VOLCANOES

MEANING:-

WHEN THE MAGMA REACHES THE SURFACE, AS LAVA, IT COOLS AND

HARDENS, BULDING THE LANDFORM KNOWN AS VOLCANO , WHICH
IS CONICAL AND DOMED – SHAPED.

TYPES OF VOLCANOES

THE SHAPE, SIZE, AND EXPLOSIVENESS OF A VOLCANO DEPEND ON

THE TYPE OF MAGMA INVOLVED. MAGMA COMES FROM TWO MAIN
TYPES OF IGNEOUS ROCKS- FELSIC AND MAFIC.

FELSIC MAGMA IS THE STRATOVOLCANO, SOMETIMES CALLED A

COMPOSITE VOLCANO.

MAFIC LAVA IS THE SHIELD VOLCANO.

A shield volcano is a broad volcano with shallow inclining sides. Shield volcanoes
are formed from many magma flows of low viscosity. The magma flows out of the
vent and slides down the slopes of the volcano and builds up the size. A shield
volcano is named so due to their similarity to a warrior’s shield lying on the
ground. Mauna Loa is the largest shield volcano found on the Island of Hawaii.
Other famous examples of shield volcanoes include Wolf volcano in the Galapagos
Islands and Nyamuragira in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

What is a Shield Volcano?

A shield volcano is a broad volcano with sloping sides that is formed mainly out of
runny lava that flows out of its central summit vent.
Examples of Shield Volcano: Mauna Loa in the Island of Hawaii, Wolf volcano
in Galapagos Islands and Nyamuragira in the Democratic Republic of Congo

How are Shield Volcanoes formed?

Volcanoes are patches on Earth that erupt magma from underneath the Earth’s
chambers. The magma upon reaching the surface transforms into ash, lava and
volcanic gases. Over time, with many such eruptions, a volcano is formed layer by
layer until the magma in the chamber beneath is emptied.

The basaltic lava that flows out of a shield volcano gives a shield volcano a
different shape as compared to other volcanoes. The basaltic lava of a shield
volcano is of low viscosity that can quickly flow and cover large areas. The lava
from each shield volcano eruption eventually hardens, and the next eruption flows
over and hardens on top of the previous one. Over time, the multiple eruptions of
shield volcanoes build up, one on top of the other, giving rise to a shield volcano.
This process creates a gradual increase in elevation over time, building up the
shield volcano’s size.

Formation of Shield Volcano

A shield volcano is built mainly out of basaltic lava of low viscosity. The lava
flows out, cools and hardens, adding to layers of cooled and hardened lava
underneath it. This process creates a gradual increase in elevation over time
resulting in the formation of shield volcanoes.

Shield Volcano Characteristics

The characteristics of a shield volcano are as follows:

 Shield Volcanoes are composed of basaltic magma (high in temperature,

very low on silica and gas content.)
 The lava erupted from the shield volcanoes are runny and non-acidic.
 As the erupted lava is runny, they flow long distances before they solidify,
this results in the gentle sides of shield volcanoes.
 There are shorter periods between eruptions, and the explosions are less
violent.
 Shield volcanoes are found on divergent plate boundaries.

Shield Volcano and composite volcano are two main types of volcanoes with
different characteristics and are formed at different places. There are many
differences between the shield and composite volcanoes which we have discussed
below for your reference.

STRATO-VOLCANO- (COMPOSITE VOLCANO)

A strato-volcano, also known as a composite volcano is a cone-shaped volcano
built from several layers of lava, pumice, ash, and tephra. Due to its viscous lava, a
composite volcano tends to form tall peaks rather than rounded cones. Mount Fuji
in Japan and Mount Shasta in California are examples of composite volcanoes.

Structure of a (Composite Volcano)- STRATO-VOLCANO

A strato- volcano may rise as high as 8,000 feet above their bases. Most of the
composite volcanoes have a crater at the summit which contains a central vent or a
clustered group of vents. The lava from the composite volcano is ejected through
the breaks in the crater wall or from the fissures on the flanks of the cone.
Solidified lava within the fissures acts as ribs that greatly strengthen the cone.
The conduit system within a composite volcano is one of the essential features of
composite volcanoes. The magma from the deep reservoir of the Earth’s
chamber rises to the surface through the conduit system of a composite volcano.
Composite volcanoes are built up by the accumulation of material erupted through
the conduit and increase in size as lava, ash, etc., are added to the slope.

What is a Strato- Volcano?

