Ejyafjallajökul Flashcards
When and where did the volcano occur?
On the 14th April 2010, the eruption ejected fine glass-rich ash to over 8km into the atmosphere, which was then picked up by the jet stream and carried east towards Europe
What was the magnitude of the volcano?
VEI 4 eruption, relatively high for this volcano.
Why is this a high-risk area for volcanoes?
Iceland’s position on the mid-Atlantic ridge means that it has a number of active volcanoes, including Hekla the most active. As a result, people are used to regular eruptions, although as most of the island is sparsely populated, the threat is a distant one.
• Many volcanoes are covered in ice caps, which means when they erupt ice is melted resulting in flooding and huge ash clouds also develop. As the magma hits the ice it cools suddenly, forming a glass-like material which instantly disintegrates. Explosions of gas inside the main vent carry this ash high into the atmosphere where it can be caught in high- altitude winds (polar jet stream). As this ash is carried away it disperses and becomes invisible, but it can be sucked into the engines of aircraft which can damage them.
How many people died because of the eruption?
0
Which secondary hazard caused roads to be washed away?
Local flooding – river levels quickly rose as a result of glacial meltwaters
Why was there local disruption to farming? During Ejafjallajokul
A thick layer of ash fell on farm pastures at Raufarfell. This become wet and compact, making it very difficult to continue farming, harvesting or grazing livestock
What happened to air travel as a result of the eruption? How many flights/people were affected?
• Airport closure – Reykjavik airport was closed for several days due to ash-fall.
• Air space closure across mainland Europe - the most significant effect as the ash cloud was injected into the polar jet stream and so affected a large area of European air space. 100,000 flights were cancelled over 8 days, accounting for 48% of total air traffic. 10 million passengers were affected.
What were the knock on effects of air space closure?
• The cost to the airlines is estimated to have been £1.2 billion.
• Travel agents in the UK lost an estimated £6 million in
business each day.
• The eruption occurred during the Easter holiday and many
teachers and students were unable to return to school on
time.
• fresh food and produce couldn’t be imported, e.g. the cost to
the Kenyan flower industry was over $1.5 million a day.
What were the social effects of heavy ash fall?
Decline in air quality caused schools in southern Iceland to close. Some people experienced minor health problems such
What was created when ash mixed with meltwater?
• Mudslides (lahars) – ash mixed with meltwater and created mudflows which were channelled into rivers, increasing the flood risk.
Was tourism affected positively or negatively?
• the eruption initially attracted tourism who came to view the site. Helicopter, bus and jeep tours were offered. By the end of March 10,000 people had visited. However, the number of international tourists dropped during the summer affecting the economy, jobs and incomes.
Were there any positive impacts?
• Decline in aircraft noise and pollution as CO2 emissions reduced.
• In the longer term, nutrients released from the ash may improve soil quality.
How many people were evacuated?
• 800 local people were evacuated because of the risk of flooding
What was the short term response of farmers?
• Farmers in the affect area were told to keep their livestock indoors to prevent them from eating grass or drinking water poisoned by fluorine-tainted ash.
What was the short term response of local people to the decline in air quality?
• People living in areas subject to heavy ash-fall were told to stay indoors.
