Introduction:
The Philippines is located along the Ring of Fire. As a result, it is a home to many
volcanoes. The most famous among our volcanoes is the Mayon Volcano that has
erupted last May 7, 2013 while a group of hikers were exploring its beauty.
Who could forget the terrible eruption of the Pinatubo Volcano in1992 after 600
years of inactivity? Based on statistics, in the first five years following the eruption,
lahars destroyed the homes of more than 100,000 people. Lahars also covered about
120,000 hectares with sediment to an average depth of about one meter, and floods
spread rock debris over a larger area. The eruption also affected other countries as
its emissions in the atmosphere lowered the air temperature.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
(PHILVOLCS), our country is an ideal site for any volcanic activity. It is therefore,
important for us to know this natural phenomenon happens to reduce the risks and
effects it may cause.
Classifications:
There are several ways by which volcanoes can be classified. PHILVOLCS
have adapted a system where the Philippine volcanoes as active or
inactive. Active volcanoes are those that have a record of eruption within
the last 600 years or those that erupted 10,000 years ago based on
analyses of their materials.
Inactive volcanoes, on the other hand, are those that have not erupted for
the last 10,000 years and their physical form is being changed by agents
of weathering and erosion through formation of deep and long gullies.
According to PHILVOLCS, our country has more than a hundred volcanoes
as of 2013. Twenty- three are active while the rest are inactive.
Let us relate this concept to what is happening inside the volcano.
Magma inside the volcano has high temperature. As the magma is continuously
heated, it goes up. As it rises, gas bubbles are developed. The gas bubbles are
trapped and expanded causing the molten material to swell also, resulting in a
gradual increase in pressure within the volcano. When the pressure exceeds the
strength of the overlying rock, fracturing occurs. The resulting breaks lead to a
further drop in confining pressure, which in turn causes even more gas bubbles
to form.
Lava may appear to be the primary material ejected from a volcano, but
this is not always the case. Aside from lava, broken rocks, lava bombs, fine ash
and dust also ejected. Does this have any effect on the volcanic shape? Let’s
find out how.
Volcanic landforms and eruptive styles
Volcanoes come in different shapes and sizes, and each structure has
a unique history of eruption. However, volcanologists have been able to
classify them according to their landforms and eruptive patterns. We have
considered the three general volcanic types according to the shape of their
cones, namely; shield volcanoes, cinder cones, and composite cones.
A volcano usually has a summit, slope, and a base. At the summit, there is an
opening which may either be a crater or a caldera. A crater is a funnel-shaped
opening at the top of a volcano while a caldera is formed when a part of the
wall collapses following an explosive eruption. A volcano can have one crater,
like Mayon Volcano, or more than one, like Taal volcano that has 47 craters.
A Crater and a Caldera
Volcanic activity can be very fascinating. After an explosive eruption, a scenic cone-
shaped structure may be produced or changes on its slope can be observed. The emissions
of a volcano provide us with clues on what materials are found inside the Earth. Some
eruptions are very explosive, while many others are not.
What determines the nature of eruption? There are primary factors affecting the
volcanoes’ eruptive style, namely: the magma’s temperature, its chemical composition, and
the amount of dissolved gases it contains. These factors can affect the magma’s viscosity in
different ways. Viscosity is the property of the material’s resistance to flow. It is also
described as the liquid’s thickness and stickiness. The more viscous and thicker the material
is, the greater is its resistance to flow. For instance, syrup is more viscous than water.
Let us discuss how each factor affects the viscosity of magma. First, let’s look into
how the temperature of magma affects its viscosity. The viscosity of magma decreases with
temperature. The higher the temperature of magma is, the lower its viscosity is. As lava
flows, it cools and begins to harden, its ability to flow decreases and eventually stops.
Next, let’s look at how the composition of magma affects its viscosity.
Magmas with high silica content are more viscous than those with low silica
content as shown in Figure 6. The magma that contains less silica is relatively
fluid and travels far before solidifying.
Lastly, the amount of gases contained in the magma affects its viscosity.
Other factors being equal , gas (mainly water vapor) dissolved in magma tends to
increase its ability to flow. Therefore, in near-surface environments, the loss of
gases makes magma more viscous, forming a dome or a columnar.
Types of volcanic eruptions
Volcanoes erupt differently. They are generally classified as wet or dry
depending on the magma’s water content. Volcanoes are described
according to the style of eruption as follows:
a. Phreatic or hydrothermal –
is a stream–driven eruption as the hot
rocks come in contact with water. It is
short-lived, characterized by ash
columns but may be an onset of a larger
eruption. Shown on the right is our Taal
Volcano in Batangas.
b. Phreatomagmatic – is a violent
eruption due to the contact between water
and magma. As a result, a large column of
very fine ash and high-speed and sideway
emission of pyroclastics called base surges
are observed.
c. Strombolian – a periodic weak to
violent eruption characterized by
fountain lava, just like the Irazu Volcano
in Costa Rica.
d. Vulcanian – characterized by tall
eruption columns that reach up to 20km high
with pyroclastic flow and ashfall tephra like
that of Paricutin Volcano in Costa Rica.
e. Plinian – excessively explosive type of
eruption of gas and pyroclastics, just like our
Pinatubo Volcano
Although volcanologists have different basis for classifying volcanoes,
one way to classify volcanoes is by their cones. Now that you have learned
about the relationship between volcanic emission and the shape of its slope,
let’s discuss the three volcanic cones, namely; shield, cinder, and composite
cones.
Shield volcanoes are formed by the accumulation of lava that oozes
out from the volcano. Since non-viscous lava can flow freely, a broad, slightly
domed structure that resembles a warrior’s shield. An example of this type is
the Mauna Loa Volcano in Hawaii.
Cinder cones, on the other hand, are built from ejected lava fragments.
They have a steep slope, wide crater and the most abundant of the three
major volcano types. One example of this type is the Paricutin Volcano in
Mexico.
Composite cones or stratovolcanoes are large, nearly perfect sloped
structure formed from alternate solidification off both lava and pyroclastic
deposits. One perfect example of this type of cone is our Mayon Volcano.
Quiz Time!!!
