Volcanoes - how are they formed, why do they erupt and why are they dangerous and useful? Volcano. What is Vulcan? Largest active volcano

19.02.2014

In countries where there are volcanoes, such as Indonesia, they are located in large provinces such as West Java, East Java or Central Java. One of the worst disasters is a volcanic eruption, which can claim hundreds or even thousands of lives. It is impossible to forget about the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano, the enormous damage and thousands of victims. And here we present a list of the most dangerous and active volcanoes in the world. However, not all volcanoes are dangerous. is in great demand among travelers and wildlife lovers.

No. 10. Hawaii, Mauna Loa volcano

Mauna Loa is one of the five mountains that form the island of Hawaii. Despite the fact that this is not the most high mountain, a volcanic eruption poses a high danger, since its lava basically has a liquid consistency, which can lead to serious fires. Mauna LOA is the most big volcano in the world (by volume and area), taking into account the volume of lava, it reaches 18,000 cubic miles. Last eruption occurred on April 15, 1984.

No. 9. Philippines, Taal Volcano

About 50 km (31 miles) from the capital Manila is one of the most dangerous volcanoes, Taal. This mountain is an island on Lake Taal, which is located inside a caldera formed as a result of very strong previous eruptions (this process is similar to Lake Toba). Taal Volcano is a complex of volcanoes on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. This volcano has experienced violent eruptions several times, including one of the most powerful eruptions that killed more than a thousand people.

No. 8. Papua New Guinea, Ulawun Volcano

Ulawun Volcano is located in Papua New Guinea, on the Bismarck Archipelago, and is one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes New Guinea. Several eruptions have been recorded, with one of the most powerful occurring in 1980, the ash column spewed from Ulawun reaching 60,000 feet in height, and its pyroclastic flows engulfed the mountains on all sides.

No. 7. Congo, Nyiragongo volcano

It has erupted at least 34 times since 1882. One of the worst eruptions occurred on September 17, 2002, when lava that flowed down the slopes of Nyiragongo covered about 40% of the city of Goma and left almost 120,000 people homeless. Nyiragongo is one of the most active volcanoes in Africa, his activity never stops.

No. 6. Indonesia, Merapi volcano

Mount Merapi is a conical volcano located in Indonesia on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta. Much of the Merapi eruption, including lava, continues to descend, accompanied at times by hot smoke capable of spreading at speeds of up to 120 km per hour. This is the most active and dangerous volcanoes in Indonesia, they became active 10,000 years ago, and their activity has not stopped since 1548.

No. 5. Colombia, Galeras volcano

This mountain most active volcano in Colombia. Since 2000, its eruptions have occurred almost every year. This is dangerous because... the frequency of eruptions is unpredictable. The Galeras volcano has been active for at least a million years. Its location near the southern Colombian border with Ecuador could result in hot lava flowing 3.5 km down the slope of Mount Galeras. The last eruption on January 3, 2010 forced the government to evacuate 8,000 people.

No. 4. Japan, Sakurajima volcano

The Sakurajima volcano is located on the island of Kyushu in Japan and is one of the most dangerous volcanoes. A terrible eruption occurred on March 10, 2009, with the volcano throwing rocks and other rocks up to 2 miles away. The intensity of the Sakurajima eruption is one of the most powerful not only in Japan, but also in the world. Over the past 45 years, 73 eruptions have been recorded.

No. 3. Mexico, Popocatepetl volcano

The active volcano Popocatepetl is located at an altitude of 5426 meters above sea level. Starting in December 1994, the dangerous activity of the volcano continued until this happened in 2000. violent eruption, as only known to history. Since 1519, 20 eruptions have been recorded. The explosion was so strong that it threw ash over a fairly long distance.

No. 2. Italy, Vesuvius volcano

Mount Vesuvius is an active volcano in Gulf of Naples, in Italy, approximately 9 miles east of Naples. Mount Vesuvius is the only volcano in Europe that has erupted in the last 100 years. This volcano could explode at any moment and severely punish the people living in its vicinity. Lava eruptions from a volcano can reach high altitude, so in March 1994, lava splashed to a height of up to 1000 meters. The famous eruption of 79 destroyed the ancient Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

No. 1. USA, Yellowstone volcano

Yellowstone Volcano – the most dangerous and active volcano in the world. Rocks and rocks ejected from this volcano can be scattered over a distance of up to 1000 km. The volcanic eruption of lava and ash from this mountain threatens the extinction of living things and can cause a mass disaster because it will entail others volcanic activity, determined by tectonic fluctuations, which will cause other explosions.

