According to a register of active volcanoes compiled by scientists from the University of North Carolina, it was found that out of 1,500 dangerous craters, 50 are erupting, and 11 are of particular concern. Oddly enough, the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull, whose eruption paralyzed the sky over Europe for several days, is considered a "supporting character" in the world.
In just three days, it emitted 140 million cubic meters of gas and dust into the atmosphere. The plume of smoke rose to a height of 10 km, in which the air is so electrified that incredible lightning can be observed every 15 minutes. 
In the list of the most dangerous volcanoes, scientists included the Philippine Pinatubo, which in 1991 emitted so much gas and ash into the atmosphere that changes in the planet's climate were noted over the next two years. Also included are the Italian volcanoes Stromboli and Etna. 
According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, according to the European Space Agency, up to 500 million people live in the immediate vicinity of volcanoes. 90% of 1500 active volcanoes are concentrated on 40 thousand kilometers of the "ring of fire" in the Pacific Ocean. 
The publication recalled that a week ago, the deepest volcanic eruption took place at a depth of 1500 meters under water in the Fiji and Samoa region. To observe the volcano, it was necessary to design a camera that would withstand the melting point of lead. But the "coldest" vent is located above the ice shell in the Antarctic region. 
Eruptions usually begin with deep "breathing". The earth around the volcano is being pulled in. Then the mountain begins to tremble, special sensors record the shaking of the soil. Then there is a dull sound that comes from the depths. 
However, the most dangerous volcanic eruption can happen very soon, scientists fear. The recently awakened Eyjafjallajökull is not so scary (his behavior already seems stable). However, the Katla volcano, located 20 km away, is of concern: it is five times larger and 100 times more powerful than Eyjafjallajokull, capable of erupting up to a billion cubic meters of lava per second. The data obtained from the observation equipment indicate that the volcano will soon wake up. A rapid eruption is also indicated by a change in the direction of the flow of local rivers.
"History indicates that it is very rare for Eyjafjallajokull to come to life without waking Katla volcano," said the University of North Carolina's Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction report. 
In the event of its eruption, scientists predict, a phenomenon called "volcanic winter" can be expected: a cloud of ash beats off the sun's rays at a height, preventing them from reaching the earth's surface.
Experts see the reason for such massive manifestations of volcanic force in the melting of ice, which probably weakened the pressure of the surface layers of the Earth, allowing magma to rise upward.
"In the coming years, we expect more frequent and more powerful eruptions in Iceland. Global warming is causing the ice to melt. This phenomenon also affects the movement of magma below the Earth's surface," explained geologist Freisteinn Sigmundsson. 
But the current eruption is not able to affect the Earth's climate, even if someone believes that a cloud released by a volcano can contribute to a decrease in the average temperature on the planet. Since the Icelandic volcano is much weaker than the Philippine, which ranks 6th out of 8 possible. 
"We do not expect anything like this from Eyjafjallajokudl. The level of its eruption is too low to influence the climate," explained Olav Hijja from the Norwegian Institute of Meteorology.
At the same time, it is possible that the next 12-14 months Northern Europe will observe unusual sunsets of intense red color. 
Despite their lethality, various volcanoes have long attracted people to themselves. Previously, people were attracted by fertile soils, enriched with minerals and trace elements due to the activity of volcanoes, now tourists are attracted by the beauty and majesty of these natural sites.
Where are the largest volcanoes on the world map?
Most of today's active volcanoes are located in Pacific volcanic ring- the area in which the largest number of eruptions and 90% of earthquakes occur on our planet.
The second most powerful seismic zone is the Mediterranean fold belt, stretching from the Indonesian islands to.
Strongest eruption in history
The most destructive eruption in its consequences is considered to be the catastrophe that occurred in 1883 during the explosion. volcano Krakatoa located in. During this cataclysm, more than 36 thousand people died, more than 165 cities and villages were completely destroyed, ash was thrown to a height of 70 kilometers.
