Volcano Research Project Essay, Research Paper
Science Report on volcanoes
Would you want to live within ten miles from a volcano? Not knowing when it s going to erupt. I just called in the radio station and I was caller number ten. I got to choose one of three places to live, the options were next to Mount Kilauea, Mount Baker, or Mount Rainier. Before I gave them my answer I was going to research all the volcanoes, when I was done with all my research I found out that I want to live within ten miles of Mount Baker. Here is why I choose to live next to Mount Baker…
All of the volcanoes have different kinds of blasts and flows. For example, MountKilauea has a non-explosive eruption, so that means the lava would run down the side, instead of it bursting out everywhere. The only problem is it can be very destructive and clear out anything in it s path. Mount Rainier is also a non-explosive volcano, but can be just as destructive as an explosive volcano. Then there s Mount Baker, it is an explosive volcano, it will erupt and you won t be able to run from it like you could if it were a non-explosive volcano.
There are all different times that a volcano might erupt, but no telling when. Mount Kilauea is the worlds most active volcano, so it can erupt any day or everyday. Mount Kilauea is around 300,000-600,000 years old and has been active ever since. Mount Rainier has not erupted in he past 2,200 years. Last July they found out that Mount Rainier is going to have the most detructive eruption ever in the United states. Mount Baker hasn t shown much activity since 1978. By 1978 Mount Baker somewhat has stopped showing activity.
These three volcanoes also have history of seismic activity. Mount Kilauea had an eruption in 1983, and lava has covered 104 km, that is 7% of Kilauea s surface. When scientists stated mapping, they thought that a large part of Kilauea s surface was 5,000 -10,000 years old. Mount Kilauea is made up of mostly lava flows, so that is why it is considered non-explosive.
Mount Rainier also has seismic activity. The most recent eruption was around 2,200 years ago. When it erupted it covered the eastern part of the park with one foot of blocks, and bombs. In about 1820 AD Mount Rainier had small activity and small avalanches happen. Hot lava and rock from Rainier s eruptions melted the snow and ice, that then created mud flows. Mount Rainier does create mud flows when it gets hot because, it is the most glaciated volcano in the Cascade range.
Mount Baker also has a history of seismic activity. Early eruptions from Baker produced fluid lava, that would go down canyons and erode in other rocks that were underneath. Ashy plumes and steam vents on Baker that was proof that the ice covered volcano was once an active volcano of the Cascade Range. The volcano lays on non-volcanic rocks in a place that is non-volcanic. Mount Baker was and still is drained into a river called, North Fork Nooksack River.
There are other hazards you will have when living by volcanoes. Mount Kilauea is one of the worlds most active volcanoes so you will always be living next to a volcano that could erupt any day. Since Mount Kilauea is made mostly of lava flows, it will deposit of explosive eruptions. Mount Rainier has hazards of living by it also. Even though Mount Rainier does not erupt very often and it s a non-explosive volcano it can cause damage,and is proven that it is going to very soon and wipe out the whole town of Seattle. But, when Rainier would erupt it would melt all the snow and create mud flows. Mount Baker , is the second most heavily glaciated volcano and that means that it will create mud flows also. In 1843 an eruption killed most of the fish in the Baker river, created a large forest fire, and volcanic ash filled the air over the countryside.
Some other little things to know about these volcanoes are, Mount Kilauea s scientists thought that a large part of it s surface was not even half of it s age (5,000-10,000 years) People say that what happened in the past 200 years is a good guide to what has happened since it came from the sea. Mount Rainier is the highest and most heavily glaciated volcano in the Cascade Range. A large population lives in the lowland drainages so that if it were to erupt the are more protected. Mount Baker is 10,778 feet high and is about 50 kilometers from the city of Bellingham. Mount Baker and Mount Rainier are both located in Washington, and mount Kilauea is located on the Hawaiian Islands in Hawaii.
After all of that research I told the radio station that I choose to live within ten miles of mount Baker, then Mount Kilauea and then Mount Rainier. I chose Mount Baker because it does not show any current activity happening any time soon. Mount Kilauea secondly because it doesn t seem to be too dangerous except, that it is the world s most active volcano. I chose Mount Rainier last because it is going to erupt very soon and I want to live longer than two more months.
So that is why I picked Mount Baker . I feel that I will have a pleasurable life living in Washington within ten miles of Mount Baker.