lecture 10 Flashcards
lava flows
- pahoehoe lava flow: low viscosity lava cools with a ropy smooth surface
- A’a lava flows: more viscous lava solidifies with rough jagged surface and holes through which gases have escaped
ballistics
lava bombs (2018 KTlauea)
shockwaves
atmospheric pressure waves that exceed the speed of sound and can cause minor damage
volcanic gases
1986 limnic eruption at lake nyos cameroon released CO2 that had been dissolved and killed 1700 people and 3500 lifestock (asphyxiated)
Lake Kivu, Rwanda is at risk
mount tambora
in april 1815 started a 4mo long eruption that is the largest volcanic eruption recorded in history
released enormous volumes of SO2 gas which oxidized into sulphate aerosal and changed the earths climate for a whole year, high food prices lead to invention of bicycle
pyroclastic flow
rapid gravity current of hot pyroclastic debris and gas that travels downslope from volcano, can be triggered by;
collapse of volcanic dome, spillover from crater, direct blast from explosive eruption, collapse of plume
Mt unzen, Japan
in 1991 collapse of newly formed magma dome generated a pyroclastic flow that killed 43 people
Mt Ontake, Japan
phreatic eruption of mount ontake killed 63 people
ash fall
weight of ash can collapse buildings and inhalation can lead to silicosis , can disrupt air travel (iceland april 2010)
lahars
volcanic mudflows formed by pyroclasts mixed with debris and water
deadliest of volcanic hazards, can travel large differences (-60km away)
how can lahars form
- from pyroclastic flows that become diluted with river water or meltwater
- from volcanic landslides that mix with water, snow or ice
- from natural failure of a crater lake
- from rainfall on loose tephra or from condensation directly out of an eruption column
how do volcanic risks compare with earthquakes
volcanoes rarely erupt without warning which gives people a chance to evacuate, only 30,000 killed in past 50 years
earthquakes can cause damage over larger areas and collapse buildings
volcano monitoring
gas- airborne and ground
remote sensing- thermal imaging, satelittle
deformaiton- tiltmeter, GPS, surveying
ground vibration- lahar and earthquake sensors
volcano disaster assistance program
after 1985 nevado del ruiz columbia, USGS and USAID set up
- majority of dangerous volcanoes are still not closely monitered
classification of volcanoes
active, dormant or inactive
- pressures of land availability misclassifies dormant volcanoes as inactive
ex. Goma and Mount Nyiragongo DRC