Volcanic Activity

Volcanoes, though extremely powerfull and dangerous to virtually any animal or creature, they serve a great purpose on this earth and do alot more then just destroy. Volcanoes that erupt in the ocean have potential to become new land forms if it reaches the sureface of the water. Over time vegitation would grow and an island with forms of life will eventually live on it.

"The United States and its territories have about 170 volcanoes that have been active during the past 10,000 years, and most could erupt again in the future. In the past 500 years, 80 U.S. volcanoes have erupted one or more times. About 50 of these recently active volcanoes are monitored, although not all to the same degree..."
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3139/


http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1249&bih=603&tbm=isch&tbnid=f2A5pO2aVk78EM:&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcano&docid=S-OkqGEkkZce-M&imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Isola_vulcano.jpg/500px-Isola_vulcano.jpg&w=500&h=170&ei=vSXxTqytO8rV0QHX_ImpAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=324&vpy=206&dur=3263&hovh=131&hovw=385&tx=226&ty=63&sig=117368686176200137240&page=1&tbnh=53&tbnw=156&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0


The Hawaiian Chain is a perfect example of when volcanic activity reaches the earths surface(known as hot spots) and becomes an island. As the plates of the earth move, magma rises through themantle and lithosphere known as a plume. As the plume rises through the lithosphere it creates a hot spot, on the surface its known as a Flood Basalt. While the plume is still rising beneath the surface, the plates move as well, creating new hot spots and volcanic activity.


http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&biw=1249&bih=603&tbm=isch&tbnid=gMQcO625dP5EuM:&imgrefurl=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/What-Were-Still-Learning-About-Hawaii.html&docid=HBWEHx1dfyz7eM&imgurl=http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/Hawaiian-islands-631.jpg&w=631&h=300&ei=5SvxTuWUL8nm0QGys4WdAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=467&vpy=302&dur=465&hovh=155&hovw=326&tx=193&ty=98&sig=117368686176200137240&page=1&tbnh=76&tbnw=159&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:0


"About 90% of the surface of Kilauea is formed of lava flows less than about 1,100 years old; 70% of the volcano's surface is younger than 600 years. A long-term eruption from the East rift zone that began in 1983 has produced lava flows covering more than 100 sq km, destroying nearly 200 houses and adding new coastline to the island".
http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/#kilauea



http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1249&bih=603&tbm=isch&tbnid=0CXGnHX29bCX_M:&imgrefurl=http://www.marinebio.net/marinescience/02ocean/hwgeo.htm&docid=B1-xtlGIVLay1M&imgurl=http://www.marinebio.net/marinescience/02ocean/hwimg/hw0597.jpg&w=700&h=351&ei=Vy3xTsCSJeLL0QG7-9zLAg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=424&sig=117368686176200137240&page=2&tbnh=74&tbnw=148&start=21&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:21&tx=57&ty=76