Including but not limited to how they erupt, the accompanying hazards, the life cycle, features and predicting eruptions
» Magma collects underneath the volcano in a magma chamber » Pressure from the earth on the chamber forces magma to rise » Violence dependent on ˃Pressure ˃Dissolved gases
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» Lava flows: eruption of magma at Earth’s surface » Lava flows vary based on the composition of the magma
» pahoehoe: fast moving; low viscosity » smooth ropy texture when it hardens » move at a rate of about 1 meter per hour
» aa: slow moving; higher viscosity » blocky texture when hardens » move at rates of a few meters per day
» Pyroclastic activity: explosive volcanism where tephra is physically blown into the atmosphere
» tephra: any material that is blown out of a volcano (mostly ash)
» ash fall: huge quantities of rock, glass and gas are blown high into the air » kills vegetation » contaminate water » structural damage » respiratory irritation
» lateral blast: explosions of gas and ash from the side of the volcano; destroys part of the mountain
» CO2, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide » can cause acid rain; contaminates water supply and vegetation
» lahar: debris flows and mudflows » volcanic debris becomes saturated with water » ex. Mt. Pinatubo, Philippines
» An active volcano has erupted recently and is expected to erupt again in the future » A dormant volcano is not active but may become active in the future » An extinct volcano is at the end of its life and it is no longer able to erupt
» crater - depression found at the top of a volcano; formed by the explosion of the upper portion of the cone
» hot springs: water is heated by the hot rock and reaches Earth’s surface
» geyser: a hot spring that periodically erupts (RARE!) » ex. Old Faithful
» caldera: a giant crater that can be more than 12.5 miles in diameter » formed by rare, very violent eruptions » none have occurred in recorded history (they are 1000 times more violent than Mt. St. Helens!) » Yellowstone caldera was formed 600,000 years ago!
» Monitoring of seismic activity- often the earliest sign » Thermal monitoring - measuring ground temperatures
» Topographic Monitoring - mountain may tilt and swell before an eruption » Volcanic Gas Emissions - changes in composition of gases may indicates rising of magma » Geologic History - geologists map and date rocks around the area