Shield Volcano

spatter cone: When hot erupting lava contains just enough explosive gas to prevent the formation of a lava flow, but not enough to shatter it into small fragments the lava is torn by expanding gases into fluid hot clots, ranging in size from 1cm to 50cm across, called spatter. When the spatter falls back to Earth the clots weld themselves together and solidify forming steep-sided accumulations. These accumulations focused on an individual vent are called spatter cones.

(Fig. 2.5) Different Shapes of Composite Volcanoes.

(Fig. 2.4) Composite Volcano.

(Fig.2.7) Cinder Cone.

(Fig. 2.14) Hawaiian Eruption.

(Fig. 2.15) Strombolian Eruption.

(Fig. 2.16) Vulcanian Eruption.

(Fig. 2.18) Plinian Eruption.

Pelean eruptions usually develop onstratovolcanoes from magmas with a relative high degree of silica. The particular of Pelean eruptions is the dominant combination of dome-formation, nues ardentes, and laterallyblasts. Pelean eruptions are separated by decades when no activity is displayed. Warning emissions of ash begin a few weeks before the Pelean eruption, the climax develops when nues ardentesblast from the volcano. Domes that often rise out of the vents may survive as corks capping the vent until the next eruption, then they'll probably be blown away.
(Fig. 2.17) Pelean Eruption.

Calderas are huge bowlshapedcraters, usually formed by volcanic activity. Some of the earliest geologists thought the calderas are formed when violent volcaniceruptions blew the tops off thevolcano. However, few calderas are formed this way. Calderas are formed becauseeruptions of huge volumes ofpyroclastic materials had left the roof of the magma chamber unsupported, causing it to fracture and fall downwards into the chambers. Magma is also being drained from the chamber (Fig. 2.22) through fissures at depth. Collapse Caldera of Tengger in Java, of the cone occurs, as it becomes a Indonesia. jumble of enormous blocks, some of which sink through the magma. This Credit: process is termedcauldron Understanding Geography 3 subsidence. This process may take a long time to complete and often happens in an extinct volcano. An example is the caldera of Tengger in Java, Indonesia. Crater lakes are formed when a caldera becomes filled with water sometime after it is formed. An example is the Crater Lake in Oregon, America. It is nine kilometers in diameter whose floor is 600 meters in depth, while the surrounding 6800-year-old caldera walls rise steeply 600 meters above it.

(Fig. 2.23) Crater Lake, Oregon.

Volcanic plugs are formed when lava solidifies in the pipe of an extinct volcano. Over time, the volcanic cone made up of less resistant rocks wears away, leaving behind the solidified volcanic plug. The Devil's Tower in Wyoming, USA is a great example of a volcanic plug.

(Fig. 2.24) The Devil's Tower, Wyoming, USA. Credit: Understanding Geography 3

Lava plateaus (Fig. 2.25) Columbia Plateau, USA.

(Fig. 2.34) Pyroclastic flows during the eruption of Pinatubo

(Fig. 2.35) Pyroclastic Surge

a glowing cloud containing ash and pumice may be thrown into the air, this cloud will fall back onto the earth like an avalanche before it can cool off. This avalanche is called a nue ardente

Volcanic ash

(Fig. 2.39) On March 19,1982, an explosive eruption at Mount St. Helens(Washington) resulted in a lahar (the dark deposit on the snow) flowing from the crater into the North Fork Toutle River valley.

(Fig. 2.40) Debris Avalanche

At Mount St.Helens, the very hot (200C) blast devastated an area of 600sqkm! Trees and buildings were razed to the ground and scorched.

lava flows

(Fig. 2.50) Seismograph in action at Pinatubo response. Seismographic Monitoring

Volcanoes provide resources for energy extraction, also calledgeothermal resources. Heat from the earth's crust is being converted to energy. The big advantages to this type of energy are that it is very cleanand the resources are nearly inexhaustible. When a volcano erupts it throws out a lot of ash. At short notice thisash can be very harmful to the environment, but on the long term the ash layer, which contains many useful minerals, will be converted to a veryfertile soil. Volcanoes can produce very spectacular scenery like the beautiful sunsets caused by explosive eruptions. Other features include plant-rich environments, stunning eruptions, beautiful lava fountains etc.

(Fig. 2.53) Spectacular sunset on the big island of Hawaii caused by volcanic activity. Credit: Hawaiian Real Estate

(Fig. 2.54) The eruption of the Vesuvius in AD 79 has been one of the most famous eruptions ever. The cities of Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Stabiae were buried by a rain of ashes and mud. Later, scientists would discover the city of

Pompeii which remained partly intact because of the blanket ofash. Now people could learn about the Roman culture and history! Credit: USGS

(Fig. 2.55) Picture of erupting Arenal volcano, situated in Costa Rica. It emits streams of lava and it throws out glowing stones which give a beautiful effect. Credit: Michael L. Smith A big economical advantage of volcanoes is that they generate tourism. A country such as Hawaii is getting a lot income from tourism.