Transcript Montserrat building a case study 2014 Lessonsx

Montserrat – building a
case study
Learning objectives
 To build on previous knowledge to create a detailed case
study for the island of Montserrat
 To understand the causes, effects and responses of the
eruption in 1997
 TO prepare for a GCSE style exam question
So where is Montserrat?
Complete this sentence:
Montserrat is an island in the… It is near other islands such as…
In the Caribbean
50 miles South
West of Antigua.
We’ll start by
investigating it’s
location.
Case Study – Montserrat
Using the information from the paper point and hand outs, plus
information from Geog 1 book fill in each section with detail and
explanation.
Describe the location of the island of Montserrat –
Where is it?
Explain, with detail, what has caused the Island of Montserrat to be a volcanic island – include names
and examples, you may even wish to draw a diagram to help expand your answer.
What Island chain is
it in?
Latitude and
Longitude?
What are some of the positive and negative impacts of living near a Volcano and why might people
decide to move away whilst others decide to stay?
Positives
Negatives
Stay
Go
How far from and in
what direction from
other islands and
famous cities?
Fig 1a – A map showing the location of Montserrat
Background:
Montserrat is a tiny island in the
Caribbean measuring only 12 km NS and 8 km E-W (100 km2)
Until 1995, very much an ‘island
paradise’ (and some parts still are)
with an economy based on farming,
fishing and tourism.
Relatively poor LEDC with average household
income of around £2,800 a year.
Montserrat is classed as a ‘British Overseas Territory’,
originally occupied by Irish settlers in 1632. It has its own
government but the official head of state is The Queen and it
retains strong links to the UK.
Case Study – Montserrat
Using the information from the paper point and hand outs, plus
information from Geog 1 book fill in each section with detail and
explanation.
Describe the location of the island of Montserrat –
Explain, with detail, what has caused the Island of Montserrat to be a volcanic island – include names
and examples, you may even wish to draw a diagram to help expand your answer.
Now we’ll continue
by investigating the
cause.
You’ll need to use
your knowledge of
plate Boundaries.
Page 117 will help.
What are some of the positive and negative impacts of living near a Volcano and why might people
decide to move away whilst others decide to stay?
Positives
Negatives
Stay
Go
Name the type of plate boundary
closest to Montserrat?
Destructive or subduction (Caribbean Plate and
North American Plate are pushing towards each
other).
What was the cause of the Montserrat
Volcano?
Why is there a large amount of Volcanic activity in this
area?
What was the cause of the Montserrat
Volcano?
2. The denser
ocean plate/
crust is forced
down under
the less dense
continental
plate/crust.
1. This a destructive
(Subduction) Plate
boundary. The South
American plate is forced
below the Caribbean
plate. The plate are
being dragged along by
the convection currents
in the mantle.
Caribbean plate
South American plate
3. Friction from
the movement
creates heat and
as the ocean crust
moves down, it
melts forming
molten magma.
4. The hot magma tries
to rise to the surface
through weaknesses in
the continental plate.
When it does, it creates
a volcano such as
Soufriere Hills in
Montserrat.
Destructive Plate Boundary
From geog1
Causes:
Montserrat lies on a plate
boundary where the North and
South American plates are sliding
beneath the Caribbean Plate.
This is a destructive plate
boundary or subduction zone.
As the North and South American plates get dragged down into
the mantle, the very high temperatures cause the crust to
melt, forming a vast underground magma chamber.
This magma rises to the surface to form a chain of volcanic
islands, Montserrat being one of these.
The main volcano on the island is Mount Soufriere, a composite
volcano (alternating layers of ash and lava = violent eruptions).
Until 1995, the volcano had lain dormant for around 100
years.
Causes:
Montserrat lies on a
destructive plate boundary
where the North and
South American plates are
sliding beneath the
Caribbean Plate
(= subduction zone).
The very high
temperatures in the
mantle cause the crust
to melt, forming a vast
chamber of magma which
rises to the surface to
form a chain of volcanic
islands, the island of
Montserrat being one of
these.
Explain the causes of the tectonic
activity on Montserrat (4)
Caribbean Plate and North American plate are
pushing towards each other.
One plate falls below the other and melts into a
subduction zone (destructive plate boundary)
Pressure builds up and is released suddenly
Magma and volcanic ash explodes out of the
volcano violently
Magma on a destructive plate boundary is sticky
due to a high silica content
Therefore much damage is caused to the
surrounding area
Case Study – Montserrat
Using the information from the paper point and hand outs, plus
information from Geog 1 book fill in each section with detail and
Now record what you
have found out.
explanation.
Describe the location of the island of Montserrat –
Explain, with detail, what has caused the Island of Montserrat to be a volcanic island – include names
and examples, you may even wish to draw a diagram to help expand your answer.
You’ll need to use
your knowledge of
plate Boundaries.
Page 117 will help.
What are some of the positive and negative impacts of living near a Volcano and why might people
decide to move away whilst others decide to stay?
Positives
Negatives
Stay
Go
You can use a labeled
diagram.
What happened leading up to the
eruption of the Volcano Soufriere
hill?
What events and signs were there, that the
people of Montserrat were in danger and the
Volcano was soon going to erupt?
Timeline of events:
1992-1994 Swarms of microquakes are detected under Mount Soufriere.
Jul
1995
Eruptions of ash and steam. People are encouraged to evacuate the south of
the island as a precaution.
Dec
1995
A bulging lava dome appears in the crater at the top of the mountain. The
capital, Plymouth is evacuated.
Jan
1996
The volcano enters a quiet phase and residents are allowed to return to their
homes
Mar-Sep
1996
A return to volcanic activity, including the first of many pyroclastic flows. All
people ordered out of the south of the island.
