How to Predict a Super Eruption

Catalog description

Volcanoes are spectacular manifestations of earth's internal energy and a tremendous hazard to society. Recently, scientists have learned to better forecast eruptive activity by monitoring seismic activity, uplift of the ground surface, and discharge of volcanic gasses. Super eruptions, including at Yellowstone Caldera and Toba, Indonesia are vastly bigger than anything experienced in human history. Students will learn about volcano monitoring, and the political and economic challenges of predicting future volcanic behavior. The seminar will be divided between the fundamentals of volcanology and discussions of the challenges scientists have in communicating to the public and civil defense, through reading and group discussions. From students who have taken the course: "I highly recommend this course! Professor Segall is absolutely fantastic, and the course lectures, readings, and discussions are very interesting." "This is a phenomenal introsem if you are at all interested in learning more about volcanoes!"