Predicting volcanoes

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Predicting volcanoes

Monitoring seismic activity:

Earthquake activity increases beneath a volcano prior to an eruption. As magma rises upwards it causes the ground to vibrate. This triggers earthquakes. These earthquakes acts as a warning sign that an eruption is going to occur.

Monitoring ground deformation:

As pressure from rising magma and gases increases, the peak begins to swell before an eruption occurs. Electronic distance measurement(EDM) are used to measure the size of a volcano. A change in the volcano's slope indicates a build-up of pressure.

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Monitoring gas emissions:

Gas emissions from volcanoes can lead to loss of life. Carbon dioxide monitors are usually placed around volcanoes to monitor the release of dangerous gases from their vents. This is a regular part of predicting volcanoes.

Checking historical records:

If the history of a volcano is known, it can be used with the information gathered from modern equipment to predict when a volcano is going to erupt. This is not completely accurate.