How are volcanos first made?
Victor Twu
Hi Victor,
I guess the very first thing that a volcano does is to break through the
surface. There have only been a few cases where people have actually
wittnessed the birth of a new volcano. In all cases there were lots of
earthquakes for days or even weeks prior to the event. Then, relatively
suddenly the ground will break open, usually only a small crack at first,
and steam, gas, and dust will be blown out. In the next few minutes,
actual ash or spatter will start to be erupted, and pretty soon you have a
small cone, a small lava flow, or both.
The most famous accounts of the birth of a volcano came from the Paricutin
eruption in Mexico, where the vent opened up in a corn field, only moments
after a farmer had plowed across that very spot!
Sincerely,
Scott Rowland
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