Schools Research Material

A BRIEF HISTORY OF VOLCANOES.

Volcanos occur when there is a weakness in the Earth's surface. The theory is that the Earth's crust is made of large plates of material, and there are weaknesses between the joining of these plates. Underneath the Earth's crust there is rock at very high temperature, so hot that all the rock is molten i.e. liquid. This liquid rock is called LAVA, and it squirts out of the weaknesses in the Earth's crust. This is called a VOLCANIC eruption, and as the rock cools it becomes solid. More lava spills out through the center of this solid rock and gradually layer upon layer of rock is formed. This large mound of rock forms a cone shaped mountain. This mountain is called a VOLCANO. The hollow part at the center of the VOLCANO, is called the CRATER.

Thankfully most volcanos are dormant, they are asleep!. Ocassionally they wake up and start to erupt again. The rivers of lava can set forests and houses on fire, and the dangerous gases can kill local people. In Ireland we have no volcanos but we have some of the volcanic rock left behind from many millions of years ago. This rock is called GRANITE, and you can find lots of it in Donegal and Wicklow.

FAMOUS VOLCANOS. Mount Etna (Italy) Mount Asama (Japan) Mount Azuma (Japan) Mount Fuji (Japan) Mount Izalco (El Salvador) constantly active Mount Vesuvius (Italy)

RESEARCH DONE BY JAMIE TROY 4V CBS THURLES

THE MALAY ARCHIPELIGO.

The region around the Spice Islands was once a very active volcanic region. The volcanos that formed along the cracks in the Earth's crust eventually turn into a mass of islands that are no longer volcanic but have become stable and now, and people can live and farm on them. Very often there are shallow under-water ledges surrounding these islands. These are called REEFS. Many of them become covered with CORAL, hence the name CORAL REEFS. This coral is very sharp and jagged and could rip the ALFRED WALLACE apart very quickly, so TIM and his crew have to navigate very carefully through these reefs when landing their PRAHU.

RESEARCH DONE BY ROBERT MACKEY 4V CBS THURLES

ATOLL.

When a volcano becomes inactive or sinks, the rim around the volcano's crater may stick above the water and form a circle of small islands. This group of islands is called an ATOLL. The centre of the atoll is where the crater of the volcano used to be and this very deep trench is called a LAGOON. Coral reefs form around these ATOLLS, and these support a variety of sea plants and fish, and are very important to the local island economies.

RESEARCH DONE BY KARL WALSH 4V CBS THURLES

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