PYROCLASTIC

FLOWS
PYROCLASTIC
FLOWS
Section Objectives:
1. Describe how pyroclastic flows
are generated by volcanoes.
2. Differentiate the different types
of pyroclastic flow deposits.
3. Analyze the effects of
pyroclastic flows.
4. List ways to be safe from
pyroclastic flows
Pyroclastic Flows
are among the most harmful
volcanic hazards. If you find a
slow-moving, glowing hot lava flow
dangerous, consider its fragmented
version that is not only as hot but
also moves tremendously fast. By
its heat, speed, and volume, none
has ever been close to describing
how dangerous pyroclastic flows are.
Why do people are so foolhardy to live so
close to volcanoes, when there is obvious
danger from eruption processes such as
pyroclastic flows? The answer is related
to the fertility of the soil which weathers
down from volcanic rocks. But the same
volcano that nurtures the lives of nearby
inhabitants is the same volcano that can
take this away, sometimes without
warning.
How Do Pyroclastic Flows Occur?
Pyroclastic flows are hot mixtures of fresh lava, gas, rock, pumice, and ash
that down the sides of a volcanic crater at high speeds during an eruption. The
materials may come from the collapse of lava dome at or close to the summit or from
the materials back down from an eruption column that cannot go farther into the air
(Figure 5.3-1).

Some kind of winnowing process keeps the lighter materials such as ash
and gas floating above the denser basal part of the flow. The mobility and speed of
pyroclastic flows are derived from its gas content and from the heat of its
components that further generates more gases. Additional gas comes from the air,
from burnt vegetation, heated surface water, and from the melting of ice and the
finer particles are kept in suspension by the gas. Large fragments are then
supported by this mixture of fine solid and gas.

The collapse of lava dome generated pyroclastic flow which cascaded

down the slope of Unzen Volcano in Japan on March 1993 (left photo). The
pyroclastic flow shown on the right was generated by partial collapse of the vertical
eruption column of Mt. St. Helen (Washington, U.S.A). Photo taken during its July
1980 eruption.

Pyroclastic flows are common in volcanoes composed of

andesite and of the more viscous dacitic and rhyolitic rock
Types - rocks that comprise volcanoes displaying more
violent eruptions.
FIGURE 5.3-1
Types of Pyroclastic Flows
Recognizing the different types of pyroclastic flows is as essential
as differentiating volcano types.
Different volcanoes behave differently; there are the violent types
and there are the quiet types. All pyroclastic flows are so dangerous that
victims will not be able to tell the difference between the types of
pyroclastic flow that hit them. However, recognizing the different kinds
of pyroclastic flows helps us to distinguish these from other eruption
products. In this way, people are aware of the varying degrees of
danger that volcanoes present. People would know how to react
properly when warned of an imminent pyroclastic flow, lava flow,
airfall, lahar, or debris avalanche.
You have learned from the section on lava flows (section 5.1) that
viscous lavas do not go very far from the vent. Sometimes, these just keep
piling near the vent until a dome is formed. Soon, gravity causes its
collapse and hot glowing broken pieces of lava called glowing avalanche
or nuée ardente goes rolling down the slope. Figure 5.3-2a shows how this
mechanism creates pyroclastic flow.
 The three mechanisms of Pyroclastic
flow generation. The Merapi and Pelean types
involve dome collapse while the Soufriere type
involves eruption column collapse. Modified
from Cas and Wright, 1987
 Figure 5.3-2a
Figure 5.3-1 Is an example of a pyroclastic
flow event from Merapi Volcano (Indonesia) after
which this type of pyroclastic flow that produces
block-and-ash was named. Thus, the mechanism that
produces nuee ardente from the collapse of a dome
is called a Merapi type of pyroclastic flow. Nuee
ardente deposits of block and ash are also generated
by dome collapse caused by gas-driven explosions.
This pyroclastic flow-generating process is called a
Figure 5.3-2a shows how this mechanism creates Pelean type of eruption
pyroclastic flow.
Above and in front of the more dense
pyroclastic flow proper are clouds of finer
fragments. When deposited, the ash cloud surge is
composed of very fine layers of ash fragments. The
pyroclastic flow proper deposit, on the other hand,
is composed of dense, solid blocky fragments
derived from the collapsed lava dome. This deposit
which contains blocks surrounded by fine-grained
ash is also called block-and-ash deposit. Mt. Mayon
 Because of the high density, block and ash
pyroclastic flow deposits are limited to a few tens of
kilometers distance from the vent.
A third pyroclastic flow-generating mechanism does
not involve the collapse of a dome. The Soufriere
type of pyroclastic flow-generating mechanism
involves the collapse of an eruption column. The
collapse occurs as the fragment- laden eruption
column can no longer be supported by the upward
thrust of the eruption. These eruption c
commonly associated with eruptions su
of Mayon, Pinatubo, and Mt. St. Helens.
 Because of the high density, block and ash
pyroclastic flow deposits are limited to a few tens of
kilometers distance from the vent.
A third pyroclastic flow-generating mechanism does
not involve the collapse of a dome. The Soufriere
type of pyroclastic flow-generating mechanism
involves the collapse of an eruption column. The
collapse occurs as the fragment- laden eruption
column can no longer be supported by the upwar
thrust of the eruption. These eruption columns ar
commonly associated with eruptions such as tho
of Mayon, Pinatubo, and Mt. St. Helens.
(Figure 5.3-1) which are associated with Vulcanian (Figure 5.3-3) and Plinian types of eruption,
respectively. The product is pumice-rich pyroclastic flow deposit called pumice flow which is
much like the pumice that is abundant in the Pinatubo eruption deposits. Like the blocks in a
nuee ardente deposit, the pumice fragments are embedded in ash. Because of the relatively
lower density, pumice flows extend much farther and wider than block and ash flows (i.e., up to
200 km away and up to tens of thousands of sq. km of area covered).
What Are the Effects of
Pyroclastic Flows?

