Volcano Erupt Case Study

Why and how would Aerial Volcano erupt?

Aerial Island that you reside on is located along a convergent plate boundary between an oceanic plate and a continental plate. When the denser oceanic plate subducts beneath the less dense continental plate, solid mantle material melts at the subduction zone. This forms magma that is kept in a magma chamber. Pressure in the magma chamber builds up over time and when this pressure is released, the magma rises through the earth’s crust to cause volcanic eruptions.

The lava from the eruption cools to form new crust and the layers of ash and lava form the volcano.

Aerial Volcano is an active volcano that erupts pyroclastic flow (movement of hot rock fragments and super heated gases ejected down slopes).

(Projected immediate physical, economic and social impacts)

• Physical

• The ash and mud from the volcano mixes with rainwater or melting ice, forming wet debris that flows down slopes. This creates lahars that can destroy human settlements and land used for agricultural purposes.

• The pyroclastic flow mainly consists of water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide released by the volcanic eruption into the air causes acid rain and the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere would add to the greenhouse effect.

• When ash from the volcanic eruption flows into nearby rivers, it could lead to water pollution. Sources of potable water would then be contaminated, especially springs that provide 85% of the water the people use. Ash also blocks rivers, causing floods that could destroy crops and settlements.

• Fires started by the lava flow destroy forests and the gases, like carbon dioxide that is poisonous when inhaled in high concentrations, released from the eruption would kill wildlife and people.

• Social

• People are killed and injured by the fast-flowing lava and collapsing buildings. The gas from the pyroclastic flow, which can reach temperatures of 350˚C to 1000˚C, would cause skin burns and burn infrastructure and