Practical work 3

The volcanoes
Students:
Pamela Fernández (delegate)
Priscila Galota (sub-delegate)
Yanina Romero
Malena López
Professor: Sergio Daniel Amato
Course: 2ndB
Shift: Afternoon

Degree: Teaching in Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Physics (common core)

ISFDyT24
 Practical Work 3

2. List three factors that determine the nature of a volcanic eruption. What
What role does each one play?

There are a number of factors that determine how explosive a volcanic eruption can be.
volcanic, among these factors are:

1. Composition of magma.

2. Temperature of the magma.

3. Gases dissolved in the magma.

4. Viscosity of magma (resistance of a flow to move).

These factors influence, to varying degrees, the mobility or viscosity of the magma.

3. Why is a volcano fed by very viscous magma likely more dangerous?

What if a volcano is supplied with very fluid magma?

For an eruption to be
Volcano of explosive character (like
the case of Chaitén the year
Chaitén 2008), the composition of
magma that can be detpo
"riolítca" (alto contenido de
Silica), which causes to its
twice a higher viscosity
mayor resistance a
move) that leads to a
large accumulation of gases
chemically actvos
(to shout), everyone these
factors generate a specific pressure that is explosively released in an eruption
volcanic, on the contrary an effusive eruption (which is not explosive) occurs
due to the composition of the magma not being rich in Silica (basaltic composition) so
it is less viscous and tends to flow more easily, which causes the gases to escape with
greater ease, example of these
eruptions are those that occur in
Hawaii, where the lava flows are seen
with ease (Kilauea volcano).

In the case of most volcanoes

from Chile and the volcanoes of the mountain range
from the Andes, its magmatic composition
it is intermediate and is called detpo
Andesite

1
 Practical Work 3

5. List the main gases released during a volcanic eruption. Why the gases
Are they important in eruptions?

The main gases are: 1) Water vapor (70%), 2) Carbon dioxide (15%). 3) Carbon dioxide
sulfur (5%). 4) Chlorine, Hydrogen and Argon (smaller amounts).

Gases tend to increase the fluidity of magma, they also provide sufficient force.
to propel the molten rock from a volcanic chimney.

6. How do volcanic bombs differ from pyroclastic debris blocks?

The pyroclastic material is called blocks when it is formed by solidified lava and
bombs when expelled like incandescent lava.

8. Compare a volcanic crater with a caldera.

Craters are structural features of volcanoes that were built up.

slowly as the expelled fragments accumulated around the
chimney forming a donut-shaped structure. After the volcanic activity, the
lava at the top of a volcano weakens the structure of the rock under high pressure and the
dogs to form a crater described as a depression on top with openings
for active volcanic activities such as lava flow and volcanic ash eruption.
active openings for volcanic activities make the difference between a volcanic crater and
a caldera, as some craters occasionally show signs of activities below
of smoke or vapor. The volcanic craters are smaller in size and quite circular and
volcanologists describe the walls of the craters as made of pyroclastic material and
lava deposits, furthermore, craters can also form within calderas. The
boilers, on the other hand, are large sinkhole structures that may or may not form in
association with a volcano. They are formed during volcanic activity when a large eruption
The magma or lava flow leaves a huge underground void. Volcanic materials (rocks
volcanic and volcanic tuff) on top of this
chambers collapse inside leaving a great
depression in the upper part. The Boilers
they can be circular or take any
form due to the magnitude and nature
violent volcanic activity that
form. In some cases, they begin as
craters, but they deepen and expand
with elevated volcanic activity that
widen the chambers. Some boilers are
form as a result of large and sudden
volcanic explosions, a phenomenon that
explain its irregular forms. In both
cases, the unsupported ceiling over the chamber
empty collapses to fill the space left
back. Some are also formed at the end of
the eruption when the magma chamber
empty fills below.

