The effects of climate change may extend far beneath the Earth’s surface, potentially awakening hundreds of volcanoes worldwide. According to recent research presented at the Goldschmidt Conference 2025 in Prague, the rapid melting of glaciers could trigger more frequent volcanic eruptions. These eruptions could be explosive. In turn, they could exacerbate the effects of climate change.
The study is based on models predicting changes in the magma beneath Patagonia’s glaciers. It suggests that the retreat of ice has the power to shake subglacial volcanoes out of their slumber. The world is not at imminent risk of volcanic bombardment. However, the findings indicate that the rapid melting of glaciers today could raise the risk of eruptions in the future. These eruptions are likely to occur over hundreds or thousands of years.
The research analyzed the deep history of the Patagonian Ice Sheet, which once covered the southern tip of South America. More than 18,000 years ago, when the ice sheet was at its heaviest, the immense weight of the ice suppressed volcanic activity, allowing magma to crystallize and pool some 10 to 15 kilometers (6 to 9 miles) beneath the surface.
As the climate warmed and the glaciers melted, the pressure was released. Scientists believe this ice ‘unloading’ allowed Earth’s crust to bounce upward. This movement enabled gases in the underground magma to expand. This expansion is a crucial factor in triggering volcanic eruptions.
CASE STUDY: MOCHO-CHOSHUENCO VOLCANO
Researchers analyzed samples from six volcanoes in Chile, including the dormant Mocho-Choshuenco volcano. Their data indicated that Mocho-Choshuenco’s past eruptive activity was significantly impacted by the advance and retreat of Patagonia’s ice. Explosive eruptions began roughly 3,000 to 5,000 years after the ice unloading. This suggests a substantial lag time for these geological processes.
“Glaciers tend to suppress the volume of eruptions from the volcanoes beneath them,” said volcanologist Pablo Moreno-Yaeger from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He presented the research at the conference. “But as glaciers retreat due to climate change, our findings suggest these volcanoes go on to erupt more frequently and more explosively.”
GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS AND THE FEEDBACK LOOP
While similar phenomena have been observed in Iceland, this study is one of the first to demonstrate these forces at play on a continental scale.
“Our study suggests this phenomenon isn’t limited to Iceland… but could also occur in Antarctica,” said Moreno-Yaeger. Antarctica is of particular concern, as more than 100 hidden volcanoes are currently trapped under its ice sheets. Moreno-Yaeger also warned that other continental regions, including parts of North America, New Zealand, and Russia, warrant closer scientific attention.
The potential consequences extend beyond regional volcanic activity. Simulations suggest that if significant ice melt occurs in Antarctica, the magma activity could melt the ice sheet from within. Over time, multiple eruptions can lead to the buildup of greenhouse gases. This accumulation contributes to long-term global warming.
Moreno-Yaeger describes this as a “positive feedback loop.” In this loop, “melting glaciers trigger eruptions.” The eruptions in turn could contribute to further warming and melting. This creates a scenario where the consequences of climate change are intensified by geological responses, a catastrophic future that scientists hope to anticipate and mitigate.
