These eruptions have baffled scientists as they happen more often after continents break up.
"The pattern of diamond eruptions is cyclical, mimicking the rhythm of the supercontinents, which assemble and break up in a repeated pattern over time," Gernon said.
In fact, scientists found that most kimberlite volcanoes occurred 20 to 30 million years after the tectonic breakup of Earth's continents.
But instead, it tends to appear in "a sweet spot in the interior of continents where diamonds form," Gernon said.
Sergei Karpukhin/ReutersThe scientists say having uncovered this chain reaction could help discover diamond deposits in the future.
Persons:
Tom Ger, Gernon, Stephen Jones, Jones, Sergei Karpukhin, he'll
Organizations:
Service, University of Southampton, Guardian, Reuters, University of Birmingham, Nature
Locations:
Wall, Silicon, kimberlite, Russia