How do scientists predict volcanoes?

Answer 1

It is impossible to precisely predict when a volcano will erupt or how large that eruption will be. However in attempting to make a prediction, scientists (geologists called vulcanologists) will look at the history of past eruptions to determine how the volcano has behaved in the past, this will tell the scientist roughly how often the volcano erupts and the type/size of these eruptions. If the volcano is considered to be 'active' or dangerous, the scientist will map the volcano determining it shape, and height precisely and install GPS sensors, tilt meters and seismographs on the volcano at strategic positions. These will then be monitored (usually from a remote location as the instruments will be capable of sending in their data by radio).

When the volcano starts to become active, earthquakes will be detected (starting deep and getting shallower and shallower as magma rises up in the volcano's Plumbing). As the magma reaches the upper magma chambers the volcano will inflate (get bigger / higher) and the tilt meters will tilt. When this happens the scientists will issue a warning that the volcano is likely to erupt.

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Before a volcano erupts, magma (molten rock) rises towards the surface, breaking rock en route. As more pushes up, the rocks around it vibrate. This results in earthquakes that can sometimes cause damage to buildings but are nothing like the big tectonic quakes seen on the west coast of the US or recently in Turkey.

Any sudden change in quake activity around an active volcano will, hopefully, give scientists enough time to sound warnings.

The magma also causes ground deformation. "As magma rises into a volcano, it has to make space for itself and that means that the ground has to swell," says McGuire. Every year, his team travels to Mount Etna to measure the relative positions of several reference points using sophisticated GPS recording receivers. Any changes in position - of the order of tens of centimetres - could mean the onset of an eruption.

David Rothery, a researcher in the volcano dynamics group at the Open University, uses another method of detecting potential eruptions. Many volcanos have craters at the summit but it is usually too dangerous to put instruments there. He peers at craters from space using satellites that measure infrared radiation, and looks for any sudden changes in heat activity. He says that, depending on the volcano, scientists will get anything from several months to a few days notice of an eruption.

In theory, then, eruptions shouldn't cause casualties. But this always depends on the evacuation plans for danger areas. Before Vesuvius erupts again, for example, 600,000 people will have to be evacuated, possibly at only a couple of weeks' notice. "It's a matter of political will, it doesn't come down to the science in the end," says McGuire.

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Answer 2

The prediction of the Volcanoes is done by the Seismometer.

{A Seismometer (or seismograph) is a sensor that detects the intensity of earthquakes caused by magma that is moving.}

Answer 3

By measuring the pressures surrounding the potential volcano a scientist can see if the earth is about to break. It's like bending a pencil. To place where the pencil is bending the most is where you expect the break and yo know from experience about how much the pencil can take.

Answer 4

kill a man first and you will know how to predict a volcano

Answer 5

yes volcanoes can be predicted as there asre many methods in which you can predict such as:
sesmometer
tilt meter
gravi meter
gps


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Answer 6

Research a bit about volcanoes and put some vans on and you will get an a on you research and information

Answer 7

earthquakes is 1 way volcanoes can be predicted