lava tube

vent

InsideanEruption

1

MagmarisesfrombelowEarth’s surface.

2

Risinggasesputpressureonthesealed vent. 

3

Gasesexplode,breakingthe seal.

4

Ahotcolumnofvolcanicashandgasshootsintothe air.

5

Duringlargeeruptions,pyroclasticflowsmadeofgasandvolcanicmattermoveathigh speeds.

6

Lavaflowsslowlyacrossthe land.

7

Lahars,mixturesofwaterandash,moverapidlydownstreamsand rivers.

8

Oncethegaseshaveescaped,theexplosionends.Thesealcloses again.

Restart

magmaand ​​​​​​​gas

HowItWorks

TheplanwastohiketothetopofSantaMaríawheretheteamcouldobservethelavadomefromabove.InsidetheCalientedome,magmaandgasweresteadilyrising.Beforeaneruption,theventatthetopofthedomeissealed.Thistrapsthemagmaandgases.Asgasbuildsup,pressurebuildsup.Eventually,theseal breaks.

Whenthesealbreaks,gasandmagmashootupward.Lavaflowsdownthevolcano.Ashspewsskyward,hundredsofmetersabovethevent.Whenallthepressurehasbeenreleased,someofthematerialresettlesoverthe vent.


Theventsealsagain.Thenthepressurebeginstobuilduntilthenext eruption.