Basic Parts of Volcano

 Magma chamber or reservoir - underground compartment where the magma is stored.

 Vent - opening where volcanic materials are released. A conduit or passageway through which magma
travels to reach the Earth’s surface.
 Crater - a basin-like depression over a vent at the summit of the volcano.
 Flank - the side of a volcano.

Factors Affecting Volcanic Eruptions

 Magma composition - high silica content increases magma’s viscosity.
 Magma temperature - the higher the temperature, the lower the viscosity.
 Amount of dissolved gases - gas dissolved in magma tends to increase its stability to flow.

VOLCANIC EXPLOSIVITY INDEX (VEI

VEI EJECTA VOLUME ERUPTION DESCRIPTION PLUME HEIGHT EXAMPLES

Effusive Kilauea,
0 < 10 000 m3 Hawaiian < 100 m Piton de Fournaise
An outpouring of lava on the ground
Gentle
1 > 10 000 m3 Hawaiian/ 100 - 1000 m Nyiragongo
Strombolian Low-level, small to medium volume 2002
Explosive Ruapehu
2 > 1 000 000 m3 Strombolian/ 1- 5 km 1971
Vulcanian Dense cloud of ash and gases with volcanic bombs Mt. Sinabung
2010
Severe Soufriere Hills
3 > 10 000 000 m3 Vulcanian/ 3 - 15 km 1995
Pelean Glowing avalanche of hot ash and pyroclastic flows Nevado del Ruiz 1985
Cataclysmic Mt. Pelee
4 > 0.1 km3 Pelean/ 10 - 25 km 1902
Plinian Columns of gas and ash that extends to stratosphere Eyjafyallajokull
2010
5 > 1 km3 Mt. Vesuvius
Plinian Paroxysmal 20 - 35 km Mt. St. Helens
1980
6 Krakatoa
> 10 km3 Plinian/ > 30 km 1883
Ultra-Plinian Colossal Mt. Pinatubo
1991
7 Tambora
> 100 km3 Ultra-Plinian Super-colossal > 40 km 1815
Yellowstone
8 > 1 000 km3 Supervolcanic Mega-colossal > 50 km (Pleistocene)