An] alert level system is a shorthand, is the vehicle, it is the excuse to get into communications and dialogue, that gives you a justification and purpose […] that provides you the entry into having a discussion with very busy people who are otherwise occupied with other duties they have (VHP manager 4). Wynne B (1996) May the sheep safely graze? A reflexive view of the expert-lay knowledge divide. In: Lash S, Szerszynski B, Wynne B (eds) Risk, environment and modernity: towards a new ecology. Sage, London, pp 44–83

Locations of anomalous volcanism (i.e. forming at great distances from plate boundaries) are commonly referred to as 'hot spot' volcanoes. There are two currently debated explanations of how this volcanism is generated:

What is a volcano?

The cream, marble look Volcano Light quartz worktops are incredibly sturdy and resistant to abrasion, cutting, staining and general wear and tear that impact other, weaker materials, like wood or laminate worktops. You may cut vegetables, fruit or meat directly on aquartz surface, forgoing the need for chopping boards. Even the sharpest of blades won’t scratch this durable stone. Peterson DW (1988) Volcanic hazards and public response. J Geophys Res: Solid Earth 93(B5):4161–4170

Mileti DS, Sorenson JH (1990) Communication of emergency public warnings: a social Sciecne perspective and state-of-the-art assessment (No. ORNL-6609). Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN (USA) Perrings C, Duraiappah A, Larigauderie A, Mooney H (2011) The biodiversity and ecosystem services science-policy interface. Science 331(6021):1139–1140 Despite these variances, the possibility of developing a globally standardised VALS for ground hazards has been considered. After exploring this possibility at volcano conferences in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Scott ( 2007) concluded that there cannot be international uniformity in VALS due to the wide range in volcanic eruptions and hazards, and the recurrence of activity that requires a wide variety of needs to be catered for. Scott questioned the standardisation process, asking if it actually “undermines the important function they achieve” (Scott 2007, p. 90). Areas of the Earth where plates move away from each other are called spreading or divergent plate margins. In these areas, volcanic eruptions are usually gentle extrusions of basaltic lava. Most of these eruptions occur underwater where magma rises from great depth below to fill the space created by seafloor spreading. This occurs at a rate of about 10 centimetres a year. Subducting plate marginsThe cream, marble look Volcano Light by Compac can be supplied in a ‘polished’ texture. This means ascintillating gloss that beautifully reflects the light and highlights the true colours & pigments embedded within the product. The polished texture is one of the most popular surface finishes, mostly present among quartz worktops and granite worktops, although ceramic suppliers also adopt this finish for their stone slabs. These surfaces are easy to clean and prevent all liquid absorption. About Compac Volcano Light is acream, marble look quartz material that comes in amatte & polished texture. It is supplied to Polish Granite by Compac company specialising in stone slab production. Why Volcano Light is the perfect material for stone kitchen worktops? Roach AL, Benoit JP, Dean KG, McNutt SR (2001) The combined use of satellite and seismic monitoring during the 1996 eruption of Pavlof volcano, Alaska. Bull Volcanol 62(6–7):385–399

Shield volcanoes have a broad, flattened dome-like shape created by layers of hot and runny lava flowing over its surface and cooling. When magma is very hot and runny, gases can escape easily. Eruptions of this type of magma are gentle, with large amounts of magma reaching the surface to form vast lava flows. Van Eaton ultimately hopes to use lightning flashes to gauge the power of volcanic eruptions remotely. "Lightning is telling us things that other geophysical monitoring techniques can't see," van Eaton told Live Science. Bigger eruptions trigger more lightning, van Eaton said. "Simply seeing that lightning is associated with an eruption tells you that there are potential aviation issues, and it informs the way you respond to a volcano," she said.Koetz T, Farrell KN, Bridgewater P (2012) Building better science-policy interfaces for international environmental governance: assessing potential within the intergovernmental platform for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Int Environ Agreements: Politics Law Econ 12(1):1–21 Small changes in the shape of a volcano such as bulging may indicate that magma is rising. Accurately measuring the summit and slopes of a volcano is one of the most important tools used for forecasting an eruption. Temperature changes in surface lakes or the groundwater near a volcano also can be a valuable early detection tool, although not all large changes in temperature are related to volcanic eruptions.