HW_HawaiiVO_Spring2021
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EES 0836
Hawaii Volcano Observatory (HVO)
Disasters: Geology vs. Hollywood
Introduction
Steven Chemtob, PhD, watched a clip from Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York (2006), and addressed the
difficulties of forecasting eruptions. Obviously, in the clip Steven watched, tectonically speaking, there would be
no way to predict that a volcano would erupt beneath that man’s house. Note, however, that there are events that
can precede eruptions that can aid volcanologists in making predictions. In this activity, you will be using the
United States Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website and making predictions as to future
eruptions. Learning Objectives
●
Compare how the depiction of an eruption of a volcano from the movie Disaster Zone: Volcano in New
York relates to real world phenomena. (3, 4, a, b)
●
Outline how the eruption of volcanoes on Hawaii would affect people and the environment. (3, 2, a, c)
●
Assess the possibility of a future eruption through current observations. (1, 3, c)
Part 1: YVO at birds eye view
If you visit Hawaii Volcano Observatory
you can see they observe several volcanoes, including the subaquatic
volcano Loihi. Loihi is expected to become the next Hawaiian island in 10,000 to 100,000 years. Using the
included website, answer the following questions. 1.
How many volcanoes are monitored at this observatory?
There are five volcanoes monitored at this observatory.
2.
How many volcano(es), if any, are considered:
a.
Very high threat: 2
b.
High threat: 1
c.
Moderate threat: 2
3.
Are all of these the same type of volcano? Yes, they are shield volcanoes
4.
Do any volcanoes have an advisory above green/normal? If so, which volcanoes, what color is the advisory, and why?
EES 0836
No, there are not any volcanoes that have advisory above green/normal. 5.
Are volcanologists predicting it will erupt? Kilauea- erupted in June 2023 Part 2: HVO with more focus
As you could see in part 1, HVO is monitoring more than just volcanoes. But we are here to look specifically at
Kilauea, which began erupting in December 2020. Either click on the link to Kilauea under threat potential or
click here
. `
1.
What type of volcano is Kilauea?
Kilauea is shield volcano 2.
What is the composition of the lava?
The composition is Basalt 3.
What is the “Threat Potential”?
the threat potential is very high.
4.
Look at “Current Alerts”
a.
What is the current Volcano Alert Level: watch b.
What is the current Aviation Color Code: yellow 5.
Summarize the “Activity Summary”
a.
Is Kilauea erupting?
no it is not erupting b.
What is the rate of seismicity?
20
c.
What is the rate of ground deformation?
cracking d.
What is the rate of emissions, and what is Kilauea emitting?
Between 500 and 14,000 metric tons 6.
If you had the opportunity to purchase a house that was located on Kilauea, what would you do to try to protect it from future eruptions? Explain your answer. (2-3 sentences)
Firstly I would never buy a house located on Kilauea but if I did. I would try to protected by building a fence with
something that would help deter lava. And get house insurance that would cover volcano eruption.
EES 0836
Part 3: Short Answer
(2-3 paragraph)
As Steven Chemtob talked about in the reaction video, some of the events that preceded the eruption of the
volcano appear to make sense, albeit on a condensed timeline. Based on what you found in your Hawaiian
Volcano observatory research, answer the following questions:
●
What are the similarities and differences between what was in the movie clip and what you researched? In
your response, be sure to include all of the noted information that Dr. Chemtob addressed, including
tectonic setting, lava composition, events that precede the eruption, as well as the type of volcano they
thought it was.
●
If you were to rewrite this scene, what would you do to make it more realistic? Steven Chemtob talked about how the house in the clip wasn't even close to the plate boundaries or what might
have been a hot mantle. This was a mistake on the part of the filmmakers because volcanoes form near plate
boundaries, if not directly from hot plumes rising from the earth's interior, which explains why Hawaii has so
many volcanoes. The creation of a brand-new hotspot under this particular New York house is VERY unlikely.
This is consistent with the study conducted by the Hawaii Volcano Observatory.
Steven Chemtob also says that the movie nails the precursors that occur before a volcano erupts, which are similar
to an earthquake. The summary of the research on the Kilauea volcano stated that there were a fair number of
earthquakes prior to the eruption. I believe I would have chosen a location closer to a plate boundary, such as San
Francisco or Los Angeles, to make this scene seem more realistic. I wouldn't have added the volcano erupting in a
single home. Last but not least, I would have made an effort to portray the eruption more accurately.
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