Germany’s Volcanic Eifel region - A powderkeg?

Today's Volcanic Eifel was formed from cooled lava and volcanic ash. But deep below the surface, the earth is still bubbling. In fact, there are many indications that the rumbling underground is actually hot magma making its way to the Earth’s surface. How great is the danger of another eruption here in the Eifel, by far the youngest volcanic area in Central Europe? On the shores of the region’s Laacher See, a special phenomenon is attracting the attention of scientists. Here, carbon dioxide gas bubbles rise. They come from a huge magma chamber at a depth of about 40 kilometers - the so-called "Eifel Plume". What do these bubbles tell us about the processes in the Earth's interior? Scientists are certain that the volcanoes will reawaken at some point. But when and where will it happen? To find out as precisely as possible, scientists are constantly listening - all the way down to the depths of the Earth. Dr. Brigitte Knapmeyer-Endrun heads the Bensberg earthquake station, which maintains an extensive network of measuring facilities. The ultrasensitive devices register every tremor, no matter how small. In 2013, the deepest quakes ever measured in Germany caused a sensation. Professor Klaus Reicherter is a volcano researcher. He studies the effects of catastrophes. Even if there are currently no signs of an imminent eruption, he says, the primary goal is to be able to warn people in good time about an awakening volcano.