Volcanoes Case Studies

Question 1

Which case study is for LEDCs volcanic eruption

Answer 1

Soufriére hills, Montserrat 1995-97

Question 2

Which case study is for an MEDC volcanic eruption

Answer 2

Iceland eyjallajokull march 2010

Question 3

What plate boundary was Montserrat on

Answer 3

Destructive , magma is remelted material,high viscosity, very explosive

Question 4

Where is Montserrat located

Answer 4

Part of an island arc in Caribbean

Located on soufriere hills on volcanic area called chances peak, southern part of island

Question 5

What had montserrats activity been like before July 1995

Answer 5

Been dormant for 300 years

The most violent and intense eruptions occurred in 1997

Question 6

Primary impacts of Montserrat 1995-97 volcanic eruption

Answer 6

Ash and steam , earthquakes (1995)
Huge ash cloud, dome growth, small pyroclastic flow (1996)
Small explosions, ballistic projections(1997)
Farmland, forest destroyed, livestock killed
Airport/docking facilities destroyed

Question 7

What happened during montserrats climax in eruption

Answer 7

Large explosion

Extensive pyroclastic flow 4/5million m3 material

Question 8

How many died in Montserrat 1995-97 eruption

Answer 8

19, they chose to stay on farms as not educated in eruptions as not experienced it, despite being warned

Question 9

How many villages and homes destroyed

What about Plymouth?

Answer 9

7 villages destroyed
175 homes destroyed
Island capital Plymouth buried in 10m of ash and mud
80% buildings in Plymouth damaged/destroyed

Question 10

Secondary effects of Montserrat 1995-97 eruption

Answer 10

Tourism - closed airport, ongoing threats on eruptions tourist industry stopped
Loss of tourist income, destruction farmland, loss of services -collapse of economy
Unemployment 7%–> 50%
Mass migration 7000- skill shortage

Question 11

Short term responses to Montserrat eruption

Answer 11

People evacuated to safe north, exclusion in south
Temporary infrastructure built
U.K. -17million emergency aid
Local emergency services- look for survivors

Question 12

Long term responses to Montserrat 1995-97 eruption

Answer 12

• Shelters built
• Risk map created- south off limits as volcano intermittently active
• U.K. - 41 million long term aid to develop north island - new docks,airport,houses built
• Montserrat volcano observatory set up - predict eruptions

Question 13

Who helped with evacuation of Montserrat eruption

Answer 13

Royal Navy helped evacuate people to near island Antigua or resettlement to uk

Question 14

How much were those affected by Montserrat eruption given to leave

Answer 14

£2500 per adult

Islanders didn’t think it was enough to compensate

Question 15

What happened about montserrats capital

Answer 15

Moved from Plymouth to Salem

Question 16

Who is Montserrat volcano observatory run by

Answer 16

British geological society set up to monitor soufriere hills activity

Question 17

MEDC volcanic eruption case study

Answer 17

Eyjafjallajokull, Iceland March 2010

Question 18

Why was there more Magma than on a normal constructive margin in Iceland

Answer 18

Iceland is located on a hotspot

Question 19

What lava characteristics did Icelands eruption have

Answer 19

Basaltic, viscous so was slow flowing

Question 20

Local impacts of Icelands eruption

Answer 20

Thick layer of ash - difficult to continue farming or grazing livestock
River levels rose - ice caps melt
Local gravel roads blocked by ash

Question 21

Responses to Icelands eruption

Answer 21

500 farmers evacuated overnight
Roads closed- fear of flash floods
Flights stopped in nw European airspace, sporadic distrubtion to flight
Six day shutdown cost 1.2bn
Royal Navy war ship collected soldiers and stranded holiday makers from Santander port

Question 22

What type of boundary was the Iceland eruption on

What plates

Answer 22

Constructive boundary on a hotspot so more magma than usual
Eurasian and North America plate
Located on a spreading ridge

Question 23

Vulnerability of Icelands eruption

Answer 23

Dispersed population so not as vulnerable

Lots of warning signs of eruption- 3,000 recorded earthquakes before

Question 24

Prediction for Icelands 2010 eruption

Answer 24

Iceland meteorological office - monitors earth movements - measured hight of ash plume (distribution of ash)
24/7 watch by meteorologists, seismologists
Communication with nation - Internet,tv.radio .
Tracked by satellite in many countries

Question 25

Environmental impact of Iceland eruption

Answer 25

Thick layer of ash fell so difficult for livestock grazing, farming
River levels rose - ice cap melting
Gravel roads blocked by ash
Ash destruptive to air travel - volcano under jet stream

Question 26

Preparation for Iceland 2010 eruption

Answer 26

Eu trading block combined GDP of $24400- financial capacity to cope
Eu Variety of transport mechanisms -distribution of food
Cap eu largely self sufficient in food production
Insurance - eu well prepared, stuck travellers -compensation airlines

Question 27

Prevention for Icelands 2010 eruption

-actions to prevent secondary effects

Answer 27

Broke road to prevent bridge breaking as road repairable bridge needed for aid - main road
Respiratory illnesses - masks prevent
500 farmers prevented loss of life, livestock not drink from streams - fluoride
107000 flights cancelled - safer, prevents loss of life

Question 28

Prediction of montserrats 1995-97 eruption

Answer 28

Montserrat volcanic observatory - British government monitor volcano- seismometer, tilt meter . British geological society run
Regular monitoring of environment - test for gases , water acidity hazard maps created shared with population via radio updates

Question 29

Preparation of Montserrat eruption 1995-97

Answer 29

Hazard maps drawn highlight danger and safe zones
Evacuation imposed - size of volcanic dome, puroclastic activity
Plymouth abandoned and moved to north
Not all insured

Question 30

Prevention of Montserrat 1995-97 eruption

Answer 30

Inhabitants evacuated to north and some overseas by British navy to uk and Antigua
Intervention of foreign aid reduced secondary effects
U.K. Obliged to offer aid and assistance
Compensation and redevelopment money donated by uk government
£2400 given to each adult wanting to leave