Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Below is a categorized listing of questions that we commonly receive. Click the question to find out the answer!

Volcanic Effects

What are some good things that volcanoes do?
How do volcanoes affect people?
How do volcanoes affect plants and animals?
How do volcanoes affect the atmosphere and climate?

Studying Volcanoes / Volcanology

How good are volcanologists at predicting eruptions?
What are some good general books on volcanoes?
What does a volcanologist do?
Is volcanology dangerous?
How much does a volcanologist make?
How many volcanologists are there in the World?
What is Volcanology?
What protective equipment do you wear when working on volcanoes?
What skills and personality traits do you need to be a volcanologist?
What tools do Volcanologists use to study volcanoes?
What type of education do volcanologists need?
Where are most volcanologists employed?
Who was the first volcanologist?
Are there different kinds of volcanologists?
Are there good children’s books on volcanoes?
Can you supply the addresses of volcano observatories around the world?
Who were Maurice and Katia Krafft? How did they die?
Where are some good graduate schools for volcanology?
Where does the funding come from to study volcanoes and how much does it cost?
How can I get a summer job in volcanology?
Where can I find academic references on volcanoes, processes, and products?
Where can I apply for a job as a volcanologist? Is it hard to find a job as a volcanologist?

North America

Why are there so many volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska?

Mt. Saint Helens

What was Mount. St. Helens like prior to the May 1980 eruption?
What were the effects on people when Mt St Helens erupted?
What happened when Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980?

Lava

What makes the magma come out of the chamber and how does magma form?
What is the greatest amount of lava that has been erupted from any volcano?
What is lava made of?
Why is lava different colors?
What are the different types of basaltic lava flows and how do they form?
Why is lava so hot?
What's the difference between magma and lava and where do these terms come from?
How close can I get to lava and will it hurt or kill me?
How does lava change its composition?
How far can lava flow?
How fast does lava flow?
How high can lava shoot up in the air?
How hot is lava?
How is lava formed?
How long does it take lava to cool?

Interesting Factoids

Which volcano killed the most people?
What’s the tallest volcano in the world?
How many active volcanoes are there?
What is the largest eruption ever?

Hawaii

What are the active volcanoes in Hawaii and what is their status?

General / Misc

Are there volcanoes on other planets?
How are volcanoes and earthquakes related?
How do volcanoes get named?
What are pyroclasts?
What are volcanoes made of? How do they grow?
Has there been an increase in volcanic activity in the past few decades?
What comes out of a volcano?
Can volcanoes form just anywhere? Why do they form where they do?
How is a volcano defined as being active, dormant, or extinct?
What is a Hot Spot?
Why are there volcanoes? Why do they erupt?
Why do volcanoes become dormant?
What is the "Ring of Fire?"

Folklore

Who is the goddess Pele and how is she related to the origin of the Hawaiian Islands?
Was Atlantis destroyed by a volcano?
Where did the word volcano come from?

Europe

Is there a correlation between the size of an eruption and the amount of time since the volcano last erupted?
What’s the most recent eruption of Vesuvius and will it erupt again?
I am trying to find information on a volcano that’s located in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom. The Scottish people built a castle on it. Can you please tell me more about this volcano? Will it ever wake up like St. Helen did?

Eruptions

Why are some eruptions gentle and others violent?
How often do volcanoes erupt?
What are the signs that a volcano is about to erupt?
How high can explosive eruptions go and how far can the debris and ash be spread?
How long do eruptions last?
What is the approximate temperature of an eruption cloud?

Asia

When is the last time Mt. Fuji erupted?
Describe the 1883 eruption of Krakatau.

Antarctica, Australia, and New Zealand

What can you tell me about the most recent eruption of Mt. Erebus.
Has there ever been any volcanic activity in Australia?

Africa

Please tell me about Nyiragongo and nephelinite
What is known about the volcanoes of Cameroon?