Behavior of Eruption Columns

Based on your observations of the eruption video clips, you should now realize that the behavior of explosive volcanic eruption columns can vary quite a lot.

The potential impact of these eruptions on human populations around the volcano is very much a function of how the erupting mixture of gas and particles behaves once it leaves the vent.

In this part of the exercise, you will learn more about what factors control the behavior of an eruption column.