The force of the explosion during the eruption exceeded the force of the explosion of a nuclear bomb over Hiroshima by 10 thousand times. Most of the deaths are the result of huge tsunami caused by the eruption. The island on which Krakatoa was located was almost completely destroyed during the disaster. The sound from the explosion spread to a distance of 5 thousand kilometers from the epicenter of the disaster.
Earth's greatest active volcanic mountains
The largest active volcanoes in the world in terms of volume:
- Mauna loa, Hawaii, with a volume of 80 thousand cubic kilometers;
- Kilimanjaro(Tanzania), which is considered dormant but has the potential to start activity, has a volume of 4,800 cubic kilometers;
- Sierra Negra volcano located in the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) has a volume of 580 cubic kilometers.
Which country has the largest lava source?
In terms of its size, there is no equal to the Hawaiian volcano Mauna Loa, which has a volume of 80 thousand cubic kilometers. The title of the highest is contested by 2 volcanoes from South America:
- Llullaillaco located on the border of Argentina and Chile with a height of more than 6 thousand meters;
- Cotopaxi located in Ecuador with a height of 5897 meters.
Description with titles
There are from 1000 to 1500 active volcanoes on our planet. Many of them are located near densely populated areas and pose a threat to human life. The most dangerous volcanoes, which are under special supervision, are included in List of Volcanoes of the UN Decade.
Merapi
Merapi, which translated from Indonesian means "Mountain of fire", recognized as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Asia. It is located in the south of the island of Java in Indonesia, and its peak rises to a height of 3 thousand meters.
Significant eruptions of Merapi occur with a frequency of about 7 years; during its history, Merapi has repeatedly caused the death of many people. In 1930, 1400 people became victims of the eruption, and in 2010 more than 350 thousand people had to be evacuated, 353 inhabitants of the island were killed.
Near Merapi is located Yogyakarta city, in the agglomeration of which more than 2 million people live. For its activity and danger to the lives of people, Merapi is included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade.
Sakurajima
Sakurazdima volcano (Japan) is located on Kyushu island, its summit rises to a height of 1110 meters. The first eruption recorded by the chronicles took place in 963, and the most powerful one dates back to 1914, but thanks to the tremors preceding it, most of the local residents managed to evacuate, “only” 35 people died.
Since the middle of the 20th century, the volcano has been constantly active. Every year happen thousands of small explosions and ash emissions.
In 2013, there was a large ash ejection, reaching an altitude of 4000 meters.
Sakurajima is also on the Volcanoes of the Decade.
Aso
Volcano Aso is also located on Kyushu island in Japan. The highest point of Aso is located at an altitude of 1592 meters. During the observation of the volcano, there were about 165 large and medium eruptions, many of which resulted in human casualties.
The last time people died as a result of volcanic eruptions was in 1979, when 3 people died and 11 were injured. But Aso is dangerous not only for its eruptions, poisonous vapors of volcanic gas regularly poison tourists who are trying to conquer Aso. The last such incident occurred in 1997, when two climbers were killed.
The last eruption of Aso was noted in 2011; ash was emitted to a height of up to 2 kilometers.
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Nyiragongo
Nyiragongo is in the territory DR Congo in the Virunga mountain system (Africa). In the crater of the volcano is the world's largest lava lake, the depth of which can reach 3 kilometers. In 1977, a crater wall ruptured, resulting in a large lava runoff into the surrounding area, resulting in the death of 70 people.
During observations of Nyiragongo since 1882, it was recorded 34 major volcanic eruptions... A feature of the eruptions of Nyiragongo is the extremely fast flow of lava, reaching a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. During a major eruption in 2002, 400,000 residents of the city of Goma, located near the volcano, were evacuated. Nevertheless, 147 of them died as a result of this cataclysm, and the city itself received significant damage.
All these factors make Nyiragongo one of the the most dangerous volcanoes on the planet, for which he was rightly included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade.
Galeras
Volcano Galeras is located in Colombia near the town of Pasto, which has a population of over 400 thousand people. Its height is over 4200 meters. Because of its danger, Galeras was included in the list of the Decade Volcanoes that pose the greatest threat in the foreseeable future.
It is believed that over the past 7000 years, Galeras has experienced at least 6 major eruptions, in 1993 the last of them was recorded.
