Predicting Volcanic Eruptions

You can only predict eruptions if: good knowlegde of the eruptive history of a volcano have instrumentation on and around a volcano well in advance constinuously monitor and interpret data coming from equipment Methods of predicting volcanic activity: historic pattern of activity ground deformation: swelling suggests magma is moving up gas emissions: as magma nears the surgace and pressure decreases, gas escapes changes in groundwater seismicity Risk Analysis lava flows generally move slowly so rarely kill, but destroy property and agricultural land blast damage can be very destructive for areas close to volcanoes - people in danger zone killed, trees flattened and buildings destroyed ash falls cause damage to property pyroclastic flows are very hot and travel rapidly lahars can be generated by pyroclastic flows or debris avalanches that become wet by rain/rivers, move rapidly and can be very destructive and travel a long way

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