Article: Fracture formula yields volcanic forecasts. (mathematical expression to help predict when volcanoes will blow)

Fracture formula yields volcanic forecasts

The equation [Omega]--[infinity][Omega]--A = 0 won't win any awards for easy reading, but it just might save some lives. New research suggests that this mathematical expression can help experts predict when a restless volcano will blow its top.

The equation represents a general law describing how various materials -- ranging from metal to plastic to ice -- fracture under stress. But it also appears to have promise for indicating when an imminent volcanic eruption will occur, report Barry Voight and Reinold R. Cornelius of Penn State University in University Park.

Before volcanoes blow their tops, they ...

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