Jun
1997
A devastating eruption occurs, killing 19 people who had returned to their
homes in the danger zone. Plymouth is completely destroyed.
July
1997
The compulsory exclusion zone is expanded and camps are set up in the
north of the island. The government grants powers to forcibly remove
people. 5,000 now settled in temporary camps.
Sep-Dec
1997
Eruptions of volcanic gases (mainly sulphur dioxide), ash and pyroclastic
flows continue on a regular basis.
1998
onwards
Ongoing monitoring of the volcano from the monitoring station. Eruptions
of ash and gases continue, plus lahars following heavy rains.
Notes from Video
Watch and use following video to investigate the causes, effects and responses to the eruption.
Add detail to your table.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBQk2dzo9yM
The Cause
The effects
The response
Notes from Website
Using the following website to investigate the causes, effects and responses to the eruption.
Add detail to your table.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/int/geog/envhaz/flash/volcanoes/volcano_intro.swf
The Cause
The effects
The response
Use the Website to add
detail to your bookelet
about the causes of,
effects of and responses
to the volcano.
Notes from Website
Using the following website to investigate the causes, effects and responses to the eruption.
Add detail to your table.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/int/geog/envhaz/flash/volcanoes/volcano_intro.swf
The Cause
The effects
The response
The causes, effects and solutions
On your sheet there are a total of 28 cards showing the
causes, effects and solutions to the Montserrat
eruption. There are also 7 blank for you to fill in.
1. Categorise the cards into cause, effects and
solutions. This can be done by colour coding.
2. Once you have sorted all the effects, now decide
by adding a letter S, E or E which of them are
social, economic and environmental.
3. Prioritise which effect created the biggest
problem for the island and explain your choice.
(Level 5)
Ext: Take out the solutions and decide which of these
is the most helpful to the island and explain why.
Towns are slowing being
rebuilt now.
Montserrat lies on a
destructive plate
boundary
Rivers flooded because
they were blocked by
ash.
The port and airport
were closed, badly
affecting the tourist
industry.
Other industries
suffered with port and
airport closures.
Pressure increases,
which triggers an
earthquake.
Heat produced by
friction melts the
descending crust to
form molten magma.
Nineteen people died
and two-thirds of this
island was covered in
ash.
Being overseas British
territory £41 million
pounds in aid was
donated by the British.
The country was forced
to rely on aid from the
UK.
The Montserrat Volcano
Observatory was set up
to monitor the volcano.
The tourist industry is
slowly picking up again
as a result of having an
active volcano.
The hot magma tries to
rise to the surface, and
when it succeeds it will
form a volcano.
Between 1995 and 1997
this volcano erupted
huge
quantities of lava, ash
and pyroclastic flows.
Access to the one
hospital on the island
was disrupted, having
knock effects to health
care
Half of the population
were evacuated to the
north of the island.
Half of the population
left the island.
Money was given to
individuals to move away
from the effected area.
Fires were caused in
forests by volcanic
gases igniting.
Many homes had been
destroyed from the
falling ash and lava
flows from the volcano.
Rivers flooded because
they were blocked by
ash.
The port and airport
were closed, badly
affecting the tourist
industry.
Plymouth, the capital
became an abandoned
‘ghost town’.
Crops and animals were
destroyed by layers of
volcanic ash, meaning
there was a loss of
money as the farmers
could not sell .
The oceanic plate is
forced down
(subduction) under the
continental plate.
A risk assessment was
undertaken to help the
locals to prepare for
future eruptions.
Some who fled are
starting to trickle back
to the island.
Lava flow destroyed the
surrounding plants and
animal’s habitats as it
snaked down the side of
the volcano
Ash from the volcano
settled in the nearby
oceans and destroyed
marine habitats.
New roads and other
infrastructure like
electricity and water
supply, as well as
farmland regeneration
were set as a priorities,
CAUSE, EFFECT, RESPONSE?
Describe the impact of the eruption on the
land and occupations of the people of
Montserrat (6)
Much land destroyed by volcanic ash and lava
Farmland, forests, houses, places of work
(including industries, port and airport) destroyed
People could not farm land for money
Jobs available in building and construction to
house the homeless people and to build roads and
services
Hospital destroyed, so no medical care on island
until it was rebuilt
Economy in ruins after all industries destroyed,
meaning little money for people to rebuild and
spend on local services
Aid was needed
Effects of volcanoes
NEGATIVE
POSITIVE
Positive v negative
A. Beautiful landscape
B. Tourism
C. Transport systems
blocked
D. People and animals lose their lives
E. Money for the economy
H. Fertile land
I. Jobs
F. Crops ruined
J. Better
communication
systems
G. Buildings
destroyed
K. Forest fires
L. Geothermal energy
What are the arguments for and against
people staying on Montserrat? (4)
For
Stay with family and friends
Elderly people unable to leave island
Strong community spirit as working together to
re-build
Over time land will become fertile again
Against
Volcano could erupt again
Land will not be fertile enough to farm again for
a long time
People living in make shift shelters – no jobs, no
homes, no medical care
Case study
cube
pictures
Montserrat today:
2011 census recorded a population of 5,100 – less than
half what it was before the eruption but 3x what it
had fallen to by 2001.
Aim is to restore the population eventually to 10,000.
Some emigrants have returned to slowly rebuild their
lives and the island economy.
Tourism has recovered well (‘volcano tourism’). Income
from tourism more than £12m last year.
Severe skills shortage (‘brain drain’) and fears of overreliance on handouts from UK.
Ongoing monitoring of the potential for more eruptions.