EOSC 114 Natural Disasters

Volcanoes with Dr Dominique Weis

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Iceland, 2014
 Volcanoes

Lecture 1 – Volcanology Overview

Lecture 2 - Types of volcanoes & Eruptions

Lecture 3 – Volcanic Explosivity

Lecture 4 –Volcanic hazards

- Volcano monitoring and predicting

Lecture 5
eruptions
Outline

Volcanic Events
(effusive & explosive)

Explosive Processes

Styles of Explosivity

Chaitén, Chile 2008. USGS


Distinguish between lava flows, fire fountains, lava bombs,
volcanic ash, pyroclastic falls, and pyroclastic flows in terms
of the materials they are made from, how they behave, and
how they are formed.

 Use analogies with common materials to explain in your own

words how volcanic explosivity is controlled by two
characteristics of magma.

 Explain the effect that erupting under water has on the

explosivity of an eruption.

 Apply the VEI scale to any given potential volcanic event to

predict the size of the associated explosive eruption.

 Use descriptions, examples, and maps to help your friend or

family imagine the “size”, volume and impact of a VEI 8
eruption.
 Volcanic Eruptions
Two main styles:

EFFUSIVE – outpouring
of molten magma from
the vent → lavas

 EXPLOSIVE – gas driven

violent eruptions →
pyroclastic deposits
 Primary Volcanic Processes
EFFUSIVE
Passive eruption of magma:

Lava flows (mafic-intermediate)
 Lava domes (felsic-intermediate)
 Gravitational collapse of lava flows/domes
– pyroclastic flows

Photovolcanica, Pacaya Volcano

Guatemala
 Lava Flows

Kilauea, Hawaii (1987)

Lava flows downslope, ponds in topographic lows

Outer crust cools and solidifies insulating the molten interior

Photo: USGS


 
 


Lava Dome
 Primary Volcanic Processes
EXPLOSIVE

Buoyant eruption column

of ash
 Pyroclastic airfall
 Pyroclastic flows (column
collapse)
 Blocks and bombs
proximal to vent

Photovolcanica, Sakurajima Volcano, Japan

 Pyroclastic Fall

Eruption columns: 10’s of km’s

 Widespread distribution of ash in
the downwind direction
 Ash blankets topography

Galunggung,
Indonesia (1982)
 Pyroclastic Fall

Pinatubo, Philippines (1991)

Galunggung, Indonesia (1982)

 Pyroclastic Flows

• Gas-pyroclast mixtures

• Gravity-driven flows

• Flow down slope, channelled in valleys

• Velocity = 40 to >400 km/h!

• Temperatures = 100 - 600oC

 Pyroclastic Flows

Pinatubo, Philippines (1991) Unzen, Japan (1993)

Mayon, Philippines
USGS (1984)


 
 


 Photovolcanica



 
 

Key to Explosive Volcanism:

Gas Content +
Melt Viscosity
Photovolcanica, Kilauea, water entry

Photovolcanica, Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland

Which of the following magma
properties plays the largest role in
Explosivity 

A. Silica content
B. Density
C. Viscosity
D. Temperature
E. Volatile content
 Why Gas Matters?

Magmas produce bubbles

(gas exsolves) during ascent

 Bubbles expand as the

magma rises (lower P)

 Foaming  Explosivity*

* Depends on:

amount of bubbles
 rate of rise
 bubble retention
FOAM
 More about Explosivity…

Viscosity and Gas Content are very important
in determining the eruption style (explosive or
effusive)
 As magma rises  pressure decreases 
bubbles begin to form
**But viscosity fights bubble growth!
 Pressure rises inside the bubbles until the
strength of the liquid magma is overcome 
Fragmentation occurs!
 Pyroclastic material (tephra) is produced.
Explosive Bursting of Bubbles





 


 

 Volcanic plume

PUMICE

ASH 

MSH 39 km from volcano

Fragmentation
Outgassing

Bubble growth
Exsolution surface
Magma with (bubble nucleation)
dissolved volatiles Saturation surface




Magma reservoir
Which Conditions most Favor
Explosive Eruptions

Sakurajima Volcano, Japan

A. Low viscosity & high gas content

B. High viscosity & low gas content
C. High viscosity & high gas content
D. Low viscosity & low gas content
 Explosivity Experiment:
Try it at home (outside)!
Gases are dissolved in magma,
Just like coca-cola…



 

MENTHOS experiment instructions at:

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000109
 Magma Fragments and Freezes to form
Pyroclastic Ash
When liquid magma containing dissolved gas is suddenly
decompressed during an eruption, gas bubbles expand
rapidly and blow up the liquid magma, which freezes in mid
air to form ash particles

Remember the Mentos experiment !

Ash particle
USGS

USGS

Ash Pumice
Mt Pinatubo (1991)
 What type of Volcano will
produce the MOST Explosive
Eruptions?

A. Shield volcano
B. Cinder cone
C. Stratovolcano
D. Supervolcano
 How did you arrive at this
conclusion?
A. By considering how physical properties of lava relates to
volcano shape

B. By thinking about how gas content is related to lava

density

C. By considering relation between tectonic setting and

volcano type

D. By recalling which volcano types were most catastrophic

to people

E. Some other consideration …

 Explosivity End-Members
REMEMBER!
Mafic → low gas content + fluid Felsic → high gas content + gooey
→ quiet (effusive) eruptions! → explosive eruptions!
Gas escapes, pressure released Gas kept under increasing pressure
= Safe = Dangerous

Photo
USGS, Halemaumau lava credits: USGS
lake Sept10
USGS, MSH 1980
Effusive and Explosive are End-Members:

i.e. there is a range.

