What is a Volcano?

Volcanism is a phenomenon connected with volcanoes and its

volcanic activity such as the movement of magma from the
mantle onto the surface of the earth. A volcano is a mountain
that opens downward to a pool of molten rock (magma) below
the surface of the earth. Volcanoes are openings or vents in
the earth’s crust which magma, ash and gases escape that
may cause violent and spectacular eruptions. Hot molten rocks
beneath the earth (mantle)is known as magma and becomes a
lava after it comes out of a volcano and reach the surface of
the earth. As pressure builds up in the mantle, magma rises
and pushes through vents and fissures (narrow cracks in the
earth’s crust) forces its way out which can lead to a volcanic
eruption. Hot liquid rock under the Earth’s surface is known as
magma, it is called lava after it comes out of a volcano. As
pressure in the molten rock builds up it needs to escape somewhere. So it forces its way up “fissures” which are narrow
cracks in the earth’s crust. Once the magma erupts through the earth’s surface it is called lava.

Parts of the Volcano and its Description

 Magma - Molten rock beneath Earth's surface.
 Magma Reservoir- This is where magma is formed
 Parasitic Cone - A small cone-shaped volcano formed by
an accumulation of volcanic debris.
 Sill - A flat piece of rock formed when magma hardens in
a crack in a volcano.
 Vent - An opening in Earth's surface through which
volcanic materials escape.
 Flank - The side of a volcano.
 Lava - Molten rock that erupts from a volcano that
solidifies as it cools.
 Crater - Mouth of a volcano - surrounds a volcanic vent.
 Conduit - An underground passage magma travels
through.
 Summit - Highest point; apex
 Throat - Entrance of a volcano. The part of the conduit that ejects lava and volcanic ash.
 Volcanic Emissions Ash - fragments of lava or rock smaller than 2 mm in size that are blasted into the air by
volcanic explosions.
 Ash Cloud - a cloud of ash formed by volcanic explosions.
 Lava Flow- magma that erupts is called lava. Lava flows are molten rock that ooze onto the Earth’s surface after
a volcano eruption.
 Volcanic Bombs-these molten rocks are thrown out from a volcano and are at least 66mm in size.
 Eruption Column- these clouds of heated ash and tephra are released from a vent during an explosive volcanic
eruption.
 Eruption Cloud- ash falls back down like powdery snow. But it’s snow that won’t melt. These blankets of ash
suffocate plants and animals. The eruption cloud can extend up to 12 miles above a volcano. Then, it can reach
 thousands of kilometers in distance raining ash over regions.
 Tephra- if magma is thick and sticky, gases cannot escape easily. Pressure builds up until the gases escape
violently and explode. This type of eruption magma blasts up into the air and breaks apart into pieces called
tephra. Tephra can range in size from tiny particles of ash to house size boulders. Tephra destroys everything in
its path.
 Pyroclastic Flow- this type of deadly flow contains fast-moving volcanic matter and hot gas. Pyroclastic flow
moves away from a volcano and incorporates tephra.
 Lahar- When hot volcanic material mixes with water from streams or snow and ice, lahar mudflows form.
Type of Volcano

Cinder Cone Volcano

It is also called as scoria cone. Is that the simplest, most typical type, and features a
characteristic conoid. It forms when volcanic cinder, blobs of congealed lava of basaltic
composition, comes out from one vent. its explosive eruptions caused by gas rapidly
expanding and escaping from the molten lava that comes out sort of a fountain. The
lava cools quickly and falls as cinders that build up round the vent forming a round
shape, leaving a crater at the summit. These volcanoes will be as high as 100 to 400
meters, because the lava is blown violently into the atmosphere, it breaks into small
fragments, solidifies and falls as a cinders round the vent. Lava Type: Less viscous,
quite fluid basaltic lava (enriched in iron and magnesium and depleted in silica.

Examples: Paricutín in Mexico, Taal in Philippines As the lava is blown violently into
the atmosphere, it breaks into small fragments, solidifies and falls as a cinders around
the vent.

Composite Volcano

Also observed as strato-volcanoes, it includes a number of the world’s grandest

mountains. A tall conical mountain composed of an alternating layer of lava-flow,
which justifies the name composite volcano. It can have a cluster of vents, with lava
breaking through walls or issuing from fissures on the perimeters of the mountain. The
eruptions are extremely explosive and dangerous. Pressure builds within the magma
chamber as gases under immense heat and pressure are dissolved within the
magma. When the magma reaches the vents, the pressure is released, and also the
gases explode violently. These is up to 100 to 3500 meters high. Lava Type: Highly
viscous rhyolitic lava that hardens before it can spread far (high content of silica and
low iron and magnesium contents)).

Examples: Fujiyama, Mt. Mayon and Kanlaon in Philippines.