Mauna loa
The Mauna Loa volcano is located on Hawaiian Islands belonging to the United States of America. This giant volcano covers more than half of Hawaii's area, with a peak height of 4169 meters above sea level, but most of the volcano is located under water. Together with the underwater part, its height from the base to the top reaches 9170 meters, which exceeds the height of Everest.
The eruptions of Mauna Loa occur according to the so-called Hawaiian type with the outpouring of lava, but without explosions and large ash emissions. Observations of the volcano have been conducted only since 1832, but during this time, 39 major eruptions of Mauna Loa have been recorded. This volcano was included in the list of Volcanoes of the Decade due to the huge lava flows accompanying the eruption and the densely populated area in its immediate vicinity.
The top of the volcano and its slopes are included in the list UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Colima
The most active volcano in Central America is located in the state of Jalisco. Thanks to her activity, Colima received the nickname "Little Vesuvius", its height exceeds 3800 meters.
Over the past 450 years, more than 40 large and medium volcanic eruptions have been recorded, the last of which occurred on September 12, 2016. More than 400 thousand people live near Colima, which makes it the most dangerous volcano in America... For this reason, the volcano was listed as a Volcano of the Decade.
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Vesuvius
The most famous volcano in the world is located on the Apennine Peninsula in. The lonely peak of Vesuvius, 1281 meters high, rises above the vast fields of the Campania province and is part of the Apennine mountain system.
Located just 15 kilometers from Naples, Vesuvius has repeatedly entered history with its catastrophic eruptions, only large ones were recorded about 80. In 79 AD, the most destructive eruption of Vesuvius during which famous cities died:
- Pompeii;
- Oplontis;
- Herculaneum;
- Stabia.
It is believed that at least 16 thousand people died during this cataclysm.
In 1944, the last eruption of Vesuvius occurred at the moment, during this natural disaster, cities were destroyed Weight and San sebastiano, 27 people became victims. Since then, Vesuvius has not shown strong activity, but the danger of a new eruption always remains. Vesuvius is one of the main attractions of the Campania province and its visit is included in the excursion tour when traveling to Naples.
Etna
Another famous volcano in Italy is located in the east of the island of Sicily and is highest volcano, rising to a height of 2329 meters. Etna eruptions are observed several times a year. Several large eruptions of this volcano have been recorded in history, which led to devastating consequences:
- Destroyed in 122 AD Catania city;
- In 1169, during a large-scale eruption, Etna died 15 thousand people;
- In 1669 Catania suffered again, houses were destroyed 27 thousand people;
- In 1928, the ancient Mascali city.
Despite the danger of the volcano, the inhabitants of the island continue to settle on its slopes. The reason for this is fertile soil enriched with minerals and trace elements contained in cooled lava flows and ash.
Etna is one of the main natural attractions of Sicily; tourists from all over the world come to see the volcano and climb to its top.
Popocatepetl
Volcano Popocatepetl, or El Popo, as the locals affectionately call it, is located in Mexico, 70 kilometers from the capital of this country, Mexico City. The height of the volcano is almost 5500 meters. Over the past 500 years, Popocatepetl has erupted more than 15 times, with the last occurring as recently as 2015. An extinct volcano is located near Popocatepetl Istaxihuatl.
A trip to these volcanoes is an integral part of the excursion program when visiting Mexico City.
Klyuchevskaya Sopka
The highest volcano in Eurasia is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula and is considered the most famous of the many volcanoes in Kamchatka. The highest point outside the Caucasus Mountains reaches an altitude of 4750 meters. It is the most active volcano in Eurasia, on average, its eruptions occur almost annually... The last significant eruption occurred in 2013, the height of the ash ejection was 10-12 kilometers. The eruption was accompanied by mud streams and ash falls.
Cotopaxi
The active volcano Cotopaxi is located in South America on the territory of the state Ecuador as part of the Andes mountain system. The height of the Cotopaxi summit is 5897 meters. In the entire history of observations, 86 eruptions were recorded, the largest one leading to the complete destruction of the city of Latacunga in 1786. The last activity of Cotopaxi was noticed in 1942, after which the volcano is still dormant.
