Ruediger Klaehn wrote:

Think positive. Wouldn't that be a *huge* energy source? Correct me if I'm
wrong, but I always thought that violent volcanic eruptions are caused by
liquid rock with a lot of gases (mostly CO2) dissolved in it. The liquid
rock forms a huge subterran bubble and the gas tends to be at the top of
that bubble since it is lighter.

The magma here tends to be rather viscous, though (high in silica), so the
gas doesn't really separate from the magma.

I think magmatic gas is mostly water vapor, btw.

Paul