Ancient people naively mistook volcanic eruptions for the wrath of the gods, however, many people still think so today. But the enlightened part of humanity has long understood that the matter here is not at all about the gods. Under the Earth's mantle there is an ocean of molten magma, which in some places presses harder than usual on the earth's crust and breaks through to the surface, pouring out in the form of lava flows from volcanic vents. Although lava flows burn everything in their path, they are not the worst thing in volcanic eruption, because there are also deadly pyroclastic flows, ash clouds, acid rain, volcanic bombs and earthquakes accompanying the eruption. As for the TOP 10 most dangerous volcanoes in the world, in a matter of hours after the eruption they can change everything around them beyond recognition.

1. Yellowstone supervolcano, USA

In the 60s of the last century, scientists discovered that a vast area in Yellowstone national park is a giant caldera of an ancient supervolcano. More than 3 million daredevils come every year to see the caldera’s increasing activity every year. Of course, it is very interesting to watch the work of geysers and hot springs, but they are potentially harbingers of catastrophic events.
Scientists have determined that the last time this supervolcano exploded was approximately 640 thousand years ago. If this were to happen again today, 87,000 people living near Yellowstone would likely die. A powerful eruption could completely change the landscape of the western United States, and huge masses of volcanic ash would cause climate change around the world and threaten the lives of people and animals. The explosion of such a volcano would become a full-scale global catastrophe, comparable to the fall of a large meteorite. Scientists suggest that at a depth of 8 kilometers under the caldera, a giant bubble of magma slowly rises, which heats the groundwater to a boil - hence the numerous hot springs and geysers. Unfortunately, science is still unable to make accurate predictions regarding eruptions, so we can only hope that it won't be too soon.

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2. Vesuvius, Italy

The last time Vesuvius, which has a height of 1281 meters, erupted in 1944. All schoolchildren are familiar with this volcano from the famous painting by Karl Bryullov “The Last Day of Pompeii”, which picturesquely depicts the strong eruption of 79 that destroyed all local settlements, the most famous of which were the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The ash of the pyroclastic flow that covered Pompeii preserved everything that did not have time to burn, and after large-scale excavations a very interesting museum open air.
Vesuvius erupts about once every 20 years, although its last eruption was in 1944. Despite this, people continue to actively settle in the immediate vicinity of the mountain and even on it itself. Therefore, any powerful eruption of Vesuvius may again be accompanied by large human casualties.

3. Popocatepetl, Mexico

With a height of 5426 meters, the Popocatepetl volcano last erupted in 2000. It is only about 50 kilometers from Mexico City. During the last eruption, the authorities saved 41 thousand local residents from certain death by evacuating them in time. But with 9 million Mexicans now living within the blast radius of the volcano, a potential explosion could spell disaster. The activity of the volcano and the densely populated surroundings make Popocatépetl very dangerous. The peaks of the volcano are covered with glacier. According to historical data, after 1519 there were over 20 eruptions of this volcano.

4. Sakurajima, Japan

The volcano is not very high (1117 meters), and last erupted in 2015. Due to its high activity, it is called the “eastern Vesuvius”. At one time, the volcano rose from under the water near the coast of Japan, but after the 1914 eruption, lava flows formed a “bridge” connecting the volcano to the “mainland”. Every year, thousands of micro-eruptions of Sakurajima occur, during which ash is ejected from its vent and spread throughout the surrounding area. In the event of a powerful eruption, the city of Kagoshima with a population of 700 thousand people will be in danger.

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5. Galeras, Colombia

The last time this tall (4276 m) volcano erupted was in 2010. It is located on the border with Ecuador. Volcanologists have determined that this volcano has been active for at least a million years. Its first documented eruption took place in 1580. Galeras remained inactive for a decade after 1978, after which it began to erupt regularly again. On the eastern ridge of the volcano is the city of Pasto, where 450 thousand Colombians live, risking their lives.