 Explosive Eruptions

Increasing Energy
& Hazard

Stromboli, Italy
(1969)

Krakatoa, Indonesia
(2007)

Redoubt, Alaska (1990)

 Why does HIGH Viscosity Promote
High Explosivity

A. because gas content decreases viscosity

B. because gas content increases viscosity
C. because bubbles cannot easily escape from
highly viscous magma
D. because highly viscous magma lets gas
escape
E. because highly viscous magma lets bubbles
grow.
 
 
 

Photovolcanica, Sakurajima Volcano, Japan

Cas & Wright, 1987 Vulcanian Eruption

Types of eruptions
1. Hawaiian
Low viscosity basaltic magma
Low explosivity (effusive!)
- Lava flows
- Fire fountaining

USGS, Kilauea lava lake

1. Ash plume
2. Lava fountain
3. Crater
4. Lava lake
5. Fumaroles
6. Lava flow
7. Layers of lava and ash
8. Stratum
9. Sill, 10. Magma conduit
11. Magma chamber, 12. Dike

Wikipedia
2. Strombolian

Basaltic/andesitic magma

Mildly explosive

Bombs, lavas

  





1. Ash plume, 2. Lapilli

2. Volcanic ash rain
3. Lava fountain
4. Volcanic bomb
5. Lava flow
6. Layers of lava and ash, 7. Stratum
8. Dike, 9. Magma conduit
Wikipedia 10. Magma chamber, 11. Sill
3. Vulcanian

Viscous andesitic/rhyolitic magma

Very explosive!

Sustained explosions of ash

Tavurvur volcano, Rabaul Caldera, Papua New Guinea

1. Ash plume
2. Lapilli
3. Lava fountain
4. Volcanic ash rain
5. Volcanic bomb
6. Lava flow
7. Layers of lava and ash
8. Stratum
9. Sill, 10. Magma conduit
11. Magma chamber, 12. Dike
Wikipedia
 4. Plinian

Andesitic/rhyolitic ash

Violently explosive!!

Sustained column of ash

Pyroclastic flows

R. Clucas, Mt. Redbout, Alaska, 1990

USGS
1. Ash plume
2. Magma conduit
3. Volcanic ash rain
4. Layers of lava and ash
5. Stratum
6. Magma chamber

Wikipedia
 What type of Eruption is the
most powerful

A.Hawaiian
B. Strombolian
C.Vulcanian
D.Plinian
E. Ultraplinian
 Types of Eruptions
Hawaiian Strombolian

Felsic
High viscosity
Mafic High gas content
Low viscosity DANGEROUS!
Low gas content Vulcanian Plinian
SAFE…
 What does adding Water to the
mix might do to the Explosivity of
an Eruption

A. Decreases it due to rapid cooling of the

magma
B. Increases it due to rapid cooling of the
magma
C. Decreases it due to rapid heating of water
D. Increases it due to rapid heating of water





 



 5. Phreatomagmatic

Contact between water & magma

Water flashes to steam

Violently explosive

Surtseyan and Phreatoplinian

NOAA

1. Water vapor cloud

2. Compressed ash
3. Crater
4. Water
5. Layers of lava and ash
6. Stratum, 7. Magma conduit
8. Magma chamber, 9. Dike
Wikipedia
 Volcanic Explosivity Index
describes the size of an explosive volcanic eruption

Key characteristics that define VEI include:

Volume of ash produced
 Height of eruption cloud above the vent
 Duration of eruption
*In the 0 to 8 scale of VEI, each interval represents an increase of a factor of ten.
An eruption of VEI 4 is 10 times larger than a 3 and one hundred times larger
than a 2.

Logarithmic scale

Mainly depends on total volume erupted explosively

Increase in 1 unit = 10 times more volume erupted
 MYC

MSH
Pinatubo

USGS Yellowstone Lake

 A Shield Volcano is about to erupt.
What is the expected value for the
Volcanic Explosivity Index

A) About 0 or 1
B) About 2 or 3
C) About 4 or 5
D) About 6 or 7
E) More than 8
 VEI 5 Plinian, e.g. Mt St Helens

VEI 3
Vulcanian
e.g. Montserrat

VEI 1
Hawaiian
 NASA

VEI 6 Ultra-Plinian, e.g. Mt Pinatubo, Phillippines, 1991

10 km3 material erupted
Climatic Impact of the
1991 Pinatubo Eruption
22,000,000 tons of SO2

Keller et al.

Global
Temperature
decreased 0.5 -
0.6
C
Ozone hole size
increased in 1992
VEI 8: Imagine 100 Pinatubos erupting at
the same time


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 many
every
year

several every
decade

several every
1,000 yrs

1 or 2 every
1,000,000 yrs

USGS
 How much more Volume does a VEI 8
Eruption release than a VEI 6 eruption

A) 2 times
B) 10 times
C) 20 times
D) 100 times
E) 200 times
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 Volcanoes

Lecture 1 – Volcanology Overview

Lecture 2 - Types of volcanoes & Eruptions

Lecture 3 – Volcanic Explosivity

Lecture 4 – Volcanic hazards

- Volcano monitoring and predicting

Lecture 5
eruptions