Quantum Leap in Volcanic Surveillance
Three absolute quantum gravimeters will monitor the movement of magma beneath the slopes of Mount Teide. They will be the first sensors of their kind installed on the volcano to conduct continuous tracking of the most minute changes in the terrain. Until now, instrumentation dedicated to this purpose has been deployed only temporarily for specific, scheduled campaigns. “Predictions of what happens in the Teide environment will see an unparalleled improvement,” assured Juan José Martínez, Councillor for Innovation at the Tenerife Island Council.
A Unique and Powerful Tool
These devices are unique in the world. In fact, only 21 of this type exist across the globe, and Teide will be the fourth active volcano equipped with this cutting-edge technology. “Only Mount Etna in Sicily, Kilauea in Hawaii, and La Soufrière in Guadeloupe have this type of technology,” he stated. Managed by the Canary Islands Volcanological Institute (Involcan), these devices are powerful tools for understanding the magma ascent processes that precede volcanic eruptions, as well as the dynamics of hydrothermal systems.
Unprecedented Sensitivity for Early Warnings
The sensitivity of these high-resolution gravimeters allows for the detection of magma movement down to depths of the lower crust, making it possible to issue an alert much earlier than with other geophysical and geochemical techniques. This warning capability is also earlier compared to conventional gravimeters. Initially, the gravimeters will be located in three zones on the island. “We are going to place one in the northwest, another in the south, and another in the northeast to triangulate all the information we can obtain about the volcano,” the councillor explained. However, they can be moved if necessary. “They are portable infrastructures, so we can provide service to other areas of the Canaries,” he added.
Immediate Deployment and Archipelago-Wide Potential
The deployment is promised to become a reality in the first quarter of this year and will happen “immediately.” Martínez noted that Involcan “is active across the entire Archipelago and internationally,” meaning the technology could contribute to prevention, monitoring, or intervention on any of the islands. The quantum capability of these gravimeters is what truly sets them apart. They are high-precision devices that use quantum principles, such as matter-wave interferometry, to measure gravitational acceleration with extreme accuracy. This means that instead of noting oscillations in macroscopic objects, they drop laser-cooled atoms to detect variations in the gravitational field.
Exponential Boost for Predictive Computing
“It is one of those great technological leaps we are experiencing and whose full scale we do not yet fully understand,” confessed Martínez. He revealed that other infrastructures, like the Teide and Anaga supercomputers, are also slated to begin using pre-quantum technologies. “All this multiplies exponentially the calculation and prediction capabilities that more traditional systems can give us,” the councillor insisted. Being “much more sensitive” in capturing data allows for the gathering of information that is even more relevant for the calculations these supercomputers must perform.
Part of a Broader Early Warning System
The acquisition of these new instruments cost €1.5 million, secured by Involcan from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and the State Research Agency through the Geofiscan project. The main objective is the acquisition, deployment, and operation of not only these three gravimeters but also eight borehole seismic stations in the Canaries. This aims to equip the archipelago with an advanced early warning system for future volcanic eruptions. These installations will be complemented by the more than 300 sensors installed along the fibre-optic ring surrounding Tenerife, which will provide additional data to these novel gravimeters.
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