How Accurate How Accurate is the Movie?is the Movie?

Is Dante's Peak Is Dante's Peak a real mountain?a real mountain?

Dante's Peak is Dante's Peak is a mountain in a mountain in

Death Valley, CADeath Valley, CA

It’s not a It’s not a volcano, but it volcano, but it

has a great view!has a great view!

Does magma Does magma ever rise into ever rise into hot springs?hot springs?

Not really. It Not really. It could happen, could happen,

but I know of no but I know of no actual events.actual events.

Are “tilt meters” Are “tilt meters” real?real?

YES.YES.They are used to They are used to measure changes measure changes

in gradient.in gradient.

Are robots such Are robots such as “spider legs” as “spider legs” really used in really used in volcanoes?volcanoes?

NO.NO.Although NASA Although NASA

tested one. Others tested one. Others are used for other are used for other purposes though.purposes though.

Do volcanologists Do volcanologists really wear gas really wear gas masks around masks around

volcanoes?volcanoes?

YES.YES.Otherwise, Otherwise,

vulcanologists can die vulcanologists can die rapidly from colorless, rapidly from colorless, odorless poison gases.odorless poison gases.

Paul describes Paul describes events around events around

“Mammoth Mt.” “Mammoth Mt.” Is it a real place?Is it a real place?

YES.YES.Mammoth Mountain is a Mammoth Mountain is a

real supervolcano in Long real supervolcano in Long Valley, CA. It really did Valley, CA. It really did

become seismically active become seismically active recently.recently.

Can volcanologists Can volcanologists feelfeel the difference the difference between magmatic between magmatic

and tectonic and tectonic earthquakes?earthquakes?

NO.NO.

Fire is usually the Fire is usually the worst problem worst problem

after an after an earthquake. earthquake.

Why?Why?

Multiple fires Multiple fires break out, fuel break out, fuel

leaks, and water leaks, and water mains break.mains break.

Is it normal Is it normal procedure to procedure to drive into a drive into a

stream current?stream current?

NO.NO.It’s not only It’s not only

dangerous, but dangerous, but also very bad for also very bad for the environment.the environment.

Does volcanic Does volcanic ash really choke ash really choke aircraft engines?aircraft engines?

YES.YES.

Can lakes Can lakes become severely become severely acidic in a short acidic in a short period of time?period of time?

NO.NO.Volcanic Volcanic

acidification acidification typically takes typically takes

years.years.

Is ash coarse-Is ash coarse-grained or fine-grained or fine-

grained?grained?

Very fine-Very fine-grained. In the grained. In the

movie, they used movie, they used shredded paper.shredded paper.

Are fast-flowing Are fast-flowing basaltic lavas basaltic lavas

typical for Cascade typical for Cascade volcanoes?volcanoes?

NO.NO.They have happened, They have happened,

but slow-flowing but slow-flowing andesitic lavas are andesitic lavas are

more typical.more typical.

Can you drive Can you drive across an active across an active

lava flow?lava flow?

SURE…go SURE…go ahead! ahead!

(just kidding). But you can (just kidding). But you can drive on one after it’s drive on one after it’s

cooled if it’s fairly level.cooled if it’s fairly level.

Is it possible to Is it possible to drive faster than drive faster than

a pyroclastic a pyroclastic cloud?cloud?

NO.NO.Depending on Depending on

gradient, they can gradient, they can travel 600 m.p.h.travel 600 m.p.h.

Can you think of Can you think of some other things some other things

that were well that were well done in the done in the

movie?movie?

Can you think of Can you think of some other things some other things that were poorly that were poorly

done in the done in the movie?movie?

Have Have a nice day!a nice day!