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Decade Volcanoes

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geology and geophysics

   A map showing locations of the 16 Decade Volcanoes
   Enlarge
   A map showing locations of the 16 Decade Volcanoes

   The Decade Volcanoes are 16 volcanoes identified by the International
   Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior
   (IAVCEI) as being worthy of particular study in light of their history
   of large, destructive eruptions and proximity to populated areas. The
   Decade Volcanoes project encourages studies and public-awareness
   activities at these volcanoes, with the aim of achieving a better
   understanding of the volcanoes and the dangers they present, and thus
   being able to reduce the severity of natural disasters. They are named
   Decade Volcanoes because the project was initiated as part of the
   United Nations-sponsored International Decade for Natural Disaster
   Reduction.

   A volcano may be designated a Decade Volcano if it exhibits more than
   one volcanic hazard (people living near the Decade Volcanoes may
   experience tephra fall, pyroclastic flows, silicic lava flows, lahars,
   volcanic edifice instability and lava dome collapse); shows recent
   geological activity; is located in a populated area (eruptions at any
   of the Decade Volcanoes may threaten tens or hundreds of thousands of
   people, and therefore mitigating eruption hazards at these volcanoes is
   crucial); is politically and physically accessible for study; and there
   is local support for the work.

Aims of the Decade Volcano program

   Building destroyed by eruptions at Mount Unzen, Japan
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   Building destroyed by eruptions at Mount Unzen, Japan

   The general approach of Decade Volcano projects has been to convene a
   planning workshop, identify the major strengths and weaknesses of risk
   mitigation at each volcano, and to plan how to address the weaknesses
   identified. One of the difficulties faced in mitigating hazards at
   volcanoes is ensuring that geoscientists and those who will enact the
   mitigation measures communicate adequately with each other, and the
   Decade Volcano program has attempted to ensure this by making sure both
   groups are well represented at Decade Volcano workshops.

Funding

   Hopes that United Nations funding might be available for Decade Volcano
   projects did not come to fruition, and funding was sought instead from
   a variety of sources. For example, Mexican scientific and civil defence
   bodies funded work at Colima, principally for Mexican scientists but
   also for a few foreign colleagues; major bilateral French-Indonesian
   and German-Indonesian programmes were initiated at Merapi; and the
   European Union has provided funding for many of the studies carried out
   at European volcanoes.

   One particular activity that has not been funded -- because it
   typically is not allowable under most national or bilateral funding --
   is the exchange of scientists and civil defense leaders between the
   various Decade Volcano projects of developing countries, for example,
   between the Philippines and Indonesia, or between Mexico, Guatemala,
   and Colombia, or across the Pacific and Atlantic. Often, scientists and
   civil defense leaders from developing countries can relate better to
   each other's experiences than they can to the experience of
   counterparts from industrialized countries. Also, civil defence leaders
   who have experienced volcanic crises are far more credible witnesses,
   in the eyes of local civil defence leaders, than either local or
   visiting scientists might be.

Achievements

   A large eruption at Mount Etna, photographed from the International
   Space Station
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   A large eruption at Mount Etna, photographed from the International
   Space Station

   Since it was initiated, the Decade Volcano programme has achieved a
   number of successes in predicting volcanic events and mitigating
   disasters. One of the most notable was the successful diversion of a
   lava flow at Mount Etna in 1992. The flow was threatening the town of
   Zafferana, and had overwhelmed several barriers placed perpendicular to
   its flow down a valley. Scientists and civil defence leaders decided to
   try and dam the flow higher up, and did so by dropping large concrete
   blocks into a skylight in a lava tube which was feeding the flow. The
   flow subsequently stopped short of Zafferana.

   The programme has significantly increased what is known about the
   Decade Volcanoes, some of which were very poorly studied before being
   designated. The eruptive history of Galeras volcano is now much better
   established than previously, and at Taal Volcano the importance of
   water in driving its explosive eruptions has come to light.

   Measures which have been taken to mitigate disasters which might be
   caused by future eruptions include a new law in the vicinity of Mount
   Rainier, requiring assessment of geological hazards before any new
   developments; limitations on high density housing developments in the
   Taal Caldera; and the development of an evacuation plan for parts of
   Naples which might be affected in the event of an eruption at Vesuvius.

Problems

   Nyiragongo's extremely fluid lava lake is a threat to nearby
   settlements
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   Nyiragongo's extremely fluid lava lake is a threat to nearby
   settlements

   Although studies at many volcanoes have led to a clear reduction in the
   risk faced by nearby settlements, eruptions at some of the Decade
   Volcanoes have demonstrated the difficulties faced by the programme.
   Eruptions at Mount Unzen which began shortly before it was designated a
   Decade Volcano were heavily monitored, but despite this, a large
   pyroclastic flow killed 43 people, including three volcanologists.

   Later, a Decade Volcano conference in the city of Pasto, Colombia in
   1993 ended in disaster when several of the scientists present mounted
   an impromptu expedition to the crater of Galeras. An eruption occurred
   unexpectedly while they were at the summit, which resulted in the
   deaths of six scientists and three tourists.

   Another problem faced by the programme has been civil unrest in the
   vicinity of several volcanoes. The Civil War in Guatemala affected
   studies of Volcán Santamaría until a ceasefire was called in 1996,
   while ongoing civil war in the Congo has hampered studies of Nyiragongo
   volcano. More generally, scarce resources for volcano studies have led
   to programmes competing for limited funding.

The 16 current Decade Volcanoes

          + Avachinsky-Koryaksky, Kamchatka, Russia
          + Colima, Mexico
          + Mount Etna, Italy
          + Galeras, Colombia
          + Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA
          + Merapi, Indonesia
          + Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
          + Mount Rainier, Washington, USA

          + Sakurajima, Japan
          + Santamaria/Santiaguito, Guatemala
          + Santorini, Greece
          + Taal Volcano, Philippines
          + Teide, Canary Islands, Spain
          + Ulawun, Papua New Guinea
          + Mount Unzen, Japan
          + Vesuvius, Italy

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