Tectonic Hazards

Volcanology (GCSE)

In this course, Professor David Pyle (University of Oxford) introduces the topic of volcanoes. We begin by: (i) thinking about the different types of tectonic hazards; (ii) the global distribution and characteristics of volcanoes; (iii) the structure and formation of stratovolcanoes; and (iv) shield volcanoes; (v) the positive and negative effects of living with volcanoes; (vi) how we monitor and research volcanoes; (vii) a case study of a volcanic eruption, the 2021 eruption of Mount Nyiragongo in the D.R.C.; before finally (viii) a case study of a volcanic eruption on La Palma, Canary Islands in 2021.

Tectonic Hazards

In this lecture, we explore natural hazards with a focus on tectonic and geophysical hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. We explain how these hazards are linked to the movements of the Earth’s plates, illustrating their impacts with recent examples like the large earthquakes in Türkiye in 2023, and the catastrophic 2011 Tōhoku earthquake in Japan. To finish off, we also show how volcanism is possible at tectonic boundaries.