Can We Predict Volcanoes

Scientists are trying to predict volcano eruptions.  When volcanoes erupt the scientists don’t predict correctly so they can’t evacuate the area. But past eruptions are helping us predict more accurately.  If the scientists predict correctly they can save many lives that may be in danger.  

There are some warning signs to help the scientists determine when a volcano may erupt.  The magma chamber collects magma before an eruption.  The magma chamber gets full so the magma will come to the top of the surface. After all of this it starts swelling. These are all signs of eruptions.

There are instruments used to measure volcanic activity.  Seismographs can find small earthquakes which mean an eruption is coming.  Correlation spectrometers measure amounts of volcanic material.  A Tilimeter is used to see how much bigger a volcano gets when it erupts.  A Thermometer  helps by measuring how much gas there is in the volcano.