[Rockhounds] Pyroclastic Flows May Spread Swift Death on a Cushion of Air

[Cessna, Jeffrey T. Mr. (Fed)]

Another summary article...

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2198735-hot-rubble-from-volcanoes-races-over-land-on-a-carpet-of-air-bubbles/

Our club had a presentation from Ben Andrews of the Smithsonian (quoted in New Scientist) about his scale pyroclastic flow simulations with hot baby powder and lasers. It was quite interesting. There is a short video online:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/12/131219-benjamin-andrews-model-volcanoes-pyroclastic-flows-earth-science/

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Rockhounds <rockhounds-bounces at rockhounds.drizzle.com> On Behalf Of Kreigh Tomaszewski
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2019 4:24 PM
To: Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors <rockhounds at rockhounds.drizzle.com>
Subject: [Rockhounds] Pyroclastic Flows May Spread Swift Death on a Cushion of Air

Scientists think they’ve figured out how pyroclastic flows, fast-moving bringers of death during volcanic events, can travel such incredible distances and speeds despite the friction between the volcanic material and the ground.

Pyroclastic flows are searing-hot mixtures of volcanic material and gas that travel explosively down the slopes of volcanoes, sometimes traversing tens of miles at hundreds of miles per hour. They’re responsible for some of the deadliest volcanic events, like the 1883 Krakatoa eruption and the
79 AD Vesuvius eruption that destroyed Pompeii. Though the spewed rocks should slow due to friction, new research from scientists in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States seems to show that the flows travel on cushion of lubricating air.

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