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NGSS: Core Idea: ESS3.B, ESS2.B
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Eruption Detective
Jazmin Scarlett examines what life is like near active volcanoes
ROBERTSON S HENRY/REUTERS
La Soufrière, a volcano on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, had several explosive eruptions in April 2021.
As you read, think about how Jazmin Scarlett’s research can help keep people safe.
La Soufrière (SOO-free-ehr) is a volcano on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. For more than 40 years, it had not erupted. But in April 2021, it sent plumes of ash into the air. Currents of volcanic rock, gas, and other material flowed down its sides. The eruptions caused power outages, water shortages, and the evacuation of 23,000 residents.
COURTESY OF JAZMIN SCARLETT
Jazmin Scarlett is a who has studied La Soufrière. She lives in England, but her grandfather is from St. Vincent. Scarlett became interested in volcanoes after hearing her grandfather’s stories about La Soufrière’s last eruption, in 1979.
Today, she studies the communities living near . In April 2021, Scarlett helped authorities explain to the public where material was likely to flow from La Soufrière. She hopes her work protects people at risk of being harmed by eruptions. Scarlett recently spoke with SuperScience about her work.
Why do people risk living near dangerous volcanoes?
It often has to do with history. When St. Vincent was colonized by the British and French in the 1700s, the island’s people were pushed to live near La Soufrière. The British also brought enslaved people from Africa to work on plantations there. Their descendants still live in these areas.
When people live somewhere all their lives, that’s where their sense of place comes from. A volcano that might erupt isn’t always a good reason to leave.
How do you study eruptions?
Most volcanologists study eruptions by looking at , the layers of rock that make up Earth. They analyze the rock to learn where and how an eruption took place.
When I study a past eruption, I look at the rock, but I also study archives, like old letters. That shows me who was affected by an eruption. I also do interviews to learn how people prepared for and responded to eruptions.
ROBERTSON S HENRY/REUTERS
A St. Vincent resident sweeps away ash after La Soufrière’s April 2021 eruptions.
Why is knowing the stories of residents important?
Residents’ stories can show authorities which communities need the most help during an eruption. They also reveal where roads and bridges should be built to help people evacuate.
In St. Vincent, I found that personal accounts mirror evidence in the rock. In areas where the rock contained a lot of ash, old writings by people described .
Scientists usually look at rock layers to learn which areas are most at risk of damage during eruptions. But if the rock is hard to reach or has been washed away, scientists can look at these personal accounts.
What should young people know about volcanology?
Volcanologists can look like anyone! And there’s more to the job than studying rocks. You can also study history, physics, or engineering. There’s no one way to be a volcanologist.
Scientists made this map of St. Vincent to show areas most at risk to be damaged during the 2021 eruptions.
Scientists made this map of St. Vincent to show areas most at risk to be damaged during the 2021 eruptions.
JIM MCMAHON (MAP) / SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF WEST INDIES SEISMIC RESEARCH CENTRE
Scientists made this map of St. Vincent to show areas most at risk to be damaged during the 2021 eruptions.
Scientists made this map of St. Vincent to show areas most at risk to be damaged during the 2021 eruptions.
JIM MCMAHON (MAP) / SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF WEST INDIES SEISMIC RESEARCH CENTRE
a person who studies volcanoes
a deposit of ash from an erupting volcano
describes the original or earliest known people living in a region
volcanoes that have erupted in the past 10,000 years
the layers of rock that make up Earth, which scientists study to learn about the planet’s history
