volcanoes
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Geology
Date
Jan 9, 2024
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docx
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Uploaded by DukeWildcatMaster999
Volcanoes in United States
1.
Let's consider the map below
.
It shows current and potential volcanic activity for the United States
(
https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/index.html
). Click on this web link to see more details.
a.
What area of the United States has the most volcanic activity? Why is this so?
I would say the southern part of Alaska. This is because of the shifting of tectonic plates.
b.
Explain 1) Why the eruption type of Hawaiian eruptions differs from those in the Pacific
Northwest; 2) What volcanic hazards do residents of the Pacific Northwest have to be
concerned about that residents of Hawaii do not?
1) Hawaiian volcanoes are usual bigger but don’t erupt as violently like the ones in the
Pacific Northwest. That is for the most part because of the make up of the magma. The
magma is low viscosity in Hawaii and has a low level of silica. Making it more fluid and
runny. In the Pacific Northwest is it the opposite. It is more thick and clogs the volcano,
thus ending in a pressure build and a eruption.
2) I think one thing is the ash in the air. When volcanoes explode in the pacific northwest
it is more like a boom and it sends everything in the air. Whereas in Hawaii it mainly is
just magma moving slowly on the ground.
c.
I
s there a risk of volcanoes occurring on the Atlantic Coast? Why or why not?
2.
Every time Old Faithful spews steam into the air in Yellowstone National Park, it reminds us that there is
hot magma beneath the park capable of producing an eruption. This activity in Yellowstone is not the
first volcanism in the Yellowstone area. The least likely but worst-case volcanic eruption at Yellowstone
would be another explosive caldera-forming eruption such as those that occurred 2.1 million, 1.3
million, and 640,000 years ago, and formed Huckleberry Ridge ash bed, Mesa Falls ash bed, and Lava
Creek ash bed, respectively (see the map below).
The enormous explosive eruption 640,000 years ago
blasted ash over much of the central and south western United States, blanketing the area shown in the
figure below (Lava Creek ash bed). Suppose an eruption of the same size occurred tomorrow in
Yellowstone National Park and blasted a layer of ash across the country in an area similar to that of the
eruption 640,000 years ago. The map below projects this area onto a standard map showing the US
states.
Extent of ash deposits from the Yellowstone eruptive center 640,000 years ago
a.
What do you think would be the effect on this area of the country? Which cities and states
would suffer the most and why? Consider effects on the economy, health, food supply, and
transportation network in this area.
(A model done on the ash distribution of a yellowstone
supereruption may provide you more information when you answer this question
(https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/yellowstone/modeling-ash-distribution-a-yellowstone-
supereruption-2014
)).
I think it would be devastating. I think it would kill far more people than we think. Not
just by the initial explosion but by the quality of life. Most all the water would be
contaminated and It would be extremely hard to get around anywhere because of the air
quality. So transporting food would almost be impossible. I think a lot of people would
go into depression because of the darkness. There would be a lot of crime and it would
be declared a national emergency.
b.
Similarly, though not covered by the explosion, what do you think would be the effect on the
rest of the country that would not be directly covered by ash?
It think it would still be a huge effect, Similar to when there are hurricanes on the east
coast. The west sees high gas prices and inflation. We would be in emergency mode so
I think that usually makes the whole country panic. Toilet paper and paper towels would
be virtually non-existent.
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