Strato- volcanoes are steep-sided symmetrical cones of large dimension that are built of
alternating layers of lava, ash, pumice, blocks, and tephra.
Examples of Strato -Volcano
Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Cotopaxi in Ecuador, Mount Shasta in California, Mount
Hood in Oregon, and Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in Washington

Formation of Strato- Volcano

A Strato- volcano is built over a span of thousands of years through multiple
eruptions. The eruptions build the composite volcano layer by layer until the
volcano towers thousands of metres. Some layers are of lava, while others might be
of ash, rock, etc.
The conduit system which taps into a reservoir of magma deep within the Earth
feeds the composite volcanoes. This magma erupts out of several vents across the
composite volcano’s flanks, or from a large central crater at the summit of the
volcano.
When a large composite volcano erupts, they create a collapsed region known as a
caldera. Calderas are deep, steep-walled depressions and are the regions for a new
composite volcano to build back again.
A Strato- volcano is formed along the Earth’s subduction zones where one
tectonic plate slides beneath another. Pacific Basin and the Mediterranean Sea are
such regions.

Characteristics of Strato -Volcano

 The lava of composite volcanoes is composed of intermediate silica content

and is of medium to high viscosity known as andesite.
 Strato -volcanoes remain dormant for a long period of time. During this
period, the solidified lava around the volcano’s vents collapses inside and
blocks up its vents. This increases the pressure in the volcano, and the force
of the subsequent eruption is immense.
 The lava from the magma chamber is ejected out of the composite volcano
through central vent. If the central vent is blocked, the lava exits through
side conduits. These side conduits are known as fumaroles.

Life Cycle of a Strato- Volcano

Here, we discuss the step by step process of the formation of Strato -volcanoes:

A) The Rise of Magma

Magma from the Earth’s chamber below rises to form a volcanic cone and erupts at
the Earth’s surface through the conduit system. Lava flows and spreads over the
surrounding area.
B) Active Volcanic Activity
The volcanic activities in a composite volcano continue for hundreds of years till a
cone is built to a great height and lava flows form an extensive plateau around its
base.

C) Eroding Cone
The volcanic activity ceases and erosion starts to destroy the cone. After thousands
of years of volcanic activities, the cone is stripped away to expose the hardened
“volcanic plug” in the conduit. During this period of inactivity, streams broaden
their valleys and dissect the lava plateau.

D) Final Remains
The soil erosion continues removing all the traces of the cone. Now only the
projecting plug, vestiges of the volcano and its surrounding lava plateau remain.

Frequently Asked Questions on Strato- Volcano

What is a Strato- volcano?

A Strato- volcano is a symmetrical cone with steep sides that are built of
alternating layers of lava, ash, pumice, blocks, and tephra.

Where are Strato -volcanoes most likely to form?

Strato- volcanoes are most likely to form along the Earth’s subduction zones
where the tectonic plates slide beneath each other.

Why are strato- volcanoes steeply sloped?

The lava of the strato- volcano is thick and cannot flow too far from the vent.
Because of its viscous lava, a composite volcano tends to form tall peaks rather
than rounded cones.

Are strato- volcanoes the most common type of volcanoes?

Strato- volcanoes are the most common type of volcano on the Earth’s surface.
They account for 60 per cent of the Earth’s volcanism. Most of the remaining 40
per cent occurs under the oceans.
 What are the examples of strato- volcanoes?
Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Shasta in California are examples of composite
volcanoes.

Global distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes

Earthquakes are located mostly in long, narrow belts, along all types of plate boundaries (or
margins) as shown on this map.

Volcanoes and earthquake activity often occur in similar places in narrow zones of
activity, or they occur in long narrow belts as shown on the map. These zones include:

 the Pacific Ring of Fire around the Pacific Ocean

 the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a mid-ocean ridge that extends along the floor of the Atlantic
Ocean
 southern Europe
There are however some important exceptions. The Hawaiian Islands, which are
entirely volcanic in origin, formed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, more than 3,200
km from the nearest plate boundary. This is explained by the 'hotspot' theory.

Q. Why distribution of volcanoes are clustered?

A. Where a lithospheric plate moves over a hot spot, a chain of volcanic islands
may be created. As the plate moves, the older volcanoes are transported away from
the magma source and become extinct. The younger, active volcanoes are
clustered at the end of the chain over the hot spot.

Q. Explain why people live in areas where volcanoes occur?

 A. Benefits of living by a volcano

A man works in a field with Mount Mayon in the distance

People choose to live in volcanic areas despite the risks of an eruption.

Volcanoes can provide people with many benefits such as:

 volcanic rock and ash provide fertile land which results in a higher crop yield for farmers
 tourists are attracted to the volcano, which increases money to the local economy
 geothermal energy can be harnessed, which provides cheaper electricity for locals
 minerals are contained in lava, eg diamonds - these can be mined to make money.

