Geol 108 Study Questions: Volcanic Activity & Climate Change

These topics are covered in Chapters 6, 7, & 9 of Abbott. First, review this material and attempt to answer the study questions in the book. For additional information, diagrams, photos, animations, etc. also check out the following web pages:

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~leeman/Volcano_images.html

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~leeman/Climate_Change_Module.html

The broad questions listed below are also designed to help you prepare for the exam on these materials. It is hoped that an understanding of this material will enable you to succeed in answering the exam questions.

1. What are the basic magma types and how do they differ: e.g., basalt, andesite, rhyolite? How do physical properties of these magmas vary with composition?

2. How do physical properties of magmas influence the eruptive style (e.g., explosivity, lavas vs. pyroclastic flows, etc.) of volcanoes? In particular, what is the role of water?

3. Explain the differences between various types of volcanoes in terms of their structures, types of eruptive products, associated kinds of volcanic hazards. Basic types of volcanoes or vents include: cinder cones, stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, calderas, rift zones, etc.

4. Explain the differences between different styles of eruption and their products: lava flows (aa vs. pahoehoe), scoria and cinders, lava domes and pyroclastic flows, explosive types (vulcanian, vesuvian, plinian, pelean). Be able to cite specific examples of each.

5. Explain the relations between explosivity, magma composition, and types of volcanic landforms (see Abbott, Fig. 6.14).

6. How have volcanoes influenced the oceans, atmosphere, and life?

7. Explain the relation between style of volcanism (magma types, volcano types, eruptive styles, rates of magma production, etc.) and plate tectonic setting. How does volcanism differ between mid-ocean spreading centers, oceanic islands, volcanic arcs, intraplate settings, etc.?

9. Besides direct impact of eruptive products, what other hazards do volcanoes present to mankind? E.g., lahars, tsunamis, gas emissions, climate effects (sometimes leading to famine, etc.), major slumps or debris avalanches.

10. What styles of volcanism have occurred or likely may recur in the United States? What types of hazards does this present and where? Would this influence your decision about a vacation destination?

11. What sorts of volcanic events have killed the most people and how?

12. What are the largest types of eruptions and how frequently do they occur? Put another way, what is the relation between size of events and their frequency?

13.What is the relation between atmospheric composition and climate? What are the so-called greenhouse gases and how do they affect average temperature of the Earth's surface (i.e., explain the greenhouse effect)?

14. How do the oceans work in moderating temperatures and climate on the Earth?

15. How do glaciers affect temperatures and climate on the Earth?

16. How do plate tectonic processes affect temperatures and climate on the Earth?

17. How do volcanoes affect temperatures and climate on the Earth?

18. How is average temperature on the Earth estimated today, and how is it estimated back into geologic time? How has temperature varied over different time scales (e.g., last decade, century, millinium, Quaternary epoch, through all of geologic time; see Abbott, Figs. 9.7, 9.18, 9.20, 9.21)?

19. What is El Nino and what are its effects in the eastern and western Pacific ocean compared to normal climate regimes?

20. What is meant by 'climate change' and why should we be concerned about it (e.g., what are some implications for the future? What is the background variation in climate related to geologic and astronomical factors (see above) and what additional variation can be attributed to human activities? What are worst case scenarios for the next 100 years if current trends in global warming are maintained?