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Volcanoes

A Volcano is… • An opening in Earth’s crust through

which molten rock, gases, and ash erupt.

• Also, the landform that develops around this opening.

Kinds of Eruptions

• Geologists classify volcanic eruptions as quiet or explosive.

• How a volcano erupts depends on the magma.

• A quiet eruption moves slowly because it is low in silica and flows very easily.

• An explosive eruption has magma that is high in silica and does not flow easily. Magma builds up until it explodes out of the vent.

Magma Vs. Lava

• Magma – molten rock, and solids found

beneath the surface of Earth

• Lava – molten rock expelled by a volcano

during an eruption, found on the surface of

Earth.

Silica Content

Melting Temp.

Gas Content

Viscosity

Type of

Eruption

Location

Least (~50%)

Basaltic

Magma

Least

Least viscous

Rarely

explosive

Highest

Rifts, oceanic

hot spots

AndesiticMagma

Intermediate (~60%)

Intermediate

Intermediate

Sometimes explosive

Intermediate

Subduction

boundaries

Rhyolitic

Magma

Most (~70%)

Most

Most viscous

Usually

explosive

Lowest

Continental

hot spots

Magma and Erupted Materials

Stages of Volcanic Activity

• Geologists often use the term active, dormant, or, extinct to describe a volcano’s stage of activity.

• Active volcanoes are erupting or showing signs that it will erupt soon.

• Dormant volcanoes are no longer erupting, but can again in the future.

• Extinct volcanoes are not likely to erupt any longer.

Volcano Terms

• Ash – Fine particles of pulverized rock blown from an

explosion vent.

• Vent - The opening at the earth's surface through

which volcanic materials issue forth.

• Magma chamber - The cavity containing the gas-rich

liquid magma which feeds a volcano.

Volcano Terms • Crater- A steep-sided, usually circular

depression formed by either explosion or

collapse at a volcanic vent.

• Throat-Entrance of a volcano. The part of the

conduit that ejects lava and volcanic ash.

• Conduit (pipe)-A passage followed by magma

in a volcano.

• Caldera -a large, circular depression that

forms when the magma chamber below

a volcano partially empties and causes the

ground above to sink

Volcano Terms

• Base -the lowest part, bottom, or supporting

layer of the volcano.

• Sill - intrusive igneous rock, parallel to the

layering of the rocks into which it intrudes.

• Dike - intrusive body of magma that pushes its

way across layers of sediments.

When a Volcano erupts

• the force of the expanding gases pushes magma from the magma chamber through the pipe until it flows or explodes out of the vent.

• The volcano has a pocket of magma below the surface called a magma chamber. A long tube, called a pipe, connects the magma chamber to the surface.

• The opening at the top of the pipe is called the vent.

• When it leaves the volcano magma becomes lava.

Viscosity • Viscosity – measure of how thick (viscous) and

sticky a liquid is

• Lava Flow - A 'stream' of molten rock

• 'aa' lava flow - jagged,

rubbly, broken surface;

high viscosity

(pronounced 'ah-ah')

• 'pahoehoe' lava flow -

smooth, ropy surface;

low viscosity

(pronounced 'paw-hoey-

hoey")

Where do Most volcanoes Occur? • Latitude gives the position on Earth north or

south of the equator

– Positive north of the equator, negative south of the

equator

• Longitude gives the position on Earth east or

west of the Prime Meridian

– Positive east of the Prime Meridian, negative west

of the Prime Meridian

Why Volcanoes form

• Volcanic Eruptions occur when magma rises to the surface. This will happen when the asthenosphere melts enough to flow. There are three things that can cause this:

• 1- A decrease in pressure (like at a mid-ocean ridge or rift valley)

• 2- An increase in temperature (like at a hot spot)

• 3- An increase in the amount of water in the asthenosphere (like at subduction)

Where Volcanoes Form • Most volcanoes occur at:

1.DIVERGENT boundaries, and at

2.CONVERGENT boundaries that have SUBDUCTION.

3.Hot Spots

Volcanoes at Divergent Boundaries • Decrease in pressure as

plates pull apart lets magma rise.

• These fissure volcanoes are located at Mid-ocean ridges like Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Great African Rift Valley

Divergent- Great Rift Valley

Volcanoes at Convergent Boundaries

(Subduction) • Subduction increases the amount of water in the asthenosphere, which lowers the melting temp.

