Eyafjallajokull

Question 1

what date did the event occur

Answer 1

14th April 2010

Question 2

what is Icelands GDP

Answer 2

$21.71 billion

Question 3

what is Icelands HDI

Answer 3

0.891

Question 4

measurement of volcano on VEI

Answer 4

2-4

Question 5

plