Geology of the Caribbean Island Arc System - Essay Example

How many islands are part of the Caribbean Island Arc system? How many existed in the Eocene? Explain and list. According to Harris et al., there are currently approximately 7,000 islands and islets in the Caribbean however during the mid-Eocene era the region had assumed its modern geographic configuration. From this perspective, it remains the cast that although there are several thousand islands and islets many of these become submerged during high tides. The major islands and island groups consist of Turks & Caicos, the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, and the Antiles (Greater and lesser)
2. How likely will eruptions occur on these islands? Is there anywhere it is more likely in the near future? Explain. According to Chamberlain (2007), there was a volcanic eruption at Montserrat. It was postulated that because the eruption did not cause a lava shell to claps and as such, there is the risk that this could cause additional pressure which could theoretically cause a more powerful blast at the same location however it is not clear if any place near to this location would erupt in the near future. There are conflicting reports as to the likelihood of there being a volcanic eruption in the near future however it is likely that at least some time in the future there will be some sort of volcanic eruption.
3. What is a supervolcano? According to the United States Geological Survey (2009), a supervolcano is a volcano that is capable of an eruption that ejects deposits that are greater than 1,000 cubic kilometers. Although there are not many of these supervolcanoes on the planet there is a tremendous amount of stored energy that has the potential for massive consequences should the volcano erupt.
4. What would happen if a supervolcano eruption occurred? If a supervolcano erupted would be an epic disaster that could theoretically destroy the whole world. Enough debris would be in the atmosphere that would block out the sun and could throw the world into an ice age.
7. What are the possible reasons why people live near a volcano? The reasoning behind why people would live near a volcano is largely owing to the physical geography of the surrounding area. It can be that the surrounding areas have fertile soil, access to clean drinking water, or simply because a volcano is inactive for so long that people do not view it as a legitimate threat.
8. What should people prepare for in case of an eruption? People should prepare for different things given the nature of the eruption. In the case of the volcanic explosion of Pompeii, there would be little that people could do in the event of poison gas and rapidly falling ash. All that can be done would be a mass evacuation if the location gives some warning signs. For a volcanic eruption as seen in Hawaii people can prepare for the slow progress of lava by stocking up on food & water and building their homes in areas that are unlikely to directly be affected by lava flows.
b. How are both monitored for volcanic activity? Fortunately, there is no one simple monitoring method that is utilized to determine volcanic activity rather it is a series of monitoring tools that work in conjunction. According to the USGS Volcanoes (2008) section, Volcanoes are monitored through remote sensing, seismicity, ground information, geophysical measurements, gas, and hydrology.
c. What are the chances of an eruption and how is this communicated to the public? There is little question that the volcano will erupt someday the question is when. Read More