• As the denser oceanic crust is pushed lower, it melts into magma.

• When continental and oceanic plates converge, a volcano forms on land.

• When 2 oceanic plates converge together, a volcano forms an island.

Mount Hood/ Portland

Volcano- Convergent

Sibayak, Indonesia

Mt St. Helens

Volcanic activity takes place primarily at subduction boundaries,

How Volcanoes Form

Oceanic

lithosphere

Continental

lithosphere

Asthenosphere

1. Water in the subducted rock is

released into the asthenosphere.

2. The water lowers the melting temperatures of

materials in the asthenosphere, leading to magma

formation.

3. The magma

is less dense

than its

surroundings,

so it rises.

4. Some of the magma reaches

Earth’s surface, and volcanoes

form on the overriding continental

plate.

Hot Spots • Sometimes, volcanoes occur at places that

aren’t plate boundaries.

• We call these HOT SPOTS.

–Hot spots are areas where hot magma rises from deep in Earth’s mantle.

–Magma escapes where the crust is the thinnest or weakest.

–It starts out solid then it melts when it reaches areas of lower pressure.

Example of Hot Spot

• Volcanoes that make up Hawaii.

Types of Volcanoes

• There are 4 main types of Volcanoes:

–Shield Volcanoes

–Cinder Cone Volcanoes

–Composite Volcanoes

–Fissure Volcanoes

Volcano Categorization

• Type of volcano is based on:

– Eruption style

– Structure

– And primarily the composition of magma

• Tephra is fragmental material produced by a

volcanic eruption regardless of composition, or

fragment size. Volcanologists also refer to

airborne fragments as pyroclasts. Once

pyroclasts have reached the ground its tephra

Shield Volcanoes • Shield Volcanoes form from runny lava (low

viscosity) that tends to flow long distances

before hardening. They generally have quiet

eruptions.

– Volcano has a broad base and gently sloping

sides. Looks like a warrior’s shield hence the name

– Volcano has a less explosive eruption than other

types because the lava flows more easily

– Type of magma- Mafic Basalt: black, runny lava

– Made of layers of lava

– Example: Mauna Loa, Hawaii

Cinder Cones • Form when molten lava is thrown into the air

from a vent. As it falls, it breaks into fragments

called ash or tephra that harden before hitting

the ground.

– Most common type of volcano

– The ash and tephra make a cone-shaped mound.

– They are smaller than other types.

– Erupt explosively because magma is thick, which

allows pressure to build up. (medium viscosisty)

– Magma composition: Felsic Rhyolite (light colored)

Example:

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Cinder Cones

New Guinea

Iceland

Composite or Stratovolcano

• Form from alternating eruptions of quiet

lava and explosive ash. The layers build

up and make a moderate-sized volcano.

–High viscosity

–Made of layers of ash/tephra and lava

called strata.

–Magma composition- Andesite:

medium color

Example of

Composite/Stratovolocano

• Mt. Pinatubo-Philippines

Fissure Volcanoes • Form in long cracks where plates are pulled

apart and near other volcanoes where the crust

is weakened. Cinder Cone or Shield Volcanoes

may also be nearby.

Supervolcano • A volcano that ejects more than 1,000 cubic km

(240 cubic miles) of material,

• When one explodes, it can cover an entire

continent in ash.

• Form huge calderas after erupting

Supervolcano Effect

• Eruptions harm climate and living

organisms by blocking sunlight

– Affects photosynthesis (decreases) and

temperature (decreases)

– Thought to be behind several mass

extinctions in Earth’s history

Yellowstone

• Check out how large some of the lava flows

were from the Yellowstone Volcano!!!

How does a Caldera

Form?

• A) A Volcano’s

pressure starts to

build up

• B) The Volcano

releases large amounts

of Lava

• C) As the Lava is

released, the pressure

decreases and the

volcanic mountain

begins to collapse,

forming a concave

shape in the center of

the volcano.

• D) The center of the

volcanic mountain may

begin to fill with water

and form a lake.

Crater Lake in Oregon State should

actually be called Caldera Lake

Volcanic Explosivity Index

• This scale is

designed to

express the

severity of

volcanic

eruptions.

• Based on the

amount of

erupted

tephra

Label the parts of a volcano

Word Bank:

Main Vent/Crater

Secondary Vent

Magma Chamber

Lava

Ash & Dust Cloud

Tephra Bombs

Cone

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