Costa Rica volcano natural history is one of the reasons that tourists travel to Costa Rica. It's an opportunity to see the volcanoes. Volcanoes are a topic that I am inadequately educated about but a must-know in order to have an appreciation of Costa Rica's wondrous natural history. I have researched this topic and do not profess to be an expert, but am providing this content to help develop an understanding of the natural phenomena. My political science degree was not of much use for this topic, so I have relied heavily on my ability to write a summary in lay person terms.

When people think of volcanoes, the first image that comes to mind is a tall mountain with orange lava spewing from the top. There is a material inside the volcano makes its way to the surface. This material is called magma and is a fluid molten rock. It is partially liquid, partially solid and partially gaseous.

The earth is made of three mega layers consisting of the core, the mantle and the outer crust. Underneath the crust, which we live on, is the mantle and it is extremely hot. The mantle is mostly solid and remains this way because of pressure deep inside the planet.

Under certain circumstances the mantle melts which becomes magma and the magma makes its way to the outer crust.

Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that goes something like this:

• The lithosphere — a layer of rigid material from the outer crust and top layer of the mantle — is divided into 7 large plates and several smaller plates.
• The plates drift over the mantle which is lubricated by the asthenosphere layer.
• The boundary between these two plates when they meet causes one of four things to happen.
• If the plates move away from each other, an ocean or continental ridge will form.
• If the two plates collide and one moves under the other, a trench will form.
• If the plates collide and neither sub ducts, it will push up into a mountain.
• If the plates move against each other then push and pull apart, these produce volcanic activity.
• The magma pushes up under the lithosphere plate and forms a plume shape to create a hot spot underneath a particular point of the earth.
• As the continental plate moves over the spot, the magma will create a string of volcanoes.
• These volcanoes will die once the plate moves past the hot spot.
• When solid rock changes form to a more liquid rock material, it becomes less dense than the surrounding rock.
• The difference in density causes the magma to push upward with force.
• The intense heat caused by the force pushing upwards melts rock which adds to the magma mixture.
• The magma collects in chambers below the surface of the earth.
• If there is enough pressure, the magma will push through a crack in the crust and spew on the earth's surface.
• The flowing magma, which is called lava forms a volcano.

Scientific knowledge about volcanoes has progressed significantly over the past few decades but scientists are still unable to predict a volcanic eruption with certainty. Currently, scientists are able to monitor volcanic activity. Measuring volcanic gases and the composition of gas emissions will help indicate a volcanic eruption. In other words, if there are changes, then this may be an indication of an impending eruption. Monitoring the ground deformation will indicated pressure due to large volumes of collecting magma.

Costa Rica contains one of the most active volcanoes in the world — Arenal Volcano. Arenal Volcano is monitored daily and erupts frequently. However, the eruptions lately are not as significant as the eruption in 1968. Learn more about Costa Rica's volcanoes.