Volcanology

Volcanology is the study of volcanoes, including their structure, composition, eruptive history, and the processes that shape them. Volcanology is an important branch of Earth science because we can learn about the Earth's interior, the Earth's climate history, and potentially hazardous geologic events such as volcanic eruptions. Volcanology also helps us to understand how the Earth's surface has changed over time and the processes that have been responsible for the formation of the planet's surface features. Volcanic eruptions have impacted human societies throughout history and current monitoring systems are necessary to protect communities living around active volcanoes.