{
  "id": 16113095,
  "title": "Two Magma Reservoirs Beneath Nicaragua's Masaya Volcano May Reveal Source of Strange Ground Movements",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/two-magma-reservoirs-beneath-nicaraguas-masaya-volcano-may-reveal",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-22T22:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Discover Magazine",
    "slug": "discover-magazine",
    "url": "https://www.discovermagazine.com/two-magma-reservoirs-beneath-nicaragua-s-masaya-volcano-may-reveal-source-of-strange-ground-movements-49844"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "At Masaya volcano, located southeast of Nicaragua's capital city Managua, two distinct magma sources have been active for years. Although the volcano hasn't experienced a major lava flow since 1772, it remains active with landslides and emissions of sulfur dioxide gas. Ground deformation at Masaya hints at a complex magma system. Recently, researchers identified evidence of two magma reservoirs beneath the volcano using satellite data from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 satellite, which passes over Masaya approximately every 12 days. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, reveals that the ground around the volcano both sinks and rises over time, driven by magma flowing in and out of these reservoirs. About 2 million people live within a 13-mile radius of Masaya, making understanding its plumbing system a top priority. Lead author Lizzie Johnson notes that these observations will help scientists better understand magma movement beneath Masaya and potentially improve eruption forecasting. Masaya, part of the Central American Volcanic Arc, has had at least 36 confirmed eruptions in the past 10,000 years, with 33 documented in historical records. The volcano, now Nicaragua's first national park, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, with the Santiago crater's lava lake offering a direct link to a deeper magma source.",
  "summary": "Learn about the significance of two newly identified magma reservoirs at Nicaragua's Masaya volcano, famous for the lava lake at its summit.",
  "key_points": [
    "Two magma reservoirs identified beneath Masaya Volcano using satellite data.",
    "Ground deformation at Masaya indicates complex magma system activity.",
    "2 million people live within 13-mile radius of active volcano."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}