6. Merapi, Indonesia

The 2,930-metre tall volcano Merapi, which means “mountain of fire”, last staged a show in 2010. In Indonesia, it is the most active of the active volcanoes, pouring out a huge volume of lava, for which it has no equal in the world. The volcano has been active for at least 10,000 years. The latest eruption killed 353 Indonesians and left 320 thousand homeless. The city authorities then finally developed an evacuation plan.

7. Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of Congo

The last time this 3,470 m high volcano erupted was in 2011. It has a very large crater, which periodically fills with lava, and then lava lake disappears. But sometimes things go wrong, for example, in 1977, when under the pressure of lava the crater wall collapsed, and liquid molten stone rushed down to the villages at the speed of a locomotive. As a result, thousands of people were killed and injured by the lava. In 2002, under similar circumstances, another 147 people died, and 120 thousand people were left homeless.

8. Ulawun, Papua New Guinea

The 2,334-meter active volcano last erupted in 2013. Locals They respectfully call him “father.” This symmetrical peak grew on the island of New Britain. Since the beginning of the 18th century, 22 powerful eruptions of the Ulawun volcano have been recorded. Residents living next to it still witness its periodic weak eruptions. Although now the mountain looks impeccable from the point of view of decorating the landscape, after a strong eruption it is unlikely to retain its exterior, and significant areas of the surrounding lands will be destroyed.

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9. Tal, Philippines

This volcano is very small in height - only 311 meters, and its last eruption was observed in 1965. This volcano grew in the middle of Lake Tal on the Philippine island of Luzon. Manila, the capital of the country, is very close, so for its population of 1.6 million people, the volcano is not at all a hypothetical threat. This “baby” has erupted 33 times since 1572. Although many tourists come to this island every year, they are immediately warned to stay away from the volcano. The most powerful eruption of the last century occurred here in 1911. Then the volcano was able to kill more than 1,330 people, and all living creatures within a radius of 10 kilometers died.

10. Mauna Loa, Hawaii

This tall (4,169 meters) volcano last erupted in 1984. In general, it has been active for at least 700 thousand years. But, fortunately, most of its eruptions are weak, only occasionally lava flows acquire high speed and become dangerous for settlements located on the slopes. Basically, the volcano spews viscous lava, which slowly creeps along the surface, so residents have time to evacuate. But volcanologists believe that the likelihood of a catastrophic eruption of this volcano is very high. In addition to eruptions, Mauna Loa is also dangerous due to destructive landslides, which, although rare, are extremely dangerous.

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In the past, people thought that volcanic eruptions were punishment from the gods. Today we understand that this is not so. Volcanic eruptions occur due to the excessive accumulation of very hot magma, which makes its way to the earth's surface through holes in the earth's crust, that is, through volcanic craters. When this magma reaches the surface, the consequences are catastrophic.
We have compiled especially for your attention the ten most dangerous volcanoes in the world, which can erupt at any time and create devastation around in a matter of hours.

Ten most dangerous volcanoes in the world

10. Taal Volcano, Philippines

This cinder cone volcano is located on the island of Luzon, in Taal Lake. It is located just 31 kilometers from the city of Manila, which has a population of about 1.6 million people. Scientists believe that this volcano has erupted about 33 times. It is reliably known that in 157, magma burned to the ground the population that lived near the active volcano. It is also worth considering that the volcano requires study due to the high danger to humans and the environment.

9.Ulavun Volcano, Papua New Guinea

Also, locals also call this volcano “Father”. Ulawun is a symmetrical volcano located on the island of New Britain. Its height reaches about 2334 meters, which is why it is one of not only the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, but also the highest.

Ulawun is an active volcano. Since the 1700s, 22 eruptions have been recorded. Local residents regularly watch tiny explosions occur in the crater of the volcano with a splash of lava and ash.

8. Volcano Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of the Congo

It is considered the most active volcano on the African continent. Nyiragongo Volcano is known for its lava lakes, which mainly appear in the crater. This volcano is an active threat to people living in its vicinity.

