Satellites have recently identified "unusually large volumes" of methane emissions emanating from Mount Fentale in Ethiopia, after months of seismic activity that displaced thousands of residents, the New Scientist magazine has reported.
According to scientists, the exact source of the methane is still unknown, but the volume of emissions is surprising.
Initially spotted by a European Union satellite, the methane was detected near the volcano, approximately 120 kilometers east of Addis Ababa. This finding led GHGSat, a Canadian company that specializes in monitoring methane, to concentrate its high-resolution satellites on the area.
Volcanologist John Stix from McGill University reportedly explained that while it is common for volcanoes to release gases like carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide, "it's unusual" to observe this extent of methane linked to volcanic activity. He pointed out that such observations have only become feasible with the growing number of satellites dedicated to tracking methane emissions from places such as oil fields and coal mines.