Tectonics volcanoes case studies

Question 1

Developing example + plates

Answer 1

Mt Nyiragongo, DRC
Divergent margin- African plate being pulled apart into Nubian + Somali plates (part of East Africa Rift Valley)

Question 2

Emerging example + plates

Answer 2

Mt Merapi, Indonesia
Convergent margin- Eurasian + Indo-Australian

Question 3

Developed example + plates

Answer 3

Eyjafjallajökull / E15, Iceland
Divergent margin- Eurasian + NA

Question 4

Nyiragongo magma / volcano type + VEI

Answer 4

basaltic
composite
VEI 1

Question 5

Merapi magma type / volcano type + VEI

Answer 5

andesitic
composite
VEI 4

Question 6

E15 magma type / volcano type + VEI

Answer 6

basaltic
shield
VEI 3

Question 7

Ejecta from each volcano

Answer 7

Nyiragongo- lava flows, ash, sulphur dioxide
Merapi- ash, lahars, pyroclastic flows, sulfur dioxide
E15- tephra / ash

Question 8

Nyiragongo social impacts

Answer 8

250 deaths (mostly from CO)
400,000 people evacuated
Drinking water shortages
15% of Goma was covered by lava, with one-third of the city being destroyed
80% of airstrips covered in lava
Looting broke out.
Overcrowding and poor hygiene conditions led to the spread of cholera in refugee camps

Question 9

Merapi social impacts

Answer 9

353 deaths
200,000 homeless
Over 350 000 people evacuated from 20km radius
Disrupted air travel across Java
Roads were blocked by avalanches
Evacuation centres became overcrowded

Question 10

E15 social impacts

Answer 10

NO DEATHS
Ash blocking the sun
Homes and roads damaged
Crops destroyed by ash
Fresh food imports stopped
Sporting events cancelled or delayed
March event - evacuation of 500 local people

Question 11

Nyiragongo economic impacts

Answer 11

Businesses and shops were destroyed.

Question 12

Merapi economic impacts

Answer 12

£450m loss (mainly due to impact on farming, tourism and manufacturing)
Volcanic tourism = jobs? potential positive
destruction of property and infrastructure
2500 flights cancelled
food prices increased
International tourism fell by 70%

Question 13

E15 economic impacts

Answer 13

No fly-zone imposed on Europe - airlines lost £130 million per day
Kenya’s exports badly affected especially flower trade

Question 14

Nyiragongo environmental impacts

Answer 14

Lava flows destroyed crops, and many livestock were killed
Acid rain damaged farmland
sulphur dioxide emissions

Question 15

Merapi environmental impacts

Answer 15

over 200 hectares of forest damaged
pyroclastic flows
poor air and water quality
acid rain from SO2 damaged ecosystems + contaminated water supplies
Lahars from rainfall + mud/ash

Question 16

E15 environmental impacts

Answer 16

Local water supplies contaminated by fluoride
Flooding caused as glacier melted
No flights - prevention of 2.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into atmosphere

Question 16

Nyiragongo short term response

Answer 16

400,000 people were evacuated
damage to Goma’s airport disrupted the arrival of international aid.
UN sent 260 tonnes of food
Governments gave $35 million
Emergency measles vaccinations due to lack of sanitation

Question 16

Nyiragongo long term response

Answer 16

Evacuation routes have been mapped
Communities and schools now have evacuation drills

Question 17

Merapi short term response

Answer 17

evacuation (estimated to have saved 10,000-20,000 people by extending from 15km to 20km)
210 evacuation centres
Red Cross international aid

Question 18

Merapi long term response

Answer 18

hazard mapping and land use zoning (identifying areas most at risk, limiting activities that can take place there)
The government has set up a special task force to support people that have been affected by the volcano either by family issues, or because they have lost their jobs.

Question 19

E15 short term response

Answer 19

500-700 local people in the area around the volcano were evacuated
European Red Cross Societies mobilised to help people affected (provided food for the local farmers, and counselling)
diverted lava flow

Question 20

E15 long term response

Answer 20

Nine Functional Airspace Blocks (FABs) will replace the existing 27 areas. This means following a volcanic eruption in the future, areas of air space may be closed, reducing the risk of closing all European air space

Question 21

Nyiragongo prediction

Answer 21

The large lava lake in Mount Nyiragongo is visible from above, so its levels can be carefully monitored to see if an eruption is impending.
The Observatoire Volcanologique de Goma, constantly monitors the volcano

Question 22

Merapi prediction

Answer 22

magnetic measurements and tilt measurements
monitored using seismometers since 1942
changes in earthquakes and gas emissions detected = evacuation zone

Question 23

E15 prediction

Answer 23

public education
constantly monitored by seismometers
didn’t know impact of ash on aircrafts, so all European airspace closed -> needed better coordination