9. Compare and contrast the main types of volcanoes (size, composition, shape and
eruption style).

2
 Practical Work 3

Volcanoes Size Composition Form Style

Most shield volcanoes
they have grown from the ground
deep oceanic and form islands or
submarine mountains. Mauna Loa is
about 200 times greater than the one that
form a large compound cone
like Mount Rainier. No
Shape of a structure Activity in
however, the majority of shields
slightly arched ripe is m
it has a more modest size. For in the shape of a dome pi eruptions
example, the classic Icelandic shield, They are produced
expand that remembers the frequent. A
the Skjalbreidur reaches a height for the
shape of a shield of a viscosity of
approximately only about 600 accumulation
Shield warrior. This provokes a lot
meters and its base has 10 of washes
volcanism is powerful. This
kilometers in diameter. The basilicas
generally from they tend to increase
young shields emit very lava fluid
intraplaca and constitutes from the slope and
fluid from a chimney in the
center of the summit and they have slopes
generally chains top, that to me
of islands with groups of
with gentle slopes that oscillate
between 1 and 5 degrees The shields
mature individuals have more responsibilities
slanted in the sections
centrals (about 10 degrees), while
that their peaks and their flanks are
comparatively flat.
Cones of Although they are relatively They are They have a shape Normally
ashes symmetric, many cones of built very characteristic ashes are f
ashes are elongated and taller with simple, conditioned eruption episode
on the side they were descending fragments of by the angle of repose it lasts only one
the materials during the lava of pyroclastic material on rare occasions
eruptions. The ash cones projected loose. Given that the few years. U
they are small, usually between those who adopt the ashes have a great event
30 and 300 meters and rarely exceed the appearance of angle of repose from the tube that
the 700 meters of height ashes or steeper angle chimney to the
slags in which the material magmatic becomes
when remains stable), the volcano doesn't fly
they start to ash cones jam eruption
to solidify young people have
during his steep slopes,
flight are with slopes of between 30
formed and 40 degrees. Furthermore,
mainly the ash cones
and by lapilli they exhibit large craters
of the size of and deep in relation
a pea to with the total size of the
a walnut structure.

3
 Practical Work 3

The most volcanoes

picturesque, although
potentially
dangerous of the Earth.
They owe their shape to the
fluid basaltic lavas.
A conical shape, with
an area of the top
sloped and more flanks
gradually
inclined, it is typical of
many cones
composed
large compounds.
for wash and
This classic profile, which
deposits
adorn calendars and
pyroclastic
postcards, it is partly
The cones
consequence of how
compounds
they reflect the the viscous lavas and the
pyroclastic emissions
nature of
contribute to
material that
growth of the cone.
they expel. the cones eat
The thick fragments
The classic composite cone is a cones generate eruption
expelled from the
great structure. The growth of compounds that expel
summit crater tend
a 'typical' composite cone are the result of amounts of
Cones to accumulate near your
starts with the issuance of material rich magma pyroclastic.
compounds or origin. Due to its great
pyroclastic and lava from the chimney in gas with The eruption
stratovolcano angle of repose, the
central. According to the structure a they expel mat
s thick materials
Madura, the lavas tend to flow from composition from the crater of
contribute to the
the fissures that develop in the andesitic. sometimes can
steep inclines
lower flanks of the cone. (The cones from the top. On the other
synchronize me
compounds activities.
side, the emissions more
also
fines are deposited as
they can issue
a thin layer of
quantities
on an area
various of
extensive, which is useful
material with
to clear the flank of
one
cone. In addition, during
composition
the early stages of
basilica or
growth, the lavas
riolitic.)
tend to be more
abundant and to flow to
longest distances of
the chimney that the
posterior lavas. a
complex history.

4
 Practical Work 3

10. Cite un volcán importante de cada uno de los trestpos.

Shield volcano

Kilauea, Hawaii: eruption of a shield volcano. Kilauea is the most active shield volcano.
studied in more detail in the world, is found on the island of Hawaii, on the side of
Mauna Loa. More than 50 eruptions have been observed since the recording began.
eruptions in 1823. Some months before an eruptive phase, Kilauea inflates as the
magma gradually rises and accumulates in the central chamber located a few
kilometers below the summit. For about 24 hours before an eruption, multitude of
small earthquakes warn of imminent activity. Most of the activity of
Kilauea over the last 50 years occurred along the slopes of the volcano in an area
called the eastern rift zone. Here, a fissure eruption in 1960 submerged the population.
Kapoho coastline, located about 30 kilometers from the origin. The longest fissure eruption and
The largest recorded eruption at Kilauea began in 1983 and continues to this day, showing no signs of decreasing.
The first discharge began along a 6-kilometer long fissure in which
it formed a 'fire curtain' 100 meters high as the lava was expelled upwards
sky. When the activity was located, a cone of ash and splashes was formed to which it was given the
Hawaiian name Puu Oo. During the next three years, the general eruptive pattern
consist of short periods (from hours to days) in which sources of lava rich in were expelled
gas towards the sky. Behind each event, there was about a month of inactivity.
The summer of 1986 saw the opening of a new chimney 3 kilometers inland from the fissure. Here,
the sheeted lava with a smooth surface formed a lava lake. On some occasions, the lake
overflows, but more frequently the lava escaped through the tunnels to feed the
lava flows that descended down the southeastern flank of the volcano towards the sea. These
collapses destroyed almost one
hundred rural houses
they covered a main road
and ended up leading to the
Mar. The lava has been
intermittently translating
in the ocean from that moment,
adding new surface to the
Hawaii Island. Located just 32
kilometers of the southern coast
of Kilauea, an underwater volcano,
Loihi is also active. Without
embargo, must cover another 930
meters before breaking the
surface of the Pacific Ocean.