Famous extinct giants
In addition to active volcanoes, there are many extinct volcanoes on our planet that do not exhibit volcanic activity.
Supreme
The highest extinct volcano on the planet, Aconcagua, is located in Argentina and is part of the Andes mountain range. Aconcagua is not only the tallest extinct volcano in the world, but also the highest peak in America, the Western and Southern Hemispheres. The height of Aconcagua exceeds 6950 meters.
Sleeping giants
Many extinct volcanoes are now considered just mountains, although some of them can potentially "wake up" and begin to show activity. Such volcanoes, which may become active in the future, are called "Sleeping".
- Famous Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (Africa) it is a dormant volcano that is not active. Scientists believe that one day Kilimanjaro may wake up, then this potential volcano will become one of the highest in the world, because the height of Kilimanjaro is 5895 meters above sea level.
- The largest extinct volcano in Russia - 5642 meters. It is located on the border of the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia. Belongs to the list of the highest peaks in the six parts of the world. Scientists consider the activity of the volcano not so much complete as fading.
- The largest volcano of our time cannot be visited and is very difficult to see, since it is under water. Array Tamu is located at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and is located approximately 1,600 kilometers east of the Japanese Islands. Its dimensions are 650 by 450 kilometers; in terms of its scale, the massif is one of the largest not only on Earth, but also in the entire solar system. The last volcanic eruption occurred 140 million years ago.
- Dormant volcanoes Big and Small Ararat are now located on the territory and belong to the category of volcanoes that do not show volcanic activity. The summit of Mount Big Ararat, reaching 5165 meters, is the highest point in Turkey.
- One of the highest peaks of the Caucasus, Mount Kazbek is also an extinct volcano. Kazbek is located on the border with Russia, the highest point of the mountain is located at an altitude of more than 5 kilometers. During research in one of the caves of Kazbek, volcanic ash was found from an eruption that supposedly occurred 40 thousand years ago.
Colossal supervolcano Yellowstone was considered extinct, but scientists have found that it shows little activity, so now Yellowstone is classified as a dormant volcano. The giant last erupted almost a million years ago.
It is believed that if Yellowstone wakes up, a potential eruption will become one of the largest disasters in the history of the Earth, every third inhabitant of the planet will die, and several US states will be completely destroyed.
Yellowstone eruption will provoke many earthquakes, giant tsunami waves and eruptions of other volcanoes, which will affect almost every inhabitant of the planet. The ash ejected by the volcano will cover the earth's surface from the sun for a year and a half, and a volcanic winter will come throughout the planet.
However, not all scientists believe that the consequences of this cataclysm will be so serious. In any case, the eruption of this volcano remains one of the main potential threats to humans.
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Watch a video about these and other volcanoes in the world:
Most of the volcanoes of our planet are located in the "ring of fire", which stretches along the shores of the entire Pacific Ocean. In total, there are about 1.5 thousand volcanoes on Earth, of which 540 are active.
Here is a list of the most dangerous ones.
1. Nyiragongo, 3470 m, Democratic Republic of the Congo
It is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Africa. Since 1882, 34 eruptions have been recorded here. The main crater is 250 meters deep and 2 km wide, and contains a lake of actively bubbling lava. This lava is unusually fluid and its flows can reach speeds of 100 km / h. In 2002, an eruption killed 147 people and left 120,000 homeless. The last eruption to date occurred in 2016.
2. Taal, height 311 m, Philippines
It is one of the smallest active volcanoes on our planet. Since 1572, it has erupted 34 times. Located on the island of Luzon, on Lake Taal. The strongest eruption of this volcano in the 20th century occurred in 1911 - in 10 minutes, 1335 people and all living things died at a distance of up to 10 km. In 1965, 200 people died. Last eruption - 1977
3. Mauna Loa, height 4,169 m, Hawaii (USA)
There are many volcanoes in Hawaii, but this is the largest and most dangerous of all. Since 1832, 39 eruptions have been recorded. The last eruption took place in 1984, the last violent eruption in 1950.
