1. JUNIOR VOLCANOLOGIST

2. Your mission:
Mr. Hamlin and a group of volcanologists invite you to be their research assistant on a round-the-world expedition. You agree in a heartbeat. Your duty: Follow the “Expedition Route” and explore to complete your field journal.

3. History
The word 'volcano' comes from the little island of Vulcano in the Mediterranean Sea off Sicily, just south of Italy. Centuries ago, the people living in this area believed that Vulcan - the blacksmith of the Roman gods-caused volcanic activity in this region of the world.

4. Seismometers measure how much the ground shakes
Tools of the Trade…
Seismometers measure how much the ground shakes
Global Positioning System (GPS) to tell you where you are and what elavaton you are at

5. Basic facts…
Volcanoes are always erupting somewhere on Earth! On average, 20 volcanoes are erupting at any moment!
It is possible for lava to shoot anywhere from 300 to 600 meters above an erupting volcano!
*Do you see any patterns to where the volcanoes are located? Click on the map, and do the Animated Guide to volcanoes.

7. Course Objectives

8. We made it!! Time to explore!

9. Welcome to Asia!

10. Mt. Fuji
Our guide just told us that this volcano has erupted about 63 times in the past 9,000 years! Wow!
After a long day of hiking, we are now ready for some delicious Japanese cuisine.
Tomorrow we head to Iceland.

11. Course Objectives

12. Arriving in Iceland…

13. Iceland

14. Iceland is home to many volcanoes!

16. Tourists we met in Iceland….
*What is to our left, and what is to our right? Hint: What type of plate boundary does Iceland sit on?

17. Facts we learned on our tour:
Iceland has many volcanoes
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge runs through Iceland
This country sits on a divergent plate boundary
The North American plate is moving to the west, and the Eurasian plate is moving east

18. Our last night in Iceland we stay at the Hotel Ranga and get a beautiful view of the Northern Lights!
*Remember what causes the Northern Lights? Hint: Think of Earth’s outer core….

19. Tomorrow it is off to a very important conference in Central America

20. Course Objectives

21. Bienvenido!

22. The Geology Conference
This woman is very frustrated about the difficulty of preventing volcanic damage in her country
She wants to figure out which locations are at the highest risk
She is hoping that her country is able to determine what roads make the best evacuation routes

23. Are volcanoes beneficial?

24. You receive email from a volcanologist and find out the following about volcanoes:
Create fertile soil
Habitats for a variety of species
Beautiful landscapes
Valuable minerals
Create new land and islands
Provide geothermal energy
Great for tourism!

25. Course Objectives

26. Home Sweet Home!

27. I want to be a volcanologist…
College Major: Geology
Very important you take math and science classes in high school
You can possibly earn an average of $90, 890 per year
Some higher paid volcanologists make around $187, 200
Most of these scientists work for different levels of government, universities, and private research institutes
You get to travel the world and see amazing things!

28. What colleges are the best for studying volcanology?
University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Oregon State
University of Hawaii
University of Washington
*Most colleges and universities offer a variety of geology programs. These universities were ranked as the Top 4 in the United States for volcanology. (Source:

29. Extra Credit
For extra credit, you create your own 3 day volcano adventure using Power Point.
*Your adventure should include the following:
3 volcanoes and where they are located
3 facts about each volcano
The cultural impact that volcano has on each area
In addition to the volcano, come up with one fun thing to do in each location. (Ex. Sites to see, places to eat, sleep, fun things to do, etc.)
Include maps and photos of where you go
A works cited page in MLA format (this is where you cite where you found your information)