Report #9

Introduction

In this report we will be talking about how the dangerous effects of a volcano can be reduce and have no effect at all.These could include how to deal with lava, ash and debris that might come out of a volcano.But before we can continue we have to start by talking about what causes a volcano.

RQ1: What causes a volcanic eruption?

Volcanoes are formed when a tectonic plate moves under another. Often a thin, dense oceanic plate subducts or moves beneath a thicker continental plate. When this happens the ocean plate sinks into the mantle. Any trapped water gets squeezed out of the rocks in this plate. This then leads to some of the rocks melting. The rocks that have melted or magma are then lighter than the rest of the rocks and rise up. The magma travels to chambers called magma chambers which are still miles beneath the surface. Once enough magma has accumulated it causes pressure and then the magma forces its way through the surface of the earth and then erupts. 

In the ocean the volcanoes are formed when two plates move away from each other causing what is called a mid-ocean ridge. These cracks in the ocean become filled with magma from the Earth’s upper mantle after the magma rises. On the mid-ocean ridges lie long chains of volcanoes.-Joe

The six types of eruptions recognised by volcanologists are the Icelandic, Hawaiian, Strombolian, Vulcanian, Pelean, and Plinian eruptions. Some of these explosions bear the names of the type of volcano, a particular volcano, or the observer of the eruption. The most dangerous being Plinian.

Well first there are a few different types of volcanoes. Some are just your normal standard volcanoes which is just a volcano that is active and could erupt this type is the most common volcano and is the one we will mostly be focusing on and the other type is a super volcano which is a volcano but if it was to erupt would be ten times worse than a normal. The most famous supervolcano is the YellowStone volcano. Now a volcano causes damage to people and buildings with its lava or debris and you won’t be able to go outside for a long time because of the ash which would not only get in your eyes but if you were to inhale it you would choke and die. These are the causes of a volcano.-Mana

RQ2: What effect does a volcano have on land and man-made features?

Volcanic ash can damage buildings. Metal roofs are susceptible to corrosive damage from ash and abrasive damage can happen to any type of roof. Ventilation systems such as heating and air conditioning can be blocked by ash and damaged. Ash can also contaminate building interiors by damaging important equipment and abrasion to flooring.

The ground also shakes due to a volcanic eruption and can even have many earthquakes leading up to the event that can cause buildings to collapse. Earthquakes can even cause volcanic eruptions and volcanoes can also cause earthquakes with the flow of magma in some cases. 

RQ3: What effect does your natural hazard have on people and society?

 Well obviously a volcano would kill people but also would ruin the  infrastructure of whatever city or town it is in. This would be devastating as when people try to hide in their buildings they will be either melted or crushed by falling debris. So this means the effects would not be good and maybe a little sad but mostly terrifying for people living next to volcanoes that they know could erupt at any moment.  

During an eruption volcanic ash is released from the volcano. Volcanic ash poses a threat to biological life because it contains fragments and particles of pieces of rock and volcanic glass. Volcanic ash can travel very far. Some of it can travel kilometres away from the volcano. The smaller the particle the farther the ash can travel. In 2008 there was a volcanic eruption in Chaitén Chile the volcanic ash travelled 1,000km. It travelled all the way to Argentina across Patagonia.

RQ4: How do people respond to and deal with a volcanic eruption?

After a volcanic eruption people would obviously panic. This would be counterproductive and lead to more injuries. During a volcanic eruption, the first thing to do is to flee the area. Once this is done do all you can to support the others that are with you and make sure you have enough food and water. Try not to have sugary or caffeinated drinks as they will increase stress. Make sure to drink enough water at least 250ml or one cup an hour. Try to make contact with your friends and family to tell them you are okay. Having warning systems in place is crucial to dealing with natural hazards. Such as monitoring volcanoes and weather patterns. Knowing a few hours before an eruption can be very useful as it can give people a chance to get prepared and quickly evacuate. Some new algorithms can analyse seismic activity and give a prediction on when a volcano might erupt. 