4. Vesuvius, height 1 281 m, Italy
One of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world is located just 15 km east of Naples. The most famous historical eruption occurred in 79 AD. As a result of this disaster, two cities - Pompeii and Herculaneum - disappeared from the face of the Earth. In modern history, the last eruption of Vesuvius happened in 1944.
5. Merapi, height 2 930 m, Indonesia
This active volcano in Indonesia is located on the island of Java near the city of Yogyakarta. "Merapi" translates as "mountain of fire". The volcano is young, so it puffs with enviable regularity. Large eruptions occur every 7 years on average. In 1930, about 1300 people died, in 1974 two villages were destroyed, in 2010 353 people died. The last eruption was in 2011.
6. St. Helens, altitude 2,550 m, USA
Located 154 km from Seattle and 85 km from Portland. The most famous eruption of this active volcano occurred in 1980, when 57 people died. The eruption was of a rare type - "directed blast". The process of the volcanic eruption and the spread of the ash cloud was captured by photographer Robert Landsburg, who died in this eruption, but preserved the film. The last activity to date was recorded in 2008.
7. Etna, height 3 350 m, Italy
Mount Etna is located on the east coast of Sicily. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe. Throughout its existence, it has erupted about 200 times. In 1992, one of the largest eruptions was recorded, during which the town of Zafferana barely escaped. On December 3, 2015, the volcano's central crater ejected a kilometer-high lava fountain. The last eruption was on February 27, 2017.
8.Sakurajima, height 1,117 m, Japan
The volcano is located on the Osumi Peninsula of Kyushu Island in the Japanese prefecture of Kagoshima. There is almost always a cloud of smoke over the volcano. The eruptions were recorded on August 18, 2013, in March 2009. The last eruption was recorded on July 26, 2016.
9. Galeras, height 4,276 m, Colombia
Over the past 7 thousand years, at least six large eruptions and many small ones have occurred on Galeras. In 1993, during research work in the crater, six volcanologists and three tourists died (then the eruption also began). Last recorded eruptions: January 2008, February 2009, January and August 2010
10. Popocatepetl, height 5426 m, Mexico
The name translates as "smoking hill". The volcano is located near Mexico City. Since 1519, it has erupted 20 times. The last eruption was recorded in 2015.
11. Unzen, height 1,500 m, Japan
The volcano is located on the Shimabara Peninsula. The eruption of the Unzen volcano in 1792 is one of the five most destructive eruptions in human history in terms of the number of human victims. The eruption caused a tsunami 55 meters high, which killed more than 15 thousand people. And in 1991, 43 people died during the eruption. There have been no eruptions since 1996.
12. Krakatoa, height 813 m, Indonesia 
This active volcano is located between the islands of Java and Sumatra. Before the historic eruption of 1883, the volcano was much higher and represented one large island. However, the most powerful eruption in 1883 destroyed the island and the volcano. Today Krakatoa is still active and small eruptions occur fairly regularly. The last activity was 2014.
13. Santa Maria, height 3 772 m, Guatemala
The first recorded eruption of this volcano took place in October 1902, before that it "rested" for 500 years. The explosion was heard 800 km away in Costa Rica, and the ash column rose 28 km. About 6 thousand people died. Today the volcano is active. The last eruption was recorded in 2011.
14. Klyuchevskaya Sopka, height 4835 m, Russia
The volcano is located in the east of Kamchatka, 60 km from the coast. It is the largest active volcano in Russia. Over the past 270 years, more than 50 eruptions have been recorded, the last in April 2016.
15. Karymskaya Sopka, height 1468 m, Russia
Also located in Kamchatka. More than 20 eruptions have been recorded since 1852. Eruptions in recent years: 2005, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015. Very turbulent volcano.
Volcanoes are attractive due to their beauty, but they can harbor destructive power, causing massive loss of life and severe destruction. Although volcanic eruptions themselves are relatively rare and controlled by scientists, they still pose a huge source of danger to people who have chosen to live near them. Here is a list of the 10 most active volcanoes:
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10Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA
The Mauna Loa volcano is one of the largest volcanoes on Earth in terms of height and area covered. It is also one of the five volcanoes that form the island of Hawaii in America. Mauna Loa is an active volcano that has probably been erupting for 700,000 years. The most recent eruption occurred relatively recently from March 24 to April 15, 1984.
