Index / Natural Phenomena / Volcanic Eruption
Natural Phenomena
Volcanic Eruption
Magma breaching the crust
Molten rock, gas, and ash rise through a conduit when buoyancy and dissolved volatiles overcome overburden pressure. Silica-rich magmas trap gas and erupt explosively; low-silica basalts flow. A single VEI 7 eruption can inject enough sulphate aerosol to cool the planet for years.
Key specifications
Lava temp
700 – 1,200 °C
Plume height
up to 40 km (VEI 8)
Scale
VEI 0 – 8 (logarithmic)
Active volcanoes
~1,350 on land
Sheet 003 · Plate 1 of 1 · 1:1 infographic
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