Abstract
THE necessary conditions for explosive volcanism cannot yet be stated, but certain tentative requirements emerge from the study of pyroclastic rocks and from the observation of erupted magmas. In the first quantitative report on the mechanics of ash formation, Verhoogen1 required that the magma have high viscosity and a large gas content. More recently McBirney and Murase2 emphasized that the disruptive force of gas pressure must exceed the combined surface tension and tensile strength of the liquid. Both articles describe the vesiculation of a magma in terms of the formation, motion and coalescence of bubbles. I wish to point out a novel fluid dynamic process which may control the production of ash and pyroclastic material emanating from a major eruption of the Plinian type.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Verhoogen, J., Amer. J. Sci., 249, 729 (1951).
McBirney, A. R., and Murase, T., Bull. Volcan., 34, 372 (1970).
Zel'dovich, Ya. B., and Raizer, Yu. P., Physics of Shock Waves High Temperature Hydrodynamic Phenomena (edit. by Hayes, W. D., and Probstein, R. F.), 1, 233 (Academic Press, New York, 1966).
Bennett, F. D., Phys. Fluids, 8, 1425 (1965).
Fansler, K. S., and Shear, D. D., in Exploding Wires (edit. by Chace, W. G., and Moore, H. K.), 4, 185 (Plenum, New York, 1968).
Warden, A. J., Bull Volcan., 30, 276, (1967).
Moore, J. G., and Melson, W. G., Bull. Volcan., 33, 600 (1969).
Bennett, F. D., in Physics of High Energy Density (edit. by Knoepfel, H.) (Intern. Sch. Physics Enrico Fermi, Varenna, Italy, in the press).
Bennett, F. D., and Kahl, G. D., Exploding Wires (edit. by Chace, W. G., and Moore, H. K.), 4, 1 (Plenum, New York, 1968).
Kahl, G. D., Phys Rev., 155, 78 (1967).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
BENNETT, F. Vaporization Waves in Explosive Volcanism. Nature 234, 538–539 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/234538a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/234538a0
This article is cited by
-
Experimental simulations of explosive degassing of magma
Nature (1994)
-
Factors governing the intensity of explosive andesitic eruptions
Bulletin Volcanologique (1973)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.