One of the last strong eruptions in 1977 led to the death of several hundred people. There could have been significantly more casualties if people had not evacuated in time. The lava erupted by the volcano destroyed almost all residential buildings located at the foot of Nyiragongo.

7. Merapi Volcano, Indonesia

Locals call this volcano “The Mountain of Fire.” It is also considered one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in the world. Scientists claim that the activity of this volcano previously continued for more than 10,000 years in a row.

About 1,300 people died during the last major eruption of Mount Merapi, which occurred in 1930. Since then, the government of Yogyakarta, which is located on the slope of the volcano, has developed a special plan for the evacuation of citizens.

6. Galeras Volcano, Colombia

This volcano is located in the young part of Colombia. Galeras has been active for about 1 million years. On its slope there is a city with 450,000 inhabitants called Pasto.

IN modern times The volcano became active in 1978, but its activity was not significant then. Then another ten years later there was a new eruption. But the worst thing is that since 2000, Galeras began to erupt regularly, albeit with little force.

5. Sakurajima Volcano, Japan

This is a composite volcano located in Japan. Previously, Sakurajima was located on separate island. He has a very high level activity.

Every year, scientists record small eruptions from the crater of this volcano, during which ash is thrown into the atmosphere and scattered throughout the surrounding area. If a more serious eruption occurs, a large number of residents of the nearby city of Kagoshima will find themselves in mortal danger.

4. Popocatepetl Volcano, Mexico

The peak of this volcano is covered by a glacier. Popocatepetl is located just 35 miles from Mexico City. Also within the radius of a possible eruption are many people living in this area. Since 1519, Popocatepetl has erupted more than 20 times.

The last eruption occurred in 2000. Then it was possible to evacuate people in time and save thousands of lives that could have been claimed by one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.

3. Yellowstone Caldera, USA

Tourists from all over the world feel drawn to the bubbling springs in Yellowstone National Park. The beauty of this park is breathtaking and intoxicating for visitors. However, underneath this beauty lies a dangerous volcano that will burn to destroy the entire western United States.

The Yellowstone caldera is truly enormous. People have never witnessed its eruption, but scientists have learned that the last eruption of this volcano occurred hundreds of thousands of years ago. Experts suggest that the volume of lava “splashed out” on the surface during that period of time was 25 thousand times greater than the eruption of St. Helens in 1980.

2. Volcano Vesuvius, Italy

Probably the most famous volcano in the world It is located in the Campania region, Italy. The last eruption of Vesuvius occurred in 1944, but fortunately there were no serious consequences. About three million people live in close proximity to the volcano's slope. The houses of these people are located 5 kilometers from Vesuvius. Therefore, it is also considered the most densely populated volcanic region in the entire world.

Vesuvius is the only volcano on the European continent that was active in the last century. Its most famous eruption occurred in 79 AD, burying the nearby cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under lava.

1. Mauna Loa Volcano, Hawaii

Mauna Lao the most dangerous volcano in the world and the biggest. The last time it erupted was in 1984. The lava caused serious damage to the surrounding area. However, there is very good news - the erupting lava of Mauna Lao is spreading very slowly throughout the surrounding area, which gives additional time for evacuation.

Mauna Laon also poses another devastating environmental threat in the form of landslides. Although this is a very rare process, it is really worth fearing.

Similar materials

10 largest and most dangerous volcanoes on Earth.

A volcano is a geological formation that arose due to the movement of tectonic plates, their collision and the formation of faults. As a result of collisions between tectonic plates, faults form and magma comes to the surface of the Earth. As a rule, volcanoes are a mountain at the end of which there is a crater, which is where lava comes out.

Volcanoes are divided into:

- active;
- sleeping;
- extinct;

Active volcanoes are those that erupted in the near future (approximately 12,000 years)
Dormant volcanoes are volcanoes that have not erupted in the near future, but their eruption is practically possible.
Extinct volcanoes include those that have not erupted in the near historical future, but the top has the shape of a crater, but such volcanoes are unlikely to erupt.

List of the 10 most dangerous volcanoes on the planet:

1. (Hawaii Islands, USA)

Located in the islands of Hawaii, it is one of the five volcanoes that make up the islands of Hawaii. It is the largest volcano in the world in terms of volume. It contains more than 32 cubic kilometers of magma.
The volcano was formed about 700,000 years ago.
The volcano's last eruption occurred in March 1984, and it lasted for more than 24 days, causing enormous damage to people and the surrounding area.

