In the simplest terms, a volcano is a rupture in the Earth's crust which forces out volcanic ash and lava. The world has many volcanoes, some of which are active and others are dormant, but throughout history, this force of nature and resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, as well as animals. Volcanologists are the scientists who study these geological features.
Volcanologists study volcanoes for many reasons, but one of the primary goals of volcanology is our desire to predict volcanic eruptions. This, of course, has the potential to save many lives. While volcanologists can measure seismic activity and the levels of certain gases, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time at which a volcano will erupt or the extent of the eruption.
More than 25,000 people have been killed by volcanic eruptions over the course of the last 50 years as reflected by records. Lives lost the most in a certain volcanic eruption are noted to be that of Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia with more than 22,000 people killed due to its eruption. Back in 1980, the United States experienced its most destructive force when Mount St. Helen erupted causing the death of 57 people and damages amounting to millions of dollars.
Several different tools are used by volcanologists in their studies. One such important tool is the clinometers or inclinometer which is actually a tilt meter. What a clinometer does is measure the slope's angles. Especially constructed for measuring tiny changes in cases of horizontal levels - this is what the tilt meter is. Extremely small changes can be measured accurately by this device thus helping scientists to record volcanic changes. To measure seismic waves, volcanologists depend on the tool called seismometers.
It now appears obvious that before any volcanic eruption, there is seismic activity. Then there is also the release of different gases thus volcanologists turn to special devices in order to measure the levels of gases. Sulfur dioxide for instance is one of the gases whose level is measured by a correlation spectrometer. This is highly important as the rise of this gas near a volcano is sign of high probability of volcanic eruption.
At the start of the study of volcanologists, there is an array of surveying tools essential as well including theodolites and some optical instruments. Once a thorough survey is conducted rock samples can then be collected given the fact that rocks near volcanoes are sources of historical prospective on that given area. Why even when there are high-tech equipment being used these days, you should know that the most basic rock hammer is still definitely a good help for volcanologists in collecting rocks.
Volcanologists study volcanoes for many reasons, but one of the primary goals of volcanology is our desire to predict volcanic eruptions. This, of course, has the potential to save many lives. While volcanologists can measure seismic activity and the levels of certain gases, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time at which a volcano will erupt or the extent of the eruption.
More than 25,000 people have been killed by volcanic eruptions over the course of the last 50 years as reflected by records. Lives lost the most in a certain volcanic eruption are noted to be that of Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia with more than 22,000 people killed due to its eruption. Back in 1980, the United States experienced its most destructive force when Mount St. Helen erupted causing the death of 57 people and damages amounting to millions of dollars.
Several different tools are used by volcanologists in their studies. One such important tool is the clinometers or inclinometer which is actually a tilt meter. What a clinometer does is measure the slope's angles. Especially constructed for measuring tiny changes in cases of horizontal levels - this is what the tilt meter is. Extremely small changes can be measured accurately by this device thus helping scientists to record volcanic changes. To measure seismic waves, volcanologists depend on the tool called seismometers.
It now appears obvious that before any volcanic eruption, there is seismic activity. Then there is also the release of different gases thus volcanologists turn to special devices in order to measure the levels of gases. Sulfur dioxide for instance is one of the gases whose level is measured by a correlation spectrometer. This is highly important as the rise of this gas near a volcano is sign of high probability of volcanic eruption.
At the start of the study of volcanologists, there is an array of surveying tools essential as well including theodolites and some optical instruments. Once a thorough survey is conducted rock samples can then be collected given the fact that rocks near volcanoes are sources of historical prospective on that given area. Why even when there are high-tech equipment being used these days, you should know that the most basic rock hammer is still definitely a good help for volcanologists in collecting rocks.
About the Author:
Carey Bourdier loves writing about precision scientific instruments. To get more information about surveying instruments such as an electronic protractor, or to find other alignment instruments, check out the Warren Knight site now.
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