Ash cones

Paricutin: life of a garden variety ash cone One of the few volcanoes that the
geologists have studied from its beginning to its end is the ash cone called
Paricutín, located about 320 kilometers west of Mexico City. In 1943, it began its
eruptive phase in a cornfield owned by Dionisio Pulido, who witnessed the
event while preparing the field for cultivation. During two weeks before the

5
 Practical Work 3

first eruption, numerous tremors terrified the nearby town of Paricutin.

Subsequently, on February 20, sulfur gases began to emerge from a small
a depression that had been in the cornfield for as long as people could remember.
At night, fragments of incandescent and hot rock are thrown into the air from the hole
They produced a spectacular fireworks display. The explosive blasts
they continued, occasionally throwing hot fragments and ashes to a height of up to
6,000 meters above the crater rim. The larger fragments fell near the crater,
some remained incandescent while rolling down the slope. These
they built a cone of aesthetically pleasing asphalt, while the finer ash
It fell over a much larger area, burning and finally covering the town of Paricutín.
On the first day, the cone grew to 40 meters and by the fifth day it reached 100 meters.
height. During the first year, more than 90 percent of the total material had been downloaded.
projected. The first lava flow came from a fissure that opened just north of
cone, but after a few months, flows started to emerge from the same base of the
cone. In June 1944, a slag flow with a thickness of 10 meters covered a large area.
part of the town of San Juan Parangaricutiro, leaving only the tower in sight.
church. After nine years of intermittent pyroclastic explosions and a discharge almost
it continued with lava from the base chimneys, the activity ceased almost as quickly as
had started. Currently, the Paricutín is no more than another of the numerous cones of
inactive ashes that sprinkle the landscape of this region of Mexico. Like the others,

it probably will not erupt again.

Composite cones

delVesubio79 A.D. In addition to producing some of the most violent volcanic activity,
composite cones can erupt unexpectedly. One of the events
of the best-documented eruptions was the eruption, in the year 79 A.D., of the Italian volcano that
Now we call it Vesuvius. Before this eruption, Vesuvius had been dormant for
centuries and there were vineyards adorning their verandas. However, on August 24, the tranquility
it ended and, in less than 24 hours, the city of Pompeii (near Naples) and more than 2,000 of

