LESSON 9.
2: VOLCANIC
ERUPTION
Volcanic eruptions consist
of the expulsion of gases,
rock fragments, and/or
molten lava from within
the Earth through a vent.
INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS
Intrusive igneous rocks solidify
within Earth. These rocks are
also known as plutonic rocks—
named for Pluto, the Roman
god of the underworld.
Intrusive igneous rocks are
generally wholly crystalline
and characterized by large
crystal sizes visible to the
naked eye because they cool
slowly.
EXTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS
These are the rocks that form at
erupting volcanoes and oozing
fissures. The magma, called lava
when molten rock erupts on the
surface, cools and solidifies almost
instantly when it is exposed to the
relatively cool temperature of the
atmosphere.
CLASSIFICATION OF VOLCANIC ERUPTION
MAGMATIC ERUPTION
HAWAIIAN
A Hawaiian eruption is a type
of volcanic eruption where lava
flows from the vent in a
relatively gentle, low level
eruption; it is so named
because it is characteristic of
Hawaiian volcanoes.
STROMBOLIAN
Strombolian eruptions are
moderately explosive
eruptions of basaltic magma
with moderate gas content.
Strombolian eruptions consist
of intermittent, discrete
explosive bursts which eject
pyroclasts as high as hundreds
of feet into the air in
firework-like incandescent
rooster-tails.
VULCANIAN
A Vulcanian eruption is a type
of volcanic eruption
characterized by a dense cloud
of ash-laden gas exploding
from the crater and rising
high above the peak. They
usually commence with
phreatomagmatic eruptions
which can be extremely noisy
due to the rising magma
heating water in the ground.
PELEAN
PLINIAN
Ultra-Plinian eruptions are
the largest of all volcanic
eruptions, and are so
voluminous that large
calderas form above vacated
magma chambers. These
eruptions are more intense
and have a higher eruption
rate than Plinian ones and
form higher eruption columns.
PHREATOMAGMATIC
ERUPTIONS
SURTSEYAN
SUBMARINE
SUBGLACIAL ERUPTION
those of ice-covered
volcanoes, result in the
interaction of magma with
ice and snow, leading to
meltwater formation,
jökulhlaups, and lahars.
Flooding associated with
meltwater is a significant
hazard in some volcanic
areas, including Iceland,
Alaska, and parts of the
Andes.
PHREATIC ERUPTIONS
A phreatic eruption is
made up of steam-driven
explosions that occur
when water beneath the
ground or on the surface
is heated by volcanic
activity. The water, once
heated, begins to boil or
can even flash straight to
steam, causing an
explosion.
