wiki Word:pyroclastic flow

Definition: a mixture of rock fragments & hot gasses blown from volcanoes

Pyroclastic Flow is made up of lateral flowage of a turbulent mixture of unsorted materials (ash, pumice, crystals, glass shards, & volcanic fragments). It can move from 50 miles an hour to 100 miles an hour. Most pyroclastic flows consist of two parts: a basal flow of coarse fragments that moves along the ground, and a turbulent cloud of ash that rises above the basal flow. Ash may fall from this cloud over a wide area downwind from the pyroclastic flow. The temperature of the gases can get up to 1000 degrees celsius (1832 degrees celsius).

How does this term apply to any of our class labs? We were recently studying volcanoes, and pyroclastic flow comes from volcanoes.

Hasbargen, Les. "Pyroclastic Flow." Image '6.7' from The Earth, Tarbuck and Lutgens, 1987.. 9 July 2002. Dept. Geology and Geophysics . 1 Feb 2008 <http://www.geo.umn.edu/courses/1001/Summer_Session/SedImages.html>.

"pyroclastic flow".wikipedia.2008.MediaWiki.14 Mar 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyroclastic_flow.