A pyroclastic flow is so
dangerous because
of its speed (up to -710 km/hr) and
temperature (up to -1,000 C). It is
so hot and moves so quickly that it
gives anyone little opportunity to
escape and very slim chance to
survive.
 f
rocks and gas inside pyroclastic
flows can burn people, houses, and
vegetation. Though hot gases may
have killed them first, Pompeii
residents were petrified by the ash
and pumice of pyroclastic flow from
Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Some
residents suffered the same fate
from Hibok- Hibok's pyroclastic flow
in 1951 (Figure 5.3-8). On the
margins of pyroclastic flows, death
and serious injury to people and
animals may result from burns.
Figure5.3-8. The cast of the corpses of the victims
buried by the ash and pumice of the pyroclastic flows
from the 79 AD eruption of Versuvius.
volume, a pyroclastic flow will
knock down, shatter, bury, or
carry away nearly all objects
and structures in its path. Rock
fragments range in size from
ash to boulders, and travel at
speeds usually greater than 80
km/hour. Pyroclastic flows from
the 1991 eruption of Pinatubo
left bare of vegetation a large
part of its western slope and a
smaller portion of the eastern
slope.
Figure 5.3-5. Distribution of
the 1991 pyroclastic flow
deposits of Pinatubo and
lahars as observed by
astronauts just a few days
after the heavy monsoon
rainfalls after the eruption.
(NASA Image STS046-75-794)
Hot ash and gas not only burn
but also impair breathing.
Aside from water, volcanoes
also emit toxic gases such as
H2S, SO2, and F2. These also
combine with water to form
harmful compounds. The
compounds that come with
pyroclastic flows are toxic and
will cause immediate
asphyxiation of people and
animals.
Ash and Lahars (derived largely from the pyroclastic
flows) also left many towns of Zambales, Pampanga,
and Tarlac buried and bare like a desert.
the slopes of volcanoes act as channel
ways and receptors of pyroclastic flow
deposits. The thick accumulation of
loose pyroclastic flow deposits (as
much as 200 m thick) is easily
mobilized by stream flow to become
part of lahar. The damming of rivers
upstream may lead to the rush of
enormous amounts of water and debris
downslope. Pyroclastic flows can melt
snow and ice too and send a sudden
torrent of water that can carry new
pyroclastic flow deposits an older
debris on the way down.
Some notable Pyroclastic Flow
Vesuvius, Italy, 79 A.D. One of the most catastrophic and famous
eruptions of all time. A series of pyroclastic flows consisting of pumice and
ash came down from eruption columns as high as 33 km. Herculaneum and
Pompeii were buried by pyroclastic flow tephra fall and about 16,000 were
killed, some probably by gas asphyxiation.
Tambora, Indonesia, 1815. The largest eruption ever in recorded
history; prior to 1815 eruption, other eruptions were in 3910 BC ± 200
years, 3050 BC and in 740 AD ± 150 years. Pyroclastic flows reached more
than 20 km from the summit and caused 4 m high tsunami waves in
Indonesia. Pyroclastic flows wiped out Tambora village killing 10,000; tens
of thousands more died due to famine and disease.
Hibok-Hibok, Philippines, 1951. On December 4, 1951, 500 people
were killed by pyroclastic flows that cascaded down the volcano's
northeastern flank. The explosion of fresh magma rather than dome
collapse caused the deposition of large quantities of pumice and ash.
(Source: Gordon A. Macdonald and Arturo Alcaraz (1956) "Nuées ardentes
of the 1948-1953 eruption of Hibok- Hibok", Bull. Volc, v.18(1), pp 169-178)
Pinatubo, Philippines, 1991.2nd largest eruption of the 20th
century; it had 6 eruption periods since 33,000 B.C. During its climactic
eruption on June 15, ~500 years since its last, pyroclastic flows reached as
far as 16 km from the summit; early warning prevented deaths from the
pyroclastic flow. Most of the 847 deaths were due to roof collapsing from
the weight of wet ash.
Table 5.2. Human fatalities from various volcanic and volcanic related
hazards from 1600-2010 Modified from Auker et al, 2013.
Primary Cause FATALITIES

Pyroclastic Density Currents 91,484

Indirect 65,024

Tsunami 55,277

Lahars 44,252

Tephra 8,126

Avalanches 5,230

Gas 2,151

Floods 1,163

Lava flows 887

Seismicity 765

Lightning 142

Total: 274,501
 For a hazard like pyroclastic
flow, the best and perhaps the
only protection measure that
anyone can do is avoid areas
prone
to it.