West Eifel maar volcanoes eruption history dated by researchers

An international research team from the University of Heidelberg, Curtin University, and the University of Göttingen has successfully dated the most recent eruptions of the West Eifel maar volcanoes in Germany. The study reveals that many eruptions occurred in short, nearly simultaneous pulses across large areas of the volcanic field. The most intense and recent episode of these eruptions took place approximately 25,000 years ago.

To overcome the lack of zircon in Eifel magmas, researchers utilized a specialized (uranium-thorium)/helium dating method on zircon crystals found within crustal xenoliths—rock fragments carried to the surface by rising magma. These findings are considered significant for the study of similar volcanic fields globally and for improving volcanic hazard assessments.