2. Taal Volcano (Philippines)

The volcano is located on the island of Luzon, belonging to Philippine Islands. The crater of the volcano rises 350 meters above the surface of Lake Taal and is located almost in the center of the lake.

The peculiarity of this volcano is that it is located in the crater of a very old extinct mega volcano, now this crater is filled with lake water.
In 1911, the most powerful eruption of this volcano occurred - then 1335 people died, within 10 minutes all life around the volcano died at a distance of 10 km.
The last eruption of this volcano was observed in 1965, which resulted in 200 casualties.

3. Volcano Merapi (Java Island)

The name of the volcano is literally Mountain of Fire. The volcano has been erupting systematically for the last 10,000 years. The volcano is located near the city of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with a population of several thousand people.
It was the most active volcano among the 130 volcanoes in Indonesia. The eruption of this volcano was believed to have led to the decline of the Hindu Kingdom of Matarama. The peculiarity and horror of this volcano is the speed of spread of magma, which is more than 150 km/hour. The volcano's last eruption occurred in 2006 and claimed 130 lives and made more than 300,000 people homeless.

4. Volcano Santa Maria (Guatemala)

This is one of the most active volcanoes of the 20th century.
It is located at a distance of 130 kilometers from the city of Guatemala, and is located in the so-called Pacific. Ring of Fire. The Santa Maria crater was formed after its eruption in 1902. About 6,000 people died then. The last eruption occurred in March 2011.

5. Ulawun Volcano (Papua New Guinea)

The Ulawun volcano, located in the New Guinea region, began erupting at the beginning of the 18th century. Since then, eruptions have been recorded 22 times.
In 1980, the largest volcanic eruption occurred. The ejected ash covered an area of more than 20 square kilometers.
Now this volcano is the highest peak in the region.
The last volcanic eruption occurred in 2010.

6. Galeras Volcano (Colombia)

The Galeras Volcano is located near the border of Ecuador in Colombia. One of the most active volcanoes in Colombia, it has erupted systematically over the past 1000 years.
The first documented volcanic eruption occurred in 1580. This volcano is considered the most dangerous because of its sudden eruptions. Along the eastern slope of the volcano is the city of Paphos (Pasto). Paphos is home to 450,000 people.
In 1993, six seismologists and three tourists died during a volcanic eruption.
Since then, the volcano has erupted every year, claiming thousands of lives and making many people homeless. The last volcanic eruption occurred in January 2010.

7. Sakurajima Volcano (Japan)

Until 1914, this volcanic mountain was located on a separate island in close proximity to Kyushu. After the volcanic eruption in 1914, a lava flow connected the mountain to the Ozumi Peninsula (Japan). The volcano was named Vesuvius of the East.
He serves as a threat to the 700,000 people of Kagoshima City.
Since 1955, eruptions have occurred every year.
The government even built a refugee camp for the people of Kagoshima so they could find shelter during the volcanic eruption.
The last eruption of the volcano occurred on August 18, 2013.

8. Nyiragongo (DR Congo)

It is one of the most active, active volcanoes in the African region. The volcano is located in Democratic Republic Congo. The volcano has been monitored since 1882. Since the start of observations, 34 eruptions have been recorded.
A crater in the mountain serves as a holder for magma fluid. In 1977, a major eruption occurred, neighboring villages were burned by streams of hot lava. The average speed of the lava flow was 60 kilometers per hour. Hundreds of people died. The most recent eruption occurred in 2002, leaving 120,000 people homeless.

This volcano is a caldera, a formation of a pronounced round shape with a flat bottom.
The volcano is located in Yellow National Park in the United States.
This volcano has not erupted for 640,000 years.
The question arises: How can it be active volcano?
There are claims that 640,000 years ago, this super volcano erupted.
This eruption changed the terrain and covered half of the United States in ash.
According to various estimates, the volcanic eruption cycle is 700,000 - 600,000 years. Scientists expect this volcano to erupt at any time.
This volcano could destroy life on Earth.

