study focused on six volcanoes in southern Chile, where eruptions were tracked from the last ice age. According to lead researcher Pablo Moreno Yaeger from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, eruptions increase in size and frequency when glaciers recede.

The idea that melting glaciers influence volcanoes is not new. Since the 1970s, scientists have suggested that disappearing ice might release pressure in Earth's crust. As gases and magma expand, the chance of eruption rises. This process has already been recorded in Iceland, where glacier loss led to volcanic activity up to 50 times higher.

Studying Chile’s Past to Predict Our Future

To explore this further, geoscientists studied volcanoes beneath the ancient Patagonian Ice Sheet. Using argon dating and crystal analysis, they discovered a quiet period between 26,000 and 18,000 years ago, when ice suppressed volcanic activity. But once the glaciers melted, pressure built up underground. That pressure was finally released, forming the Mocho-Choshuenco volcano.

This isn’t a local issue. A 2020 study identified 245 active volcanoes either under or within 5 kilometres of glaciers. Regions of concern now include Antarctica, North America, New Zealand, and parts of Russia. These areas, Moreno Yaeger says, need closer monitoring as global warming continues.

"The trigger is when glaciers start to retreat," he explained. "That’s what’s happening now in several regions around the world."

Volcanoes Could Accelerate Global Warming

Volcanic eruptions often cool the planet short-term. They send sulphate aerosols into the sky that reflect sunlight. But in the long run, the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases they emit could add to global warming.

Moreno Yaeger warns of a dangerous loop. Melting glaciers lead to eruptions, which then release gases that warm the planet further. This extra warmth causes more glaciers to melt, and the cycle repeats.

As climate change reshapes our world, volcanoes may soon play a greater role in that transformation—firing up concerns from beneath our feet.