Why do people live close to volcanoes?

Volcanoes have a wide range of effects on humans. These can be problematic or
beneficial. It is usually the destructive nature of volcanoes which is more widely
documented. However, many people rely on volcanoes for their everyday survival.
Today, many millions of people live close to volcanoes for this very reason.

People live close to volcanoes because Geothermal energy can be harnessed by

using the steam from underground which has been heated by the Earth's magma.
This steam is used to drive turbines in geothermal power stations to produce
electricity for domestic and industrial use. Countries such as Iceland and New
Zealand use this method of generating electricity.
Volcanoes attract millions of visitors around the world every year. Apart from the
volcano itself, hot springs and geysers can also bring in the tourists. This creates
many jobs for people in the tourism industry. This includes work in hotels,
restaurants and gift shops. Often locals are also employed as tour guides.

[Lava] from deep within the earth contains minerals which can be mined once the
lava has cooled. These include gold, silver, diamonds, copper and zinc, depending
on their mineral composition. Often, mining towns develop around volcanoes.

Volcanic areas often contain some of the most mineral rich soils in the world. This
is ideal for farming. [Lava] and material from [pyroclastic flows] are weathered to
form nutrient rich soil which can be cultivated to produce healthy crops and rich
harvests.

Volcanic Ash Impacts

Plumes of volcanic ash can spread over large areas of sky, turning daylight into
complete darkness and drastically reducing visibility.

These enormous and menacing clouds are often accompanied

by thunder and lightning. Volcanic lightning is a unique phenomenon and
scientists continue to debate the way it works. Many scientists think that
the sheer energy of a volcanic explosion charges its ash particles with electricity.
Positively charged particles meet up with negatively charged particles, either in the
cooler atmosphere or in the volcanic debris itself. Lightning bolts then occur as a
means of balancing these charge distributions.

Volcanic ash and gases can sometimes reach the stratosphere, the upper layer in
Earth’s atmosphere. This volcanic debris can reflect incoming solar
radiation and absorb outgoing land radiation, leading to a cooling of the
Earth’s temperature.

In extreme cases, these “volcanic winters” can affect weather patterns across the
globe. The 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora, Indonesia, the largest eruption in
recorded history, ejected an estimated 150 cubic kilometers (36 cubic miles) of
debris into the air. The average global temperature cooled by as much as 3° Celsius
(5.4° Fahrenheit), causing extreme weather around the world for a period of three
years. As a result of Mount Tambora’s volcanic ash, North America and Europe
experienced the “Year Without a Summer” in 1816. This year was characterized by
widespread crop failure, deadly famine, and disease.

Airborne volcanic ash is especially dangerous to moving aircraft. The small,

abrasive particles of rock and glass can melt inside an
airplane engine and solidify on the turbine blades—causing the engine to stall. Air
traffic controllers take special precautions when volcanic ash is present. The 2010
eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland, produced an ash cloud that forced
the cancelation of roughly 100,000 flights and affected 7 million passengers,
costing the aviation industry an estimated $2.6 billion.

Volcanic ash can impact the infrastructure of entire communities and regions. Ash
can enter and disrupt the functioning of machinery found in power supply, water
supply, sewage treatment, and communication facilities. Heavy ash fall can
also inhibit road and rail traffic and damage vehicles.

When mixed with rainfall, volcanic ash turns into a heavy, cement-like sludge that
is able to collapse roofs. In 1991, Mount Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines at the
same time that a massive tropical storm wreaked havoc in the area. Heavy rains
mixed with the ash fall, collapsing the roofs of houses, schools, businesses, and
hospitals in three different provinces.

Ash also poses a threat to ecosystems, including people and animals. Carbon
dioxide and fluorine, gases that can be toxic to humans, can collect in volcanic ash.
The resulting ash fall can lead to crop failure, animal death and deformity, and
human illness. Ash’s abrasive particles can scratch the surface of the skin and eyes,
causing discomfort and inflammation.

If inhaled, volcanic ash can cause breathing problems and damage the lungs.
Inhaling large amounts of ash and volcanic gases can cause a person to suffocate.
Suffocation is the most common cause of death from a volcano.
-Predicting Volcanic Eruptions.

 Checking the ground from above………….. satellites can detect changes in

the ground surface.
 Checking the air from above……….aeroplanes use remote sensors to test for
volcanic ash.
 Checking below sea level…….plate boundaries can be explored deep
beneath oceans by mini submarines.
 Checking on the volcano……..scientists can monitor ash, sulphur and other
gases in the air as well as rock and water temperature and ground movement
by climbing the volcano.