In ancient times, volcanoes were the tools of the gods. These days they pose a serious danger to settlements and entire countries. Not a single weapon in the world has been given such power on our planet - to conquer and pacify a raging volcano.

Now means mass media, cinema and some writers fantasize about future events famous park, the location of which is known to almost everyone who is interested in modern geography - we are talking about a national park in the state of Wyoming. Undoubtedly, the most famous supervolcano in world history of the last two years is Yellowstone.

What is a volcano

For many decades, literature, especially in fantasy stories, has attributed magical properties to the mountain, which is capable of spewing fire. The most famous novel that described an active volcano is “The Lord of the Rings” (where it was called “the lonely mountain”). The professor was right about this phenomenon.

None of the people can look at mountain ranges up to several hundred meters high, without respect for the ability of our planet to create such magnificent and dangerous natural objects. These giants have a special charm that can be called magic.

So, if we discard the fantasies of writers and the folklore of our ancestors, then everything will become simpler. From point of view geographical definition: a volcano (vulkan) is a rupture in the crust of any planetary mass, in our case the Earth, due to which volcanic ash and the gas accumulated under pressure along with magma escapes from the magma chamber, which is located under the solid surface. At this moment an explosion occurs.

Causes

From the very first moments, the Earth was a volcanic field, on which trees, oceans, fields and rivers subsequently appeared. Therefore, volcanism accompanies modern life.

How do they arise? On planet earth, the main cause of formation is the earth's crust. The fact is that above the earth’s core there is a liquid part of the planet (magma), which is always moving. It is thanks to this phenomenon that there is a magnetic field on the surface - a natural protection against solar radiation.

However, the earth's surface itself, although solid, is not solid, but is divided into seventeen large tectonic plates. As they move, they converge and diverge; it is because of the movement that ruptures occur at the places where the plates touch, and this is how volcanoes arise. It is not at all necessary that this happens on continents; at the bottom of many oceans there are also similar gaps.

Structure of the volcano

A similar object forms on the surface as lava cools. It is impossible to see what is hidden under many tons of rock. However, thanks to volcanologists and scientists, it is possible to imagine how it works.

A drawing of a similar representation is seen by high school students on the pages of a geography textbook.

The structure of the “fire” mountain itself is simple and in cross-section looks like this:

crater - tip;
vent – a cavity inside a mountain through which magma rises;
magma chamber - a pocket at the base.

Depending on the type and form of formation of the volcano, some structural element may be missing. This option is classic, and many volcanoes should be considered in this context.

Types of volcanoes

The classification is applicable in two directions: by type and form. Since the movement of lithospheric plates is different, the rate of cooling of magma varies.

Let's first look at the types:

active;
sleeping;
extinct.

Volcanoes come in different shapes:

The classification would not be complete if we did not take into account the relief forms of the volcano crater:

caldera;
volcanic plugs;
lava plateau;
tuff cones.

Eruption

An ancient force, like the planet itself, that can rewrite the history of an entire country is an eruption. There are several factors that make such an event on earth the deadliest for residents of some cities. It is better not to get into a situation where a volcano is erupting.

On average, 50 to 60 eruptions occur on the planet in one year. At the time of writing, about 20 ruptures are flooding the surrounding area with lava.

The algorithm of actions may change, but this depends on the accompanying weather conditions.

In any case, the eruption occurs in four stages:

Silence. Large eruptions show that it is generally quiet until the first explosion occurs. There is nothing to indicate the coming danger. A series of small tremors can only be measured by instruments.
Lava ejection and pyroclastite. A deadly mixture of gas and ash at a temperature of 100 degrees (reaches 800) Celsius is capable of destroying all life within a radius of hundreds of kilometers. An example is the eruption of Mount Helens in May of the eighties of the last century. Lava, the temperature of which can reach one and a half thousand degrees during an eruption, killed all living things at a distance of six hundred kilometers.
Lahar. If you are unlucky, it may rain at the eruption site, as happened in the Philippines. In such situations, a continuous stream is formed consisting of 20% water, the remaining 80% - rock, ash and pumice.
"Concrete". The conventional name is the hardening of magma and ash caught under a rain stream. A similar mixture destroyed more than one city.