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9
This famous volcano is located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, it is located about 50 km from the capital of this country - Manila. Taal is one of the active Philippine volcanoes, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. It has erupted many times, bringing sacrifice and destruction to nearby communities around the lake. The last eruption took place in 1977, but signs of activity have been regularly observed since 1991, characterized by both high activity and small seismic fractures.
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8Ulawun, Papua New Guinea
The most active volcano in Papua New Guinea is Ulavun, which is also one of the most dangerous. It is the tallest volcano and the highest peak in the Bismarck archipelago. The very first recorded eruption of Ulawun occurred in 1700. From then until now there have been 22 eruptions. Several thousand people constantly live near the volcano. During a major eruption in 1980, ash was thrown up to a height of 18 kilometers, producing pyroclastic flows that swept all the flanks of the volcano and devastated an area of 20 square kilometers.
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7Nyiragongo, Congo
One of the most active volcanoes in Africa and one of eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains. Since 1882, Nyiragongo has erupted at least 34 times. The most recent devastating eruption of Mount Nyiragongo occurred on January 17, 2002, when hot lava destroyed 40% of the city of Goma.
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6Merapi, Indonesia
Merapi is the most famous and active volcano in Indonesia, erupting regularly since 1548. It is located very close to the city of Yogyakarta, where thousands of people live on the slopes of Merapi. The volcano has been active for 10,000 years.
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5Galeras, Colombia
Galeras has been active for at least about 1 million years. The volcano is located in the south of Colombia, near the border with Ecuador. In this country, Galeras is the most active volcano.
After only 10 years of rest, Galeras became active again in 1988. In 1993, a terrible disaster struck when an expedition of several scientists went to the Galeras crater. The eruption happened very unexpectedly and resulted in the death of nine people: six scientists and three tourists.
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4
Sakurajima is an active composite volcano and a former island. It is often called Eastern Vesuvius, and eruptions occur almost constantly. Remnants of the eruptions have formed highlands of white sand in this region. The volcano is dangerous due to its location in a densely populated area - near the city of Kagoshima, which is very close to the volcano.
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3
Popocatepetl is an active volcano and the second highest peak in Mexico (5426 m). Residents of the city of Puebla, which is only 40 km east of the volcano, can enjoy views of the snow-covered and glaciated mountain almost all year round. The last major eruption took place in 2000. Fortunately for the residents, then scientists were able to warn the government in time, and people were evacuated from the disaster area on time.
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2Vesuvius, Italy
Mount Vesuvius is located 9 km east of Naples, a short distance from the coast. It is the only volcano in Europe to have erupted over the past hundred years. Vesuvius has erupted many times, the last one in 1944. Today Vesuvius is considered one of the most destructive volcanoes in the world due to the 3 million population living nearby and the high probability of its eruptions.
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1Yellowstone Caldera, USA
It is the most dangerous active supervolcano, which means that the volume of emissions from this volcano can be more than 1000 cubic kilometers, and this will have devastating consequences. Super volcanic eruptions usually cover vast areas with lava and volcanic ash, enough to threaten the extinction of entire species. Such a super-eruption can become one of the reasons for the death of our civilization, because when this volcano erupts, it causes the activity of other volcanoes, which leads to mass tectogenesis.
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Conclusion
These were the most active and dangerous volcanoes in the world. We hope you enjoyed our material.
In ancient times, volcanoes were the instrument of the gods. Nowadays, they pose a serious danger to settlements and entire countries. Not a single weapon in the world has been given such power on our planet - to conquer and pacify a raging volcano.
Now the media, cinema and some writers fantasize about the future events of the famous park, the location of which is known to almost everyone who is interested in modern geography - we are talking about a national park in Wyoming. Undoubtedly, the most famous supervolcano in world history of the past two years is Yellowstone.
