Mt. Kilauea: A Dangerous Volcano
Most people do not think of volcanoes as affecting their personal lives. However, they can have an impact if they erupt in places where people live in proximity to a volcano, as in the case of Hawaii. The eruption of Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii is being watched daily by scientists. Mt. Kilauea is the most dangerous volcano on the planet! It is still causing major problems, and the lava coming out of it is expected to spill over into the Pacific Ocean. It is also on a course towards a chemical plant in the area.
A scientist who studies volcanoes is called a Volcanologist. There are over 160 active volcanoes in the United States, according to the U.S. Geological Society. Some scientists estimate that the number is close to 169 volcanoes.
I studied Geology in my junior year in college because it was a requirement. Geology is the study of the earth and its formation. I am glad that I did take this course because it makes me more aware of what is happening with the earth. While teaching science, I taught my students how to create a volcano using paper-mâché, glue, and paint. After the students formed their volcano, they poured baking soda and vinegar into the top of it. Shortly after they did this, their volcano simulated what happens when an eruption occurs. The ingredients rushed to the top and spilled over the sides. This was an opportunity to explain to my students how a volcano works. I often used experiments like this to make my science lessons come alive for the students. It gave them a better understanding of how nature works.
Volcanoes are sleeping giants. Another volcano to watch is the one in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Monitoring volcanoes is important to aviation. In the United States alone, aircraft carry about 300,000 passengers and hundreds of millions of cargoes near active volcanoes each day. Volcanoes can have a global impact on the aviation industry. Encounters with a high concentration of ash clouds can diminish visibility, damage flight control systems, and cause jet engines to fail. In order to avoid encounters with volcanic ash, air traffic controllers, pilots, and dispatchers must be notified immediately when explosive eruptions occur. If you are a passenger in an airplane or a tourist in a country when a volcano erupts, it can be a very scary situation. It is important to stay informed and learn as much as possible about volcanic eruptions or any other natural disaster.
This article is important because President Trump’s recent massive overhaul of NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will have an impact on weather forecasting. His cuts to this organization resulted in laying off 1,039 workers. These cuts can affect all weather forecasts. Scientists have warned that people will not get accurate information about what will happen to our weather. Volcanoes can touch the atmosphere around the world. We need to be aware of this. Hopefully, this will not happen. It is always good to stay informed, especially today, with so many strange things happening!