Aug 20, 2013 06:56 AM EDT
Magma Can Survive in Earth's Upper Crust for Hundreds of Thousands of Years
When volcanoes erupt, silica-rich magma can burst through the Earth's crust, burning the surrounding area in a massive explosion. Now, it turns out that this magma can lurk in Earth's upper crust for hundreds of thousands of years without triggering an eruption.