VOLCANIC ACTIVITY

Volcanoes are also classified in terms of their

eruption:

 MAGMATIC ERUPTION

 PHREATOMAGMATIC ERUPTION
 Volcanoes are also classified in terms of their
eruption:

 MAGMATIC ERUPTION – produces juvenile clasts

during explosive decompression from gas release.

 PHREATOMAGMATIC ERUPTION – characterized by

an explosive water-magma interaction through which
large amounts of steam and magmatic gases are released.
 VOLCANIC ACTIVITIES USUALLY
RESULT`S IF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING
HAPPENS:

PROCESS INVOLVED IN VOLCANIC ERUPTION

VOLCANIC PROCESS refers to the eruptive and noneruptive activities that take place on
a volcano.

VOLCANIC ACTIVITIES USUALLY RESULTS IF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING

HAPPENS:
 Confining pressure decreases as a result of decompression from the
magma rising from a higher pressure point to a lower pressure unit.
 Vapor pressure increases because the magma cools
which initiates a crystallization process that enriches
the magma content.
 When the vapour pressure becomes greater than the
confining pressure, magma rises toward the surface
where the pressure is lower. Consequently, the
dissolved gas is allowed to expand and forms small gas
bubbles called vesicles in the magma.
 Prior to eruption, rising magma opens cracks in rocks beneath
the volcano. This stage is associated with earthquakes,
deformation of land surface, and release of gases.
 During eruption, volcanic gases in the magma expand and break
magma into tiny pieces called tephra.
 The viscosity or the resistance to flow of a lava determines how
easily gas escapes in the atmosphere.
NOTE:
The more viscous the lava and the greater the volume of gas is trying to escape, the
more violent and dangerous a volcanic eruption is.
 VISCOSITY DEPENDS ON THREE FACTORS:
1. Silica content of the lava – the higher the silica content (65% above),
the more explosive the eruption will be.
2. Temperature of the lava relative to the cooler temperature at which it
solidifies – if lava is hotter than it’s solidification temperature, lava is
less viscous than when its temperature is near its solidification point.
3. Gas dissolved in magma – the greater the dissolved content, the less
viscous the lava.
 Pyroclastic flows and other ejecta are mostly observed during
volcanic eruption. As pyroclastic melts snow and ice, it
provides water through which the debris my flow causing
lahar to run down the base of the volcano.
 After eruption, igneous rocks are formed.
INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS are magma trapped beneath
the surface that cools and solidifies into coarse-grained materials.

EXTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS are lavas that were ejected

from the volcano and flowed out through features onto Earth’s
surface.
 To reduce death toll and property devastation during volcanic eruptions, the
United States Geological Survey (USGS) Volcano Hazard Program has adopted
an alert-notification system.
NORMAL – GREEN
Volcano is in typical background, noneruptive state or, after a change
from a higher level, volcanic activity has ceased and volcano has
returned to noneruptive background state.
ADVISORY – YELLOW
Volcano is exhibiting signs of elevated unrest above known background
level or, after a change from a higher level, volcanic activity has decreased
significantly but continues to be closely monitored for possible renewed
increase.
WATCH – ORANGE
Volcano is exhibiting heightened or escalating unrest with
increased potential of eruption, timeframe uncertain, OR eruption
is underway with no or minor volcanic ash-ash emissions.
WARNING – RED
Eruption is imminent with significant emission of volcanic ash
into the atmosphere likely OR eruption is underway or suspected
with significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere.
Here in the Philippines, active volcanoes like Mt. Mayon
in Bicol are closely being monitored by the Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS),
a service institute of the Department of Science and
Technology that is principally mandated to mitigate
disasters brought about by geotectonic phenomena.
 With 49 historical eruptions since February 1616, Mt. Mayon was known
to the world as one of the most beautiful yet most active and dangerous
volcanoes in the earth’s history.

According to PHIVOLCS, the following are commonly observed signs

that a volcano is about to erupt through these precursors may vary from
volcano to volcano:
• Increase in the frequency of volcanic quakes with rumbling
sounds: occurrence of volcanic tremors.
• Increased steaming activity; change in color of steam
emission from white to gray due to entrained ash.
• Crater glow due to presence of magma at or near the crater.
• Ground swells, ground tilt, and ground fissuring due to
magma intrusion.
• Localized landslides, rockfalls, and landslides from the
summit area not attributable to heavy rains.
• Noticeable increase in the extent of drying up of
vegetation around the volcano’s upper slopes.
• Increase in the temperature of hot springs, wells and
crater lake near the volcano.
• Noticeable variation in the chemical content of springs
and crater lakes within the vicinity of the volcano.
• Drying up of springs/wells around the volcano.
• Development of new thermal areas and/or reactivation
of old ones’ appearance of solfataras.
 Depending on the data provided by these technologies,
PHIVOLCS can warn the people on the status of the
volcano of following this Alert Level Scheme:

LEVEL 1: ABNORMAL
Low level unrest.
No eruption imminent.
LEVEL 2: INCREASING UNREST
Moderate unrest. Unrest probably of magmatic origin eventually
lead to eruption.
LEVEL 3: INCFREASING TENDENCY TOWARD
ERUPTION
Relatively high unrest. Magma is close to the center.
LEVEL 4: HAZARDOUS ERUPTION IMMINENT
Intense unrest. Hazardous eruption is possible within
the days.
LEVEL 5: HAZARDOUS ERUPTION
Hazardous eruption ongoing.