EA30420 - VOLCANIC ACTIVITY: HAZARDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Module Identifier

EA30420

Module Title

VOLCANIC ACTIVITY: HAZARDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Academic Year

2005/2006

Co-ordinator

Dr John P Grattan

Semester

Semester 2

Course delivery

Lecture

11 x 2 hour lectures

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment Length/Details	Proportion
Semester Exam	2 Hours Written Examination 2 questions from a list of 6	50%
Semester Assessment	Extended Essay. 5000 word extended essay submitted by week 10 of semester 2	50%
Supplementary Exam	2 Hours Written examination. Resit failed end of semester examination	50%
Supplementary Assessment	Extended Essay. Resubmit failed course work	50%

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Conduct independent research

Use and interpret numeric data sets

Use and interpret palaeoenvironmental data sets

Place hypotheses of volcanically driven environmental change in a global context

Assess the impact of volcanic activity upon human cultural development

Describe the hazards associated with different forms of volcanic activity and illustrate their mitigation with appropriate case studies

Aims

This module will investigate the interrelationship between volcanic activity and the planet's environment. We will explore this theme on several scales, from rare flood basalt eruptions associated with mass extinction events through massive explosive eruptions which have generated climate change to small scale events which erupt on a daily basis. Where appropriate we will draw on archaeological and historical data as well as satellite monitoring of volcanic processes. Students will be exposed to current research in all these areas. The hazards component will be explored by reviewing these and exploring appropriate case studies of disasters and successful mitigation.

Content

Volcanic activity and atmospheric evolution

Flood basalt volcanism and global environmental stress - mass extinctions

Super eruptions: glaciations, genetic bottlenecks, extinctions and extreme climate modification

Fissure eruoptions: climate change and atmospheric pollution

Explosive eruptions of the Holocene: climate change and social response

Health impacts of volcanic activity

Volcanic gasesand atmospheric chemistry

Volcanic activity and human cultural responses

Cities at risk

Hazard events - impacts and mitigation

Module Skills

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
McCoy, F.W. and Heiken, G (2000) Volcanic hazards and disasters in human antiquity Geol. Periodical (SPE) n.345
McGuire, B (2000) The Archaeology of Geological Catastrophes Geological Society: Bath
Scarth, A (1999) Vulcan's fury: man against the volcano Yale University Press: London
Scarth, A (1994) Volcanoes: an introduction UCL Press: London
Sigurdsson, H (2000) Encyclopedia of volcanoes Academic Press: San Diego; London
Chester, D (1994) Volcanoes and society E. Arnold: London; New York
Decker, R. and Decker, B (1998) Volcanoes Freeman: New York
Firth, Callum, R. and McGuire, Bill (1999) Volcanoes in the Quaternary Geological Society: London
Francis, P (1996) Volcanoes: a planetary perspective Clarendon Press: New York, Oxford University Press: Oxford
Harington, C.R (1992) The Year without a summer? : world climate in 1816 Canadian Museum of Nature: Ottawa

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6