volcanologist job description
Volcanologist Job Description
A volcanologist's career is very challenging and rewarding. The basic job is to do a scientific study on volcanoes and volcanic phenomena. This article talks about everything you need to know -- educational qualifications, responsibilities, salary, and the different types of volcanologists.
Did You Know?
Out of the 1500 odd active volcanoes present on the Earth's surface, merely 90 have been identified and classified by scientists.- Many budding volcanologists start their career by getting a bachelor's degree in geology.
- The minimum educational requirements, at the entry-level, is a master's degree, and for higher posts, one needs a Ph.D.
- A master's degree in earth science or geology is sufficient, where subjects like math, mineralogy and paleontology, etc., are very essential.
- Courses in oceanography and atmospheric sciences are also important.
- Studying subjects like computers, algebra, trigonometry, physics, chemistry and biology in school, can really help in later graduation studies.
- As a volcanologist, you will need to study for about 10 to 13 years to become a qualified and certified volcanologist.
- Since there is no particular qualifying degree that you need, it is best to cover most of the geology and geophysics studies, so that you are equipped to study the effects of volcanoes in a more extensive level.
- This work calls for a lot of courage and requires a keen analytical mind.
- The ideal routine is living in a tent for two to three months, backpacking, hiking, climbing, and doing the various tasks assigned. Along with that keeping an extensive, up-to-date database of the upcoming and previous volcanic eruptions and preparing thesis are all the various responsibilities of this job profile.
- A large part of this job involves understanding, analyzing and monitoring why volcanoes erupt, how they erupt and how these natural disasters affect life on the planet.
- It also involves regular field work, working closely and visiting dormant or active volcano sites, collecting data, and then analyzing and interpreting this data.
- A volcanologist has to always keep a track of these volcanic eruptions and predict future eruptions, because a vast majority of the population usually lives near such active volcanoes.
- Analyzing and studying the debris emitted by volcanoes is also a part of their duty.
- A volcanologist salary could range from anything between $75,000 to $88,000 annually. The salary range varies depending on the location, education, and experience.
- A fresher or an inexperienced volcanologist can earn around $35,000 to $39,000, whereas, an experienced volcanologist makes about $76,000 to $86,000 in a year.
- Petrologists: They study the minerals and rocks emitted by the volcano to get a clearer picture of the pressure and temperature of magma chambers in the earth's crust. They basically deal with the origin, composition, structure, and alteration of rocks.
- Geodesists: They study the changes a volcano goes through during the eruption. They also try to map out the flow of the magma inside the crust. They basically deal with analyzing and measuring large sections of land areas, studying about new volcanoes and underground trenches and also help in predicting natural disasters.
- Physical Volcanologists: They study the eruption process and the erupted deposits. They are present at the eruption site, are responsible for predicting the future eruptions and also study the past volcanic behavior.
- Geochemists: They deal with the gaseous emissions and their effect on climate change, and the content of the volcanic eruption. They study the magma and try to collect information regarding the next eruption. Most of the equipment is handled by this group of volcanologists.