Volcanism throughout the solar system.
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- 2958
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- Mon Jun 19 2006

... AA2281 Exploring the Solar System Assessment F: Volcanism throughout the solar system "Volcanism is one of the major processes, whereby a planet transfers heat produced in its interior outward to the surface" (Encyclopedia of the solar system).Volcanism is part of the process of bringing material up from the deep interior of a planet and spilling it forth on the surface where it cools and becomes solid. At least three quarters of the surface rocks on earth and Venus can be attributed to volcanic activity. There are two styles of volcanic activity explosive or effusive. Explosive is when magma is disrupted into fragments which are called pyroclasts by the expansion of exsolved gases. Effusive eruption is when magma escapes through a vent, there is no significant disruption, but a lava flow is formed. To understand the volcanic processes of the earth the products of volcanic activity have been studied under a wide range of