What is a volcano
For many decades, literature, especially in fantasy stories, has attributed magical properties to grief that is capable of spewing fire. The most famous novel describing an active volcano is "The Lord of the Rings" (where he was called "the lonely mountain"). The professor was right about a similar phenomenon.
None of the people can look at mountain ranges up to several hundred meters high without respect for the ability of our planet to create such magnificent and dangerous natural objects. There is a special charm in these giants, which can be called magic.
So, if we discard the fantasies of writers and the folklore of ancestors, then everything will become easier. From the point of view of geographical definition: a volcano (vulkan) is a rupture of the crust of any planetary mass, in our case, the Earth, due to which volcanic ash and gas accumulated under pressure, together with magma, escapes from the magma chamber, which is located under a solid surface. At this moment, an explosion occurs.
Causes of occurrence
From the very first moments, the Earth was a volcanic field, on which trees, oceans, fields and rivers appeared later. Therefore, volcanism accompanies modern life.
How do they arise? On the planet earth, the main cause of formation is the earth's crust. The fact is that above the earth's core is the liquid part of the planet (magma), which is always moving. It is thanks to this phenomenon that there is a magnetic field on the surface - a natural protection from solar radiation.
However, the earth's surface itself, although solid, is not solid, but is divided into seventeen large tectonic plates. When they move, they converge and diverge, it is because of the movement at the points of contact of the plates that ruptures occur, and volcanoes arise. It is not at all necessary that this happens on the continents, at the bottom of many oceans there are similar breaks too.
Volcano structure
A similar object forms on the surface as the lava cools. It is impossible to see what is hidden under the many tons of rock. However, thanks to volcanologists and scientists, it is possible to imagine how it works.
A drawing of a similar representation is seen by high school students on the pages of a geographical textbook.
The device of the "fiery" mountain itself is simple and in section looks like this:
- crater - top;
- vent - a cavity inside the mountain, magma rises along it;
- the magma chamber is a pocket at the base.
Depending on the type and form of formation of the volcano, some structural element may be absent. This option is classic, and many volcanoes should be viewed precisely in this context.
Types of volcanoes
The classification is applicable in two directions: by type and form. Since the movement of the lithospheric plates is different, the rate of magma cooling also differs.
First, let's look at the types:
- acting;
- sleeping;
- extinct.
Volcanoes come in many forms:
The classification would not be complete if we do not take into account the relief forms of the crater of volcanoes:
- calderas;
- volcanic plugs;
- lava plateau;
- tuff cones.
Eruption
As ancient as the planet itself, a force that can rewrite the history of an entire country is an eruption. There are several factors that make such an event on earth the most deadly for the inhabitants of some cities. Better not to get into a situation where a volcano is erupting.
On average, the planet has from 50 to 60 eruptions in one year. At the time of this writing, about 20 ruptures are flooding the neighborhood with lava.
Perhaps the algorithm of actions is changing, but it depends on the accompanying weather conditions.
In any case, the eruption occurs in four stages:
- Silence. Large eruptions show that it is usually quiet until the first explosion. Nothing will indicate the impending danger. A series of small shocks can only be measured by instruments.
- Lava ejection and pyroclastite. A deadly mixture of gas and ash at a temperature of 100 degrees (reaches 800) Celsius is capable of destroying all life within a radius of hundreds of kilometers. An example is the eruption of Mount Helena in May of the eighties of the last century. Lava, the temperature of which can reach 1,500 degrees during the eruption, killed all living things at a distance of six hundred kilometers.
- Lahar. If you are unlucky, it may rain at the site of the eruption, as it did in the Philippines. In such situations, a continuous stream of 20% consisting of water is formed, the remaining 80% is rock, ash and pumice.
- "Concrete". Provisional name for the solidification of magma and ash that fell under the rain stream. This mixture has destroyed more than one city.
The eruption is an extremely dangerous phenomenon, for half a century it killed more than twenty scientists and several hundred civilians. Right now (as of this writing) Hawaiian Kilauea continues to destroy the island.
The largest volcano in the world
Mauna Loa is the tallest volcano on earth. It is located on the island of the same name (Hawaii) and rises 9 thousand meters from the bottom of the ocean.
