How hot is a volcano?
Ivan Turnbull
Ivan,
The temperature of a volcano depends on its activity. Most
volcanoes are inactive most of the time, and thus are no warmer than
non-volcanic mountains. When a volcano erupts, the temperature of its
products depend a lot on their chemistry. The most common type of lava -
called basalts - usually have eruption temperatures of about 1150-1200.
Rocks that contain more silica are cooler: andesite has been measured at
940-990, and rhyolite estimated at 790-820. As lavas cool their
colors change. In their textbook VOLCANOLOGY, Howel Williams and
Alexander McBirney note that basaltic lavas have the following colors and
temperatures:
Yellowish-white 1150 - 1350 degrees C
Orange 1000 - 1150 degrees C
Bright red 800 - 1000 degrees C
Dark red 650 - 800 degrees C
Brownish red 500 - 650 degrees C
Hope this information answers your question!
Chuck Wood, University of North Dakota
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