how an explosive volcanic eruption occurs.
In: Earth Science
Before an eruption, pressure builds up in the magma pool of the volcano. In the case of an explosive eruption, the mountain basically becomes a bomb, as a thick layer of rock prevents the magma from escaping, causing pressure to build up until it is sufficient to rupture the thick, rock wall. The force required to do so is significant, so the resulting eruption is extremely powerful.
In contrast, non-explosive eruptions usually have much thinner rock encasing the magma pool, allowing it to easily melt or rupture before building up explosive pressure.
It’s a very similar process to opening a warm can of Coke after you shake it up. Except the Coke isn’t at 25 Celsius, it’s at 1,000 Celsius.
The explosive potential is tied to the amount of dissolved gasses in the magma, how thick it is, and how fast the pressure is released.
Latest Answers