After the disaster be sure to listen to the news and other government sources to know when it will be safe to return and the current situation. Don’t go outside until authorities say it is safe to do so. Try to reach your family either by social media or calling them. Only use your phone for emergencies as phone systems become busy during a disaster. Avoid driving in heavy ash as it can damage your engine and stall your car. Take precautions if you have breathing problems such as Asthma or other respiratory conditions that can become worse as a result of the ash and poor air quality. Without proper training or supervision, avoid attempting to clean your roof of ash. If you have to remove ash be careful as the roof will probably be slippery because of the ash and don’t add extra weight to an overloaded roof. Wear protective equipment such as masks when cleaning up and children should not help.

 RQ5: How can the effects of the natural hazard be minimised?

Some ways to minimise the effects of volcanoes include designing the structure of buildings to be as airtight as possible to reduce the flow of ash after an eruption. Making sure that gutters are free of debris and are working as they commonly collapse after ashfall. Making sure that roof-cladding is as strong and resistant as possible to ash, gases and other aerosols from volcanoes. Building buildings with steep roofs so that the ash can run off of it better. Sealing any openings in water tanks to prevent ash from entering it.

Making sure everyone has essential emergency equipment in their homes so that in an emergency they can get them. Things that would be useful are first aid kits, dust masks and eye protection, radio, extra batteries for the radio, some cash as atm machines likely won’t be working, water for 72 hours, extra medication for household members, shovels. Also putting emergency supplies in the vehicle in case you have to stay in it for an extended period of time.

Measuring volcanoes using tiltmeters and satellites to know when they will erupt. Scientists can forecast when a volcano may erupt by monitoring tectonic activity and changes in the surface of a volcano. There have been attempts in the past to stop volcanoes from destroying infrastructure including when the US air force used bombs on advancing lava flows in Hawaii but the lava quickly advanced anyway.  There is no plausible way to stop ash lava and gas from escaping the volcano and hitting the nearby area so the next best thing is to have an evacuation plan for the event of if they erupt.

Best solution 

Lowest is best.

The best solution is preparing with Survival kits and having an evacuation plan. This is the best solution because it will ensure nearly everyone’s safety with minimum cost and more availability to everyone. As a pose to build stronger buildings which would be costly and not an option for everyone. It is the most likely to work every time as there is no error margin as seen with measuring volcanoes which the predictions are sometimes completely wrong. 

How does climate change factor into your natural hazard and how can the impacts of that be minimised?

Volcanoes also increase co2 in the atmosphere but humans produce 100 times more CO2 annually than a volcano releases during an eruption.

Volcanic eruptions are mentioned by climate scientists to clarify and explain brief cooling intervals in the planet's past. A volcanic explosion (like Mount Pinatubo or El Chichón) releases a significant number of particles and other gases every few decades. These will successfully protect us from the Sun in order to cause a brief period of global cooling. The particles and fumes usually go away within a year or two, but the impact is almost global.

As ice melts in the colder regions such as Iceland, studies have shown that there is more volcanic activity than anticipated, because There is less pressure on the earth's surface as ice sheets and glaciers melt, and the forces of stress on rocks in the crust and upper mantle alter as a result. This can lead to more molten rock, or “magma”, being produced in the mantle – which can feed more eruptions.

Conclusion 

So in conclusion volcanoes are very dangerous and volcanic eruptions can be very tragic and cause many people to lose their homes or lives. To mitigate the effects of volcanic eruptions it is important to be prepared and have a plan to get to safety. 

Bibliography

Power of Plate Tectonics: Volcanoes | AMNH

Stages of a Volcano Eruption | Sciencing

Impacts & Mitigation - Buildings

 Effects of earthquakes and volcanoes on people and the environment - Internet Geography

 Human and Environmental Impacts of Volcanic Ash

 Responding to a Disaster or Emergency

 New volcano alert system could give hours of warning | PreventionWeb

 Volcanoes | Ready.gov

 Reduction: Reduce the impacts of volcanic activity

 Impacts & Mitigation - Households

 Can the risks of volcanic eruptions be reduced? - Internet Geography

 What do volcanoes have to do with climate change?

 A volcano is erupting again in Iceland. Is climate change causing more eruptions?