His last awakening took place in the 84th year of the last century. However, in 2004 he showed the first signs of revival.
If there is the largest, then is there the smallest?
Yes, it is located in Mexico in the town of Pueblo and is called Catcomate, its height is only 13 meters.
Active volcanoes
If you open a map of the world, then with a sufficient level of knowledge, you can find about 600 active volcanoes. About four hundred of them are found in the "ring of fire" of the Pacific Ocean.
The eruption of the Guatemalan volcano Fuego
Perhaps someone will be interested in list of active volcanoes:
- in Guatemala - Fuego;
- in the Hawaiian Islands - Kilauea;
- within the Icelandic border - Lakagigar;
- in the Canary Islands - La Palma;
- in the Hawaiian Islands - Loihi;
- on the Antarctic island - Erebus;
- Greek Nisyros;
- the Italian volcano Etna;
- on the Caribbean island of Montserrat - Soufrière Hills;
- Italian mountain in the Tyrrhenian Sea - Stromboli;
- and the most famous Italian - Mount Vesuvius.
Extinct volcanoes of the world
Volcanologists sometimes cannot say for sure whether a natural object is extinct or dormant. In most cases, zero activity for a particular mountain does not guarantee safety. More than once, the giants, who had fallen asleep for many years, suddenly showed signs of revitalization. This was the case with a volcano near the city of Manila, but there are many similar examples.
Kilimanjaro volcano
Below are just some of the extinct volcanoes known to our scientists:
- Kilimanjaro (Tanzania);
- Mt Warning (in Australia);
- Chaine des Puys (in France);
- Elbrus (Russia).
The most dangerous volcanoes in the world
The eruption of even a small volcano looks impressive, one has only to imagine what a monstrous force lurks there, in the depths of the mountain. However, there is clear data used by volcanologists.
Through long observations, a special classification of potentially dangerous volcanic mountains was created. The indicator determines the impact of the eruption on the surrounding area.
The most powerful explosion can follow from the eruption of a mountain of colossal proportions. Volcanologists call this kind of "fiery" mountains a supervolcano. On the scale of activity, such formations should occupy a level not lower than the eighth.
Taupo volcano in New Zealand
There are four of these:
- Indonesian supervolcano of Sumatra-Toba island.
- Taupo, which is located in New Zealand.
- Serra Galan in the Andean mountains.
- Yellowstone in Wyoming's eponymous North American park.
We have collected the most interesting facts:
- the largest (in terms of duration) is the eruption of Pinatubo in 91 years (20th century), which lasted more than a year and reduced the temperature of the earth by half a degree (Celsius);
- the mountain described above threw 5 km 3 of ash to a height of thirty-five kilometers;
- the largest explosion occurred in Alaska (1912), when the Novarupta volcano became more active, reaching a level of six on the VEI scale;
- the most dangerous is Kilauea, which has been erupting for thirty years since 1983. Currently active. Killed more than 100 people, over a thousand more remain at risk (2018);
- the deepest eruption to date has occurred at a depth of 1200 meters - Mount West Mata, near Fiji, the Lau River basin;
- the temperature in the pyroclastic flow can be more than 500 degrees Celsius;
- the last supervolcano erupted on the planet about 74,000 years ago (Indonesia). Therefore, we can say that not a single person has yet experienced such a catastrophe;
- Klyuchevsky on the Kamchatka Peninsula is considered the largest active volcano in the Northern Hemisphere;
- ash and gases from volcanoes can color sunsets;
- the volcano with the coldest lava (500 degrees) is called Ol Doinyo Langai and is located in Tanzania.
How many volcanoes on earth
There are not too many ruptures of the earth's crust in Russia. From the school course in geography, it is known about the Klyuchevskoy volcano.
In addition to him, on the beautiful planet there are about six hundred active, as well as a thousand extinct and sleeping. It is difficult to establish the exact number, but their number does not exceed two thousand.
Conclusion
Humanity should respect nature and remember that it has more than one and a half thousand volcanoes in its arsenal. And let as few people as possible witness such a powerful phenomenon as an eruption.
