Conference proceeding
Wax modeling and image analysis for classroom-scale lava flow simulations
American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Vol.2016
Dec 2016
Abstract
The use of polyethylene glycol wax (PEG 600) as an analog for lava allows for a visual representation of the complex physical process occurring in natural lava flows, including cooling, breakouts, and crust and lobe formation. We used a series of cameras positioned around a tank filled with chilled water as a lab bench to observe and quantify lava flow morphology and motion. A peristaltic pump connected to a vent at the base of the tank delivered dyed wax simulating effusive eruptions similar to those of Kilauea in Hawai'i. By varying the eruptive conditions such as wax temperature and eruption rate, students can observe how the crust forms on wax flows, how different textures result, and how a flow field evolves with time. Recorded footage of the same 'eruption' can then be quantitatively analyzed using free software like ImageJ and Tracker to quantify time-series of spreading rate, change in height, and appearance of different surface morphologies. Additional dye colors can be added periodically to further illustrate how lava is transported from the vent to the periphery of a flow field (e.g., through a tube system). Data collected from this activity can be compared to active lava flow footage from Hawai'i and with numerical models of lava flow propagation, followed by discussions of the application of these data and concepts to predicting the behavior of lava in hazard management situations and interpreting paleomagnetic, petrologic, and mapping of older eruptions.
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Details
- Title
- Wax modeling and image analysis for classroom-scale lava flow simulations
- Creators
- Erika L. Rader - Drexel University Philadelphia, PA USA United StatesAmanda B. ClarkeLoyc VanderkluysenAnonymous
- Publication Details
- American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, Vol.2016
- Conference
- American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting (2016)
- Publisher
- American Geophysical Union
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES)
- Identifiers
- 991021015468804721