Course: The Mystery of the Missing Volcano

Subject Area: Geology and Earth Science

Relevant Standardized test: Advanced Placement Geology

years course was taught previously: none

Description: Ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica both show evidence of a major volcanic eruption before 1810. The volcano is not identified.

After studying the chemical analysis of ice cores we will survey the economic and geological impact of comparable eruptions: Pinatubo 1991;

Novarupta 1912; Krakatoa 1883 and Tambora 1815.

Students will be using negative inference and deduction to exclude or include candidate volcanoes.

There will be at least five live chats with world-class geophysicists from the United States, Japan, China and Russia.

There will be a field trip to Katmai Volcanoes National Park to collect tephra samples to help identify a secondary Alaskan eruptor.

Recommended reading: http://www.imagsts.com/MissingVolcanoIntro.html

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