Topic 3: Volcanoes
In this topic, we will look at how plate tectonics results in volcanoes and igneous systems, the rocks which form from them, and some of the impacts these have on society.
Lecture
Lecture slides: L3 Volcanoes
Reading
I suggest read Chapters 4-5 of Lutgens and Tarbuck 2015 Essentials of Geology. Chapter 4 is the chapter on Igneous rocks and Intrusive activity, which will help you understand the first part of the lecture, and intrusive igneous rocks; Chapter 5 is the chapter on Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards, which will help you understand the second half of the lecture.
An alternative is Chapter Four of Johnson, C., Affolter, M.D., Inkenbrandt, P., and Mosher, C. (2017) An Introduction to Geology. USA: Salt Lake Community College. This is the chapter on Igneous Processes and Volcanoes.
Additional
There are several volcanoes worldwide erupting today. That’s a really good website, if anyone wants to have a look at what’s going on with volcanoes right now.
I said there were some good videos of erupting volcanoes on YouTube. BBC's Planet Earth with David Attenborough has some amazing footage of Kilauea erupting in Hawai'i, and Hawai'ian eruptions of basalt can also be seen in this stunning drone footage from Iceland. Strombolian eruptions can be seen in drone footage from Stromboli with super dramatic music but some incredible views. A Vulcanian eruption in New Guinea was captured from a boat - volume up, but watch out - the shockwave is loud. This is a lava dome growing at the Soufriere volcano in St. Vincent; and here's what happens when a lava dome collapses - a pyroclastic flow at Mt. Unzen in Japan, in 1991. Here's another pyroclastic flow carving down the side of a volcano in Indonesia, and here's one caught on CCTV. The largest, Plinian eruptions caught on film are much rarer - like the eruptions themselves - but here's part of an Italian documentary with some footage from Pinatubo in Indonesia.
Here's a link to a video about the story of a Boeing 747 which lost all four engines due to flying into volcanic ash. This video is by a pilot, so it's more about the aviation than the volcano, but it's a great video. He also has an older one on volcanic ash and aviation in general.