What Does volcanology Mean
Vulcānus is a Latin word that refers to Vulcan , the god of fire according to Roman mythology. From this term etymologically comes the word volcanology , which allows us to refer to the discipline dedicated to studying volcanism .
Volcanism is called , meanwhile, the set of phenomena that are associated with the activity of volcanoes . A volcano , on the other hand, is an opening in a mountain or in the ground through which flames, smoke and magma are expelled .
Volcanology is part of geology . In addition to investigating volcanoes, fumaroles and geysers, he is dedicated to investigating eruptions and substances that are released from the interior of the planet.
The expert in volcanology is called a volcanologist . He is a geologist specializing in this area who, as part of his job, usually visits volcanoes and collects lava , stone and ash samples for analysis.
The origins of volcanology are remote and are linked to superstition . Over time, the first really scientific knowledge about its object of study began to be produced, which tried to get closer to previous beliefs. Already in a third stage, which began in the 18th century , volcanology turned fully to scientific knowledge.
Ultimately, volcanology aims to understand how volcanoes arose and how they work . Thanks to their contributions, the risk for the people who live in the vicinity of these natural structures can be estimated .
One of the great goals of volcanology is to predict eruptions . Although today it is not possible to anticipate them, the monitoring carried out by volcanologists is useful to measure volcanic activity.