Shield Volcano

Shield volcanoes are huge, gently sloped volcanoes that just about exclusively erupts
basaltic lava and include a number of the biggest volcanoes within the world. it's built by
many layers of low-viscous lava flows. The eruptions don't seem to be explosive; the lava oozes out from the central
vent or a gaggle of vents and spreads far, building a dome shape profile sort of a warrior’s shield. They will be as high as
9000 meters from the bottom. Lava Type: Less viscous, quite fluid basaltic lava

Examples: The volcanoes within the Hawaiian Island, including Kilauea, Diamond Head, Mauna Loa.

Lava Dome

It is also referred to as volcanic dome. These are relatively small, circular mounds formed
because the lava is simply too viscous to flow, which makes it piles over and round the
vents, because the lava oozes out, its outer surface cools and hardens, then shatters,
spilling loose fragments down its side. Lava domes are found within the crater or on the
edges of enormous composite volcanoes. Their height depends on the dimensions of the
composite volcanoes they seem around. Lava Type: Highly viscous, less fluid rhyolitic lava

Examples: There are lava domes within the crater of Mount St. Helens, Chaitén lava dome,
Lassen Peak

VOLCANIC ERUPTION
Volcanic eruptions are caused by magma (a mixture of liquid rock, crystals, and dissolved gas) expelled onto the Earth's
surface, we must first relate the characteristics of magma with the volcanic eruption. This includes the types of magma,
gases in magmas, the temperature of magma, and the viscosity of magma.

Process of Volcanic Eruption

Magma inside the volcano has a high temperature. As the magma is continuously heated, it goes up. As it rises, gas
bubbles are developed. The gas bubbles are trapped and expand causing the molten material to swell also, resulting in
a gradual increase in pressure within the volcano. When the pressure exceeds the strength of the overlying rock,
fracturing occurs. The resulting breaks lead to a further drop in confining pressure, which in turn causes even more gas
bubbles to form. Magma is ejected out as lava.

Types of Volcanic Eruptions

Each volcano erupts differently. Multiple types of eruptions can occur at each volcano - the eruption type can vary
minute to minute. The style of eruption depends on a number of factors, including the magma chemistry and content,
temperature, viscosity (how runny the magma is), volume, and how much water and gas is in it, the presence of
groundwater, and the plumbing of the volcano. Volcanoes are described according to the style of the eruption as follows:

a. Phreatic or hydrothermal- An eruption driven by the heat from magma interacting with water. The water can be from
groundwater, hydrothermal systems, surface runoff, a lake, or the sea. Phreatic eruptions pulverize surrounding rocks
and can produce ash, but do not include new magma.

b. Phreatomagmatic- An eruption resulting from the interaction of new magma or lava with water and can be very
explosive. The water can be from groundwater, hydrothermal systems, surface runoff, a lake, or the sea.

c. Strombolian and Hawaiian- These are the least violent types of explosive eruptions. Hawaiian eruptions have fire
fountains and lava flows, whereas Strombolian eruptions have explosions causing a shower of lava fragments.
d. Vulcanian- are small to moderate explosive eruptions, lasting seconds to minutes. Ash columns can be up to 20 km in
height, and lava blocks and bombs may be ejected from the vent.

e. Plinian-The most explosive and largest type of volcanic eruptions. Eruptions with a high rate of magma discharge
sustained for minutes to hours. They form a tall, convective eruption column of a mixture of gas and rock particles and
can cause wide dispersion of ash. Plinian eruptions have 20 to 35 km tall columns which may collapse to form
pyroclastic density currents (PDC’s).

How do volcanic eruptions affect society?

A volcanic eruption is often associated with both positive and negative effects. Our planet, the Earth is active,
geologically speaking and as such, it undergoes a process of constant renewal by way of volcanic eruptions. Volcanoes
erupt when magma reaches the surface due to high pressure and starts to pool in a magma chamber.

Volcanic eruptions help bring put various minerals and chemicals to the surface; this process helps to increase the
fertility of the soil which is why volcanic soil is much valued. Apart from enhancing soil fertility, the resultant eruption also
helps to bring out various precious minerals buried deep in the earth such as Diamonds, Opal, Garnets, emeralds and
much more.

Volcanoes can provide you with a ready source of power since the same can be tapped by geothermal power stations
and help to power up the various cities located close by. Volcanoes have been spewing moisture-laden gases directly
into the atmosphere for almost 4 billion years and more. Volcanic ash is valued as a premium building material and it has
certainly been valued for its waterproofing properties since ancient times.
 The eruption of Pinatubo Volcano has created spectacular
resulting in an income generation of the community serving as
an attraction to the people. People became creative also by
making earthenware out of the ash fall from the Pinatubo
Volcano eruption.

All volcanic eruptions result in widespread damage to the point

that whole cities are destroyed along with the entire local
infrastructure. This can impact the local population on several
levels, and it can take a while before the city can be reconstructed. It can cause loss of lives and properties. Even
though a volcanic eruption leads to increased fertility in the soil, the process takes time. Meanwhile, the fall out on the
local environment is immediate with ash, toxic gases all of which impact the local flora and fauna.