SH1639

Volcanic Phenomena

1. Lava Flow – are stream-like flows of incandescent molten rock erupted from a crater or fissure.
When lava is degassed and/or very viscous, it tends to extrude extremely slowly, forming lava
domes.

2. Ashfall or tephra fall – are showers of airborne fine- to coarse-grained volcanic particles that
fallout from the plumes of a volcanic eruption; ashfall distribution/ dispersal is dependent on
prevailing wind direction.

3. Pyroclastic flows and surges (Pyroclastic density current) – are turbulent masses of ejected
fragmented volcanic materials (ash and rocks), mixed with hot gasses (200°C to 700°C to as hot
as 900°C) that flow downslope at very high speeds (>60kph). Surges are the more dilute, more
mobile derivatives or pyroclastic flows.

4. Lahars – are rapidly flowing thick mixture of volcanic sediments (from the pyroclastic materials )
and water, usually triggered by intense rainfall during typhoons, monsoons, and thunderstor ms.
What used to be white steam slowly or drastically change to gray to dark (suggests increasing
presence of ash).

5. Ballistic projectiles – are Volcanic materials directly ejected from the volcano’s vent with force
and trajectory.

6. Volcanic gasses – gasses and aerosols released into the atmosphere, which include water vapor,
hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride.

7. Tsunami- sea waves or wave trains that are generated by sudden displacement of water (could
be generated during undersea eruptions or debris avalanches)

8. Debris avalanche or volcanic landslide - massive collapse of a volcano, usually triggered by

an earthquake or volcanic eruption. An example of recent debris avalanche event occurred during
the 1980 eruption of Mt. St Helens. Based on present morphology of volcanoes, Iriga Volcano in
Camarines Sur, Banahaw Volcano and Quezon Province and Kanlaon Volcano had pre-historic
debris avalanche events.

Reference:
CHED. (n.d.). Different types of volcanic hazards. Retrieved from
http://teachtogether.chedk12.com/teaching_guides/view/337 on March 8, 2017.

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