VOLCANO
A volcano is a mountain that forms when magma reaches the surface of the Earth.
Volcanoes were named after the Roman god of fire, Vulcan.
Volcanoes in Negros: Mt. Silay, Mt. Mandalagan, Mt. Kanlaon, and Mt. Talinis
Pacific Ring of Fire - Is a string/chain of volcanoes and sites of seismic activity or
earthquakes, around the edges of the Pacific Ocean
How does a volcano form?
Volcano formation is linked with the functioning of tectonic plates.
Features of a Volcano
Summit - Highest point of a volcano; apex
Crater - the top of the volcano. It is a funnel shaped pit. It is formed when the material
explodes out of the vent!
Caldera - is formed when a part of the wall collapses following an explosive eruption.
Vent - the opening of a volcano from which lava flows and where dust, ash, and rock
particles are ejected
Side Vent -vent on the side of a volcano for escaping steam, gas, and lava
Conduit - path from magma chamber to crater, also known as central vent
Magma Chamber - a place in the mantle (under the earth’s crust) that stores magma
Cone - triangle-shaped hill formed as material from volcanic eruptions piles up around
the volcanic vent
Flank - the side of a volcano
Slope - Degree of slant, Inclination
Throat – is the entrance of a volcano
Dike – igneous bodies produced when magma is injected into fractures that cut across
rock layers
Sill – igneous bodies formed when magma is injected along sedimentary bedding surfaces
VOLCANIC MATERIALS
1. Pyroclastic Material: Pertaining to fragmented (clastic) rock material formed by a
volcanic explosion
ASH
-tiny powder like, fragments
-smaller than 2 mm in size
LAPILLI - 2 to 64 mm in size
BLOCK - greater than 64 mm in diameter
BOMB - greater than 64 mm in diameter
2. LAVA
- molten rock that flows at the earth surface
Types of Lava
Aa - rough, jagged surface
- higher viscosity
- Lower temperature
Pahoehoe – smooth, ropy surface
- lower viscosity
- higher temperature
3. Gases – driving force of volcanic eruption
Ex. Water Vapor – most abundant
Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) – responsible for the rotten egg smell near
volcanoes and hot spring
CLASSIFICATION OF VOLCANO
A. Shape of volcanic cone
1. Shield Volcano
Materials Erupted: mainly liquid lava, so the volcano is made of layers of hardened
lava.
Non-explosive eruptions
Example: the volcanoes of Hawaii
2. Cinder Cone Volcano
A cinder cone volcano is a relatively small, volcano with steep sides. It is where
rock and ash shoot up into the air and fall back around the opening.
Materials Erupted: small pieces of hardened lava (rock fragments) - called cinders
Moderately explosive
Example: Paricutin (Mexico)
3. A composite volcano is a huge mountain-like volcano.
Materials Erupted: sometimes lava, sometimes rock fragments.
May have very explosive eruptions
Example: Mount St. Helens
B. Record of Eruption
1. ACTIVE - A volcano that has erupted in the recent past and is expected to erupt
again.
- have a record of eruption within the last 600 years or those that erupted 10, 000
years ago
2. INACTIVE - A volcano that is not expected to erupt again
- have not erupted for the last 10,000 years
3. Potentially Active – one that has erupted within the last 10 000 years but lacks
historical or scientific records of recent activity.
TYPES OF VOLCANIC ERUPTION
Phreatic or hydrothermal
– is a steam driven eruption
– It is short lived, characterized by ash columns but may be an onset or a larger
eruption
– no fresh magma reaches the surface
- blast of fragments of preexisting rocks
Phreatomagmatic
- is a violent eruption due to the contact between water and magma
- steam and pyroclastic fragments
- a large column of very fine ash and high-speed and sideways emission of
pyroclastic called base surges are observed.
Strombolian
- a periodic weak to violent eruption characterized by fountain lava
- it is consisting of ejection of incandescent cinders, lapilli, and lava bombs, to
altitude of tens to a few hundreds of meters.
Vulcanian
– it is characterized by tall eruption columns that reach up to 20km high with
pyroclastic flow and ash fall tephra
– short, violent, relatively small explosion of viscous magma
– results from the fragmentation and explosion of a plug of lava in a volcanic
conduit or the rupture of the lava dome
Plinian or Vesuvian
– excessively explosive type of eruption of gas and pyroclastic
- It produces a sustained convicting plumes of pyroclasts and the gas is rising more
than 25km above sea level.
Factors Affecting the Volcanoes’ Eruptive Style
Viscosity – the property of the material’s resistance to flow
- It is also described as the liquid’s thickness and stickiness
1. Magma’s temperature
The viscosity of magma decreases with temperature.
The higher the temperature of magma is, the lower its viscosity.
As lava flows, it cools and begins to harden, its ability to flow decreases and
eventually stops
2. The amount of dissolved gases it contains
Magmas with high gas content are less viscous than those with low gas content.
Gas dissolved in magma tends to increase its ability to flow. Therefore, in near-
surface environments, the loss of gases makes magma more viscous, forming a
dome or a coulmnar
3. Silica Content
Magmas with high silica content are more viscous than those with low silica content.
Due to the presence of extensive networks of silica tetrahedra that form as magma
cools
The longer the chains of silica tetrahedra, the more they tend to bind together,
increasing resistance to flow
Summary:
When magma reaches the surface, it depends on how easily it flows (viscosity)
and the amount of gas (H2O, CO2, S) it has in it as to how it erupts.
Large amounts of gas and a high viscosity (sticky) magma will form an explosive
eruption!
Small amounts of gas and (or) low viscosity (runny) magma will form an effusive
eruption
APPEARANCE → ERUPTIONS
Steep slopes (Strato volcano) → explosive (violent)
Gentle slopes (Shield volcano)→ non-explosive (quiet)
MAGMA VISCOSITY → ERUPTIONS
Viscous (thick) magma → explosive (violent - Strato)
Fluid (thin) magma → non-explosive (quiet - Shield)
Hazards of Volcanic Eruption
1. Pyroclastic flow
- are fast moving currents of hot gases and rock traveling downhill from a volcano
- gases can reach temperature of more than 1000℃ and can move up to a speed
of 700 km/h
- includes pumice flow, ash flow, block and ash flow
2. Lahar -includes pumice flow, ash flow, block and ash flow
- Hot volcanic activity can melt snow and ice
- Melt water picks up rock and debris
- Forms fast flowing, high energy torrents
- Destroys all in its path
3. Pyroclastic Fall
Ash load
Collapses roofs
Brings down power lines
Kills plants
Contaminates water supplies
Respiratory hazard for humans and animals
Tephra Fall
• refers to fragmented material that consists of pumice, scoria, lithic materials or
crystals or combination of four
4. Lava Flow
5. Noxious Gases
6. Earthquakes