6
 Practical Work 3

about 20,000 inhabitants disappeared. Some were buried under a layer of

pumice stone nearly 3 meters thick, while others were buried under a layer of
solidified ashes. They remained this way for almost seventeen centuries, until they were excavated
partially the city, giving archaeologists a magnificently detailed picture of the
life in ancient Rome. Reconciling historical records with scientific studies.
detailed of the region, volcanologists have reconstructed the chronology of the destruction of
Pompeii. It is very likely that the eruption began with steam bursts on the morning of
August 24. In the early hours of the afternoon, the fine ashes and pumice fragments
They formed a high eruptive cloud that emanated from Vesuvius. Shortly after, the debris from
this cloud began to fall over Pompeii, located 9 kilometers downwind of the volcano.
Undoubtedly, many people fled during this first phase of the eruption. During the
In the following hours, fragments of pumice up to 5 centimeters fell on Pompeii. According to
a historical record of this eruption, the people who lived farther away from Pompeii
they put pillows on their heads to dodge the flying fragments. The fall of pumita
continued for several hours, accumulating at a speed of 12 to 15 centimeters per
time. Most of the roofs in Pompeii ended up giving in. Despite the accumulation of more
2 meters long pumita, it is likely that many of the people who had not gone out of
Pompeii was still alive on the morning of August 25. Then, suddenly and out of nowhere.
In an unexpected way, a wave of burning dust and gas quickly descended down the slopes.
from Vesuvius. It is estimated that this wave killed 2,000 people who had somehow
managed to survive the fall of pumita. The debris that was flying could have killed
some people, but most died from asphyxiation as a result of inhalation of
gases loaded with ashes. Their remains were quickly buried by the falling ash,
that the rain cemented into a hard mass before their bodies had time to
decompose. The subsequent decomposition of the bodies produced cavities in the ash.
solidified that reproduced exactly the shape of the buried bodies, preserving
even facial expressions in some cases. The excavators of the 19th century found
they made cavities and created molds of the corpses by pouring plaster into the hollows. Some
The plaster molds show victims trying to cover their mouths in an effort
for taking what would be their last breath. Currently, volcanologists think that several
destructive hot gas and suffocating ash-laden clouds invaded the fields of
the surroundings of Vesuvius. The excavated skeletons from the nearby population of Herculaneum
indicate that most of its inhabitants probably died as a result of these flows.
In addition, it is likely that many of those who fled Pompeii encountered a fate.
similar. It is estimated that 16,000 people may have died in this event.
tragic and unexpected.

7
 Practical Work 3

19. Describa cada una de las cuatro estructuras intrusivas discutdas en el texto (diques, sills,
laccoliths and batholiths.

Dykes are tabular and discordant igneous bodies produced when the magma is
injected through fractures that cut across the strata. The concordant tabular bodies,
called sills, are formed when magma is injected along surfaces of
stratification of sedimentary rocks. In many ways, sills are very similar to
buried lava flows. Laccoliths are similar to sills, but they form from
less fluid magma that accumulates forming dome structures that arch the layers
situated above. The batholiths, the larger intrusive igneous bodies with surfaces of
outcroppings of more than 100 square kilometers often constitute the cores of
the mountain ranges.

21. What is the largest of all intrusive igneous bodies? Is it tabular or massive?
Concordant or discordant?

Batholiths are the largest intrusive bodies that have at least 100 km2 of area.
surface and many reach larger dimensions. They are generally discordant and massive and the
most are formed from multiple intrusions, that is, they occur due to intrusions
bulky and repeated magma in the same area. The trunks, on the other hand, have the
same general characteristics of batholiths, but they are smaller.

22. Describe how batholiths are located.

An interesting problem that geologists faced was trying to explain how the
large granitic batholiths came to reside within sedimentary rocks and
metamorphic rocks only moderately deformed.

We know that magma rises because it is less dense than the surrounding rock.
in a very similar way to how a cork is placed at the bottom of a container with water
it will rise when it is released. But the Earth's crust is made up of solid rock. Not
however, at depths of several kilometers, where the temperature and pressure are
at high elevations, even solid rock deforms by flowing. Therefore, at great depths, a
An ascending floating magma chamber can open space by forcefully pushing apart the rock.
superjacent. As the magma continues to rise, part of the host rock that was
pushed to the sides will fill the space that the magma body is leaving as
As a magma body approaches the surface, it encounters rocks.
relatively cold and brittle
that resist deformation. The
underlying upward movement
it is carried out by a process
called stopping.
In this process, the fractures that
they develop in the host rock
subjacent allow that the
magma rises and evacuates the
rock blocks. Once
incorporated into the body
magma, these blocks can

8
 Practical Work 3

to merge, thereby altering the composition of the magmatic body, which will end up
cooling enough for the upward movement to cease. The tests that
The fact that magma can pass through solid rock is supported by inclusions.
called xenoliths (xenos strange; lithos stone). These unmelted remnants of the rock
Box is found in the igneous masses exhumed by erosion.

23. What type of rock is associated with volcanism at divergent plate boundaries? What
What makes the rocks melt in these regions?

The volcanic eruptions that occur at divergent boundaries when the continents
they separate are known as continental rift. At divergent boundaries, the mantle rocks
hot rise into space where the plates separate, as the mantle rock
As it heats up, the pressure decreases. This is because there are no rocks causing the pressure.
when the decrease in pressure lowers the melting point of the rock, it causes volcanism in the
divergent boundaries. Lava erupts through quiet or cracks in the ground. The
volcanoes erupt at mid-ocean ridges and seafloor spreading creates a
new seabed is the tectonic trenches.

