Rick shook his head. He had learned enough of natural forces to know there are often no definite answers to questions, but this was critical.
"So the volcano could blow off on top or side, and we can't guess which?"
"That is correct. However, explosive action in a volcano usually comes when the magma meets enough water to create steam. Now, our closest magma front is still far below the floor of the surrounding ocean. You follow me? Good. When the magma rises to the level of the ocean floor, what do you think will happen?"
Rick could see the picture in his mind. He said slowly, "It will probably meet water. Plenty of it, from seepage of the ocean downward through cracks in the ocean floor. Maybe there are cracks like the one in the parking lot, caused by earthquakes."
"Precisely. And when the magma meets the water, then what?"
"The water turns to steam instantly." Scotty answered grimly. "The steam expands instantly—and boom!"
"Boom," Balgos agreed solemnly. "But how big a boom we do not know. It may blow the top off El Viejo. It may blow a gap along one of the cracks. We don't know."
Rick digested this information in silence. The picture was certainly not a cheerful one. "How far down are the magma fronts?" he asked.
"As closely as we can tell, the bottom one is right above the discontinuity, which is about six miles below us at this point. The upper one is about a mile below the top of El Viejo. This puts it about a quarter of a mile below the floor of the ocean."
"Too close," Scotty muttered. "What now?"