Hot Springs, Geysers, And Renewable Energy
How we utlize the magma that lies beneath the earth’s core
Power can be generated using traditional methods such as wood, coal, gas, and oil. It can also be generated by alternative sources such as wind, solar, water, and nuclear.
What about geothermal energy, the heat that is generated from within the earth’s core? That is an area 1,800 miles (2,900 km) below the Earth’s crust.
The deeper you go beneath the crust, the higher the temperatures get. When underground rock formations approach 700–1,300° C (1,300–2,400° F), they convert to magma, or molten rock, which exists in the mantle and lower crust. When it comes to the surface of the earth, it’s called lava.
Sometimes magma also heats underground aquifers.
Sometimes this leads to geysers, as in Yellowstone Park. Magma beneath the park heats water that causes Old Faithful to erupt. It is just one of 500 geysers at the park.
Scientists have studied the caldera for clues on the composition of the magma reservoir, which apparently contains a variety of volatile substances. They are not only…