27. Describe the situation that generates magmas along convergent plate boundaries.

Let's remember that, at convergent plate boundaries, the plate with oceanic crust bends at
as it descends into the mantle, generating an oceanic trench. As a plate
Dogs more in the mantle, the increase in temperature and pressure expels the volatiles.
(mainly H2O) from the oceanic crust. These mobile fluids migrate upwards towards the
wedge-shaped mantle piece located between the subducting plate and the plate
subducting. Once the sinking plate reaches an approximate depth of 100 to
150 kilometers, these water-rich fluids lower the melting point of the mantle rock.
hot enough to cause some melting. The partial melting of the mantle rock
(mainly peridotites) generates magma with a basaltic composition. After
having accumulated a sufficient amount of magma, it migrates slowly upward.

9
 Practical Work 3

Volcanism at a convergent plate boundary results in the development of a

linear or slightly curved chain of volcanoes called volcanic arc. These chains
volcanic formations develop more or less parallel to the associated trench, at distances of 200 to 300
kilometers. Volcanic arcs can be built in the oceanic or continental lithosphere. The
that develop within the ocean and grow enough for their tips to
eleven above the surface are referred to as island archipelagos in most atlases.

The mechanisms that generate these magmas derived from the mantle are essentially the same.
that act in the island arcs. The main difference is that the continental crust is
much thicker and is composed of rocks with a higher silica content than the
oceanic crust. Therefore, through the assimilation of silica-rich rocks from the crust,
More the long magmatic differentiation, a magma derived from the mantle can experience
a great evolution as it ascends through the continental crust. In other
words, the primary magmas generated in the mantle can change from being a magma
comparatively dry basaltic fluid to being a viscous andesitic or rhyolitic magma with a
high concentration of volatiles as it rises through the continental crust.
volcanic chain of the Andes, which is located along the western surface of
South America is perhaps the best example of a continental volcanic arc.

29. What is meant by hotspot volcanism?

Hot spots are areas of high volcanic activity that have areas of ascent.
“hot magmatic plumes,” coming from the base of the mantle. What differentiates the
volcanism of the subduction zones or the ocean ridges of volcanism of the
hot spots are that hot spots are not necessarily associated with the areas
boundaries of tectonic plates. When hot spots remain active for
millions of years, and they are in a fixed position relative to the mantle, they can
to produce on the ocean surface a series of volcanoes that are running out (extinct), at the same time
that the lithospheric plate moves and takes it away from the hot spot. This forms chains of
volcanoes in which only the one that is currently over the plume is active
magma in ascent. Hotspots can give rise to archipelagos of islands
volcanic, like the archipelago of the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean. There are also
hot spots below some continents. If these are very intense, that is, they possess
a large amount of hot materials in the magma plumes can penetrate
the continent and give rise to volcanic phenomena on the surface.

Hotspots can cause the fragmentation of a continent and create rifts, which
they can transform into ocean ridges over time.

10
 Practical Work 3

(Scheme of internal processes associated with different cases (normal, dorsal, hotspot,
island arch

31. What component released by a volcanic eruption is believed to have an effect on

short term about the climate? What component can have a long-term effect? (see
Box 5.3.

The pyroclastic material released by volcanic eruptions has a short-term effect.

about the climate because the size of these expelled fragments ranges from very fine dust
fine and volcanic ash of sand size (less than 2 millimeters in diameter) and pieces that
more than a ton, these produce a cooling around the area of the
eruption because they prevent sunlight from reaching the surface, although they tend to fall
quickly. However, the smallest dust particles do reach the stratosphere.
They can last for months in the air and disperse over greater distances, causing a cooling effect.
in large areas. On the other hand, SO2, which in addition to being the most important compound
emitted by volcanic eruptions, it is the quetene that has the greatest potential to modify the
climate through the increase of albedo (the ability of a surface to reflect radiation)
directly, without being absorbed and therefore prevents it from heating up), during the
eruptions mix with water vapor in the stratosphere forming sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and
it becomes a kind of veil in the stratosphere, causing a decrease in the
temperature. Once sulfuric acid enters the stratosphere, it begins to divert the
solar rays (radiation) back into space, generating cooling effects on the surface
for two or three years, unlike ash or dust, whose effect lasts for a few weeks
or months.

11