GEL111 UNIT 3 ASSIGNMENT VOLCANOES
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Nicole C. Douglas
November 7, 2023
GEL111 Earth Science
Eastern Gateway Community College
Unit 3 Assignment: Volcanoes
What is the Ring of Fire? Give detailed information about location, why important, and its history of
volcanic eruptions. Why is this area so prone to earthquakes?
The Ring of Fire is a tectonic belt that surrounds the Pacific Ocean and is well known for its high volcanic
and seismic liveliness. It is about 40,000 km (25,000 mi) long and up to 500 km (310 mi) wide. It holds
between roughly
750 and 915 volcanoes, around two-thirds of the world total, and 90% of the world’s
earthquakes, including 81% of its largest, take place surrounded by the belt.
The Ring of Fire is important because it shows how the Earth’s crust is continuously transforming due to
the motion of tectonic plates. These plates are enormous pieces of the Earth’s surface that float on a
layer of molten rock called the mantle. The plates can move towards, away from, or slide past each
other, creating different types of limits. At convergent boundaries, one plate can slide under another,
forming a subduction zone. This action generates deep oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and mountain
ranges. At divergent boundaries, new crust is established by magma emerging from the mantle, creating
mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys. At transform boundaries, where plates slide past each other, faults and
fractures are created, causing earthquakes.
The Ring of Fire has a lengthy history of volcanic eruptions, some of which have been very devastating
and powerful. The four most memorable volcanic eruptions on Earth in the Holocene epoch (the last
11,700 years) all take place at volcanoes in the Ring of Fire. These are: the Mount Tambora eruption in
1815, which caused the Year Without a Summer and changed the global climate and cultivation; the
Kuwae eruption in 1452, which may have provoked the Little Ice Age and influenced European history;
the Tierra Blanca Joven eruption in 535, which caused worldwide food shortages and sickness; and the
Oruanui eruption in 26,500 BC, which created Lake Taupo and modified the landscape of New Zealand.
The Ring of Fire is also subjected to earthquakes because of the friction and tension happening by the
activity of tectonic plates. The most dominant earthquakes ever documented have occurred along the
Ring of Fire, such as the 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile, which had a magnitude of 9.5; the 2004
Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, which had a magnitude of 9.1 and killed over 200,000 people;
the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which had a magnitude of 9.0 and triggered the
Fukushima nuclear disaster; and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.9 and
destroyed much of the city.
Several hundred years ago, a volcano erupted near the city of Pompeii. Archaeologists have found the
remains of people embracing each other, suffocated by the ash and rock that covered everything.
What type of eruption, what type of volcano? Support your answer with facts about volcanic
eruptions.
The eruption that dismantled Pompeii was a Vesuvian type of volcanic eruption, which is set apart by
pillars of hot gases and ash reaching the stratosphere. The volcano that caused the eruption was a
complex stratovolcano, which is a type of volcano that typically make explosive eruptions as well as
pyroclastic flows. A pyroclastic flow is a high-density mix of hot lava blocks, pumice, ash and volcanic gas
that can roam at speeds of up to 700 km/h (450 mph). The pyroclastic flow that layed Pompeii to rest
was related with a Pelean eruption, which is a kind of eruption that requires a enthusiastic cloud of gas
and ash that drops from the summit of a volcano.
Here are some facts that reinforce the answer above:
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD began on the morning of August 24th with a Plinian eruption
that blew ash into the air between 15 and 30 km (9 and 18 miles) high. A Plinian eruption is a type of
eruption that produces a large column of gas and ash that can touch the stratosphere and spread over a
wide area.
The eruption also contained pyroclastic flows that extended to the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum,
Oplontis and Stabiae, killing thousands of people and take care of their bodies in ash. The pyroclastic
flows were connected with Pelean eruptions, which are a type of eruption that call for a glowing cloud of
gas and ash that descends from the summit of a volcano. Pelean eruptions are named after Mount
Pelée, a volcano in Martinique that erupted in 1902 and killed about 30,000 people.
The volcano that caused the eruption was a complex stratovolcano, which is a type of volcano that has a
steep cone shape and is composed of layers of lava, ash and rock. Stratovolcanoes are also known as
composite volcanoes, and they are among the most common and dangerous types of volcanoes.
Stratovolcanoes can produce a variety of eruption forms, from effusive lava flows to explosive pyroclastic
flows. Mount Vesuvius is a complex stratovolcano because it has a history of both types of eruptions,
and it also has a smaller cone inside its main crater, called a lava dome. A lava dome is a mound of jelly
like lava that accumulates around the vent of a volcano.
From what you reviewed in "Layered Earth" compare and contrast the different types of volcanoes and
the different types of lava.
There are four main types of volcanoes, each with different shapes, sizes, and eruption styles. They are
also associated with different types of lava, which have different compositions, viscosities, and
temperatures. Here is a brief comparison and contrast of the four types of volcanoes and their lava:
Cinder cones are small, steep-sided volcanoes that form from explosive eruptions of gas-rich magma.
They are usually less than 300 meters (1,000 feet) tall and have a single vent. The lava that erupts from
cinder cones is usually basaltic, which means it has a low silica content and a high iron and magnesium
content. Basaltic lava is very fluid and can flow fast over long distances. It has a temperature range of
950 to 1,170 °C (1,740 to 2,140 °F).
Composite volcanoes (also called stratovolcanoes) are large, cone-shaped volcanoes that form from
alternating layers of lava and pyroclastic material (ash, rock fragments, and gas). They have steep slopes
near the summit and gentle slopes near the base. They can have multiple vents and erupt explosively or
effusively. The lava that erupts from composite volcanoes is usually andesitic, which means it has a
moderate silica content and a moderate iron and magnesium content. Andesitic lava is more viscous
than basaltic lava and can form thick, sticky flows or domes. It has a temperature range of 800 to 1,000
°C (1,470 to 1,830 °F).
Shield volcanoes are large, broad volcanoes that form from non-explosive eruptions of low-viscosity lava.
They have gentle slopes and can cover hundreds of square kilometers. They usually have a single central
vent or a fissure system. The lava that erupts from shield volcanoes is also basaltic, but it is often more
liquid and flaming than the basaltic lava from cinder cones. It can make long, thin flows or tubes that can
travel for tens of kilometers. It has a temperature range of 1,100 to 1,200 °C (2,010 to 2,190 °F).
Lava domes are compact, rounded volcanoes that form from slow eruptions of highly viscous lava. They
can grow over existing craters or vents, or form seperately. They are often related with composite
volcanoes or calderas. The lava that erupts from lava domes is usually rhyolitic, which means it has a
high silica content and a low iron and magnesium content. Rhyolitic lava is very thick and can barely flow.
It can form spines, lobes, or plugs that can collapse or explode. It has a temperature range of 650 to 800
°C (1,200 to 1,470 °F).
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References:
Plate tectonics and the Ring of Fire. (n.d.). https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/plate-
tectonics-ring-fire/
Wikipedia contributors. (2023, October 28). Ring of fire. Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_of_Fire
Pompeii: Bodies, Mount Vesuvius & Herculaneum - HISTORY. (2010, August 27). HISTORY.
https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/pompeii
Jashemski, W. F. (2023, November 3). Pompeii | History, Volcano, Map, Population, ruins, & Facts.
Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Pompeii
Types of volcanoes - Volcanoes, craters & lava flows (U.S. National Park Service). (n.d.).
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/volcanoes/types-of-volcanoes.htm
Volcanoes: Principal types of volcanoes. (n.d.). https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/volc/types.html