Volcanic activity: a review for health professionals

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.76.Suppl.10· OSTI ID:7193229

Newhall, C G; Fruchter, J S

Volcanoes erupt magma (molten rock containing variable amounts of solid crystals, dissolved volatiles, and gas bubbles) along with pulverized pre-existing rock (ripped from the walls of the vent and conduit). The resulting volcanic rocks vary in their physical and chemical characteristics, e.g., degree of fragmentation, sizes and shapes of fragments, minerals present, ratio of crystals to glass, and major and trace element composition. Variability in the properties of magma, and in the relative roles of magmatic volatiles and groundwater in driving an eruption, determine to a great extent the type of an eruption; variability in the type of an eruption in turn influences the physical characteristics and distribution of the eruption products. The principal volcanic hazards are: ash and larger fragments that rain down from an explosion cloud (airfall tephra and ballistic fragments); flows of hot ash, blocks, and gases down the slopes of a volcano (pyroclastic flows); mudflows (debris flows); lava flows; and concentrations of volcanic gases in topographic depressions. Progress in volcanology is bringing improved long- and short-range forecasts of volcanic activity, and thus more options for mitigation of hazards. Collaboration between health professionals and volcanologists helps to mitigate health hazards of volcanic activity.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Vancouver, WA
• OSTI ID: 7193229
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
580202* -- Geophysics-- Volcanology-- (1980-1989)
AIR POLLUTION
ASHES
BUBBLES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CRYSTALS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
ERUPTION
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FORECASTING
FRAGMENTATION
GASES
GLASS
GROUND WATER
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
LAVA
MAGMA
MATTER
MINERALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SIZE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLLUTION
RESIDUES
REVIEWS
ROCKS
SIZE
TRACE AMOUNTS
VARIATIONS
VOLATILE MATTER
VOLCANIC GASES
VOLCANIC ROCKS
VOLCANISM
VOLCANOES
WATER