Eruption – extremely dangerous phenomenon, over half a century it killed more than twenty scientists and several hundred civilians.

The largest volcano in the world

Mauna Loa is the most high volcano on the ground. It is located on island of the same name(Hawaii) and rises 9 thousand meters from the ocean floor.

His last awakening took place in the year 84 of the last century. However, in 2004 he showed the first signs of awakening.

If there is the largest one, then there is also the smallest one?

Yes, it is located in Mexico in the town of Pueblo and is called Coshcomate, its height is only 13 meters.

Active volcanoes

If you open a world map, then with a sufficient level of knowledge you can find about 600 active volcanoes. About four hundred of them are found in the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire."

Eruption of the Guatemalan volcano Fuego

Perhaps someone will be interested list of active volcanoes:

on the territory of Guatemala - Fuego;
on Hawaiian Islands– Kilauea;
within the border of Iceland – Lakagigar;
on Canary Islands– La Palma;
on the Hawaiian Islands - Loihi;
on the Antarctic island - Erebus;
Greek Nisyros;
Italian volcano Etna;
on Caribbean island Montserrat – Soufrière Hills;
Italian mountain in the Tyrrhenian Sea - Stromboli;
and the most famous Italian - Mount Vesuvius.

Extinct volcanoes of the world

Volcanologists sometimes cannot say for sure whether natural object extinct or dormant. In most cases, zero activity of a particular mountain does not guarantee safety. More than once, giants that had fallen asleep for many years suddenly showed signs of activation. This happened with the volcano near the city of Manila, but there are many similar examples.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Below are just a few extinct volcanoes known to our scientists:

Kilimanjaro (Tanzania);
Mt Warning (in Australia);
Chaine des Puys (in France);
Elbrus (Russia).

The most dangerous volcanoes in the world

Eruption even small volcano It looks impressive, you just have to imagine what monstrous power lurks there, in the depths of the mountain. However, there is clear data that volcanologists use.

Through long observations, a special classification of potentially dangerous volcanic mountains was created. The indicator determines the impact of the eruption on the surrounding areas.

The most powerful explosion can follow from the eruption of a mountain of colossal proportions. Volcanologists call this kind of “fire” mountains a supervolcano. On the activity scale, such formations should occupy a level of at least eight.

Volcano Taupo in New Zealand

There are four of them in total:

Indonesian supervolcano of Sumatra-Toba island.
Taupo is located in New Zealand.
Serra Galan in the Andean mountains.
Yellowstone in the North American park of the same name in Wyoming.

We have collected the most interesting facts:

the largest (in terms of duration) is the eruption of Pinatubo in 91 (20th century), which lasted more than a year and reduced the temperature of the earth by half a degree (Celsius);
the mountain described above threw 5 km 3 of ash to a height of thirty-five kilometers;
the largest explosion occurred in Alaska (1912), when the Novarupta volcano became active, reaching a level of six points on the VEI scale;
the most dangerous is Kilauea, which has been erupting for thirty years since 1983. Active on this moment. Killed more than 100 people, over a thousand more remain at risk (2018);
the deepest eruption to date occurred at a depth of 1200 meters - Mount West Mata, near the island of Fiji, Lau River basin;
the temperature in a pyroclastic flow can be more than 500 degrees Celsius;
The last supervolcano erupted on the planet about 74,000 years ago (Indonesia). Therefore, we can say that not a single person has ever experienced such a catastrophe;
Klyuchevsky on the Kamchatka Peninsula is considered the largest active volcano in the Northern Hemisphere;
ash and gases emitted by volcanoes can color sunsets;
the volcano with the coldest lava (500 degrees) is called Ol Doinyo Langai and is located in Tanzania.

How many volcanoes are there on earth

There are not too many crustal ruptures in Russia. From the school geography course we know about Klyuchevsky volcano.

In addition to him, on the beautiful planet there are about six hundred active ones, as well as a thousand extinct and sleeping ones. It is difficult to determine the exact number, but their number does not exceed two thousand.

Conclusion

Humanity should respect nature and remember that it has more than one and a half thousand volcanoes in its arsenal. And let as few people as possible witness such a powerful phenomenon as an eruption.

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