Scientists Try To Figure Out Why Lava Reacts Differently To Ice And Water

In 2010, Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano produced an ash cloud that wreaked havoc and stopped air traffic across Europe for several days. The lava meeting the ice created and explosive reaction which pumped vast amounts of ash into the atmosphere.

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Ice and lava, when put together, create an explosive combination, but there are also "pillow lavas" which pile up in blobs on the sea floor. Why there are different reactions to ice and fire is the question, but if this were "Game of Thrones," it may just be as explosive.

Pop culture reference aside, scientists from the University at Buffalo in New York State are studying the reactions by cooking their own batch of lava and adding water to it. The Guardian noted that the team used a high-powered furnace, and aimed to create 35 liters of lava by heating basaltic rock at 1,300 degrees Celsius over a period of four hours.

Upon doing so, they trickle the lava to a narrow pipe and inject water to it to see what happens.
In a statement, lead scientist Ingo Sonder explained the need for the experiment, saying that "The eruption at Eyjafjallajökull was more explosive due to the presence of water. Events like that don't happen often, but there is a threat of a big impact when they do. As geologists, we want to understand the conditions that generate explosions - how much water do you need? How much time?"

Experiments regarding lava reactions have been done repeatedly in different circumstances -- this is not new. But as to why ice can react in different ways with the molten rock -- that is a question scientists are still trying to find the answer to.