Volcanoes

Catalog description

Basic concepts in Volcanology and Geosciences are explored through a series of virtual field trips to historic eruptions. Since the dawning of history, humankind has been faced with the destructive power of volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions can wipe out entire populations, destroy food supplies, and alter the Earth's climate for years at a time. At the same time, volcanoes provide fertile soil for growing crops and natural geothermal energy. This course uses virtual field trips to one pre-historic and five historic volcanic eruptions to introduce basic concepts in geosciences and volcanology. Each visits a different type of volcano with unique characteristics and impacts - a shield volcano, a cinder cone, a fissure, a stratovolcano, a lava dome, and a supervolcano. We will examine the tectonic driving forces behind these volcanoes as well as their hazards and environmental impacts. Students will use real data from active volcanic fields, as well as original data collected during home experiments, to calculate physical properties of magmas and to interpret the potential impacts of various volcanic hazards. Sidebars will delve into the less obvious interactions between humans and volcanoes from the perspective of mythology, art, and history. Observations and ideas will be logged in virtual field notebooks.