Why is it in the news?

• The recent eruptions at Mount Etna have led to flight cancellations at nearby airports.
• Mount Etna is Europe’s most active volcano and one of the largest in the world.
• Recorded volcanic activity at Mount Etna dates back to 1500 B.C., and it has erupted more than 200 times.

About Volcano

• Volcanoes are openings or vents where lava, tephra (small rocks), and steam erupt onto the Earth’s surface.
• They can be on land or in the ocean and usually form mountains from layers of rock, ash, or other materials.
• Volcanoes can be classified as active, dormant, or extinct.
• Active: Recently erupted or expected to erupt soon.
• Dormant: No recent eruptions but might erupt in the future.
• Extinct: Unlikely to erupt again.

Types of Volcanoes

• Four main types of volcanoes: Cinder cones; Composite or stratovolcanoes; Shield volcanoes; and Lava domes.
• The type depends on the lava flow characteristics and their impact on the volcano and its surroundings.

How Volcanoes Erupt

• Eruption characteristics depend on magma composition (silica content) and gas content.
• High silica magma is thick and leads to explosive eruptions.
• Low silica magma is thin and results in less explosive eruptions.
• Bubbles form in magma with lots of gas, making eruptions more explosive.
• Erupted magma is called

Effects of Volcanism

• On the Environment: Creation of volcanic landforms, impact on climate and weather patterns, habitat destruction, introduction of new species, and formation of new ecosystems.
• Health Threats: Suffocation, respiratory diseases, burns, skin irritations, food and water contamination, and disruption of basic services.
• Scientists can predict volcanic eruptions hours or days in advance using seismographic data from earthquakes and tremors as precursors.