Volcano Probe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Volcano Probe - Essay Example Pressure and temperature changes in a volcano leads to its structure and its overall behavior in regard to the period of formation to the eruption period. It is pressure and temperature that explains how a volcano is formed and how it erupts on to the earth surface in the long run (Beatty, 1998, p. 67). In general volcanoes normally occur in areas where tectonic plates diverge or converge or where the earth crust stretch or thin as in the case of African Rift Valley. Similarly, volcanoes can arise as a result of mantle plumes or hotspots which may occur far from the platonic plate's boundaries. Where volcanoes occur due to divergence of platonic plates, new oceanic crust is formed by hot molten lock or the magma which slowly cool and solidify. In essence, the crust is very thin at these ridges as a result of tectonic plates pull. Pressure resulting from the crust thinning gives rise to adiabatic expansion with a new oceanic crust forming as a result of partial melting of the mantle. In regard to converging platonic plates, the collision of a continental plate and an oceanic plate results into a subduction zone which by extension results into the submersion of the oceanic plate under the continental plate. The subducting layer releases water which lowers the temperature of the mantl e wedge above the result of which is magma creation. On the other hand, hotspots which are commonly located above mantle plumes where there is convection of the mantle of the earth results into a column of hot material that rises up to the earth crust. Plume temperature causes the crust to melt forming pipes useful in venting magma (Beatty, 1998, p. 98). Following the above discussion, designing a volcano probe would require one to properly analyse the factors and forces behind volcano formation. In essence, one would be required to put into consideration the thermal forces involved and it is at this point that knowledge of thermal physics becomes essential. In this case, one would be required to design a temperature and pressure measuring system that is compatible with changes in the two parameters and which can withstand huge changes for that matter. As such, one would be required to consider the materials with which the pressure and temperature measuring system is built from as some materials may not be able to withstand huge changes in these two parameters. For example, metals are known to melt under different temperatures with some melting at lower temperatures than the others. Still, some of these metals when exposed to high pressures react or behave differently from the others (A.I.P. 2000, p. 56). Any component designed to study the behavior of a volcano will have to put into consideration all the thermal physics aspects of pressure and temperature among other things. Such things include the permissible pressure range of the pressure sensor and the temperature range of the temperature sensor to be used in the measuring instrument. Equally important is the pressure and temperature range of the outer structure inhibiting the sensors. Moreover, the data collected by these sensors will need to be transmitted to a receiver through a transmitter.