New research study reveals origin of volcano's carbon-based lavas

Researchers analyze gas samples collected from Tasmanian volcano to determine processes at work in Earth's upper mantle

		IMAGE: Researchers from the University of New Mexico camped inside the active crater of Oldoinyo Lengai May 2006. Click here for more information.

Scientists studying the world's most unusual volcano have discovered the reason behind its unique carbon-based lavas. The new geochemical analyses reveals that an extremely small degree of partial melting of typical minerals in the earth's upper mantle is the source of the rare carbon-derived lava erupting from Tanzania's Oldoinyo Lengai volcano.