Smithsonian Science How: How Volcanic Eruptions Send Materials Up and Out in Cartersville

Join us in the Tellus Theater for a live web cast as we meet Dr. Ben Andrews, a geologist at the National Museum of Natural History. Learn about volcanoes and get a better understanding of how eruptions happen. What causes ash and other materials during violent “pyroclastic” eruptions to spew out the way they do? Take a journey with Ben to Guatemala to set up radio-triggered cameras along the mouth of a volcano and capture a time-series of volcanic activity. Reflect on the hazards scientists face in studying active volcanoes. Visit Ben’s volcanology lab to see how he uses his simulator – a giant tank, talcum powder, lasers, and cameras – to model how erupted materials travel. Understand why research on volcanoes is important for our safety. *This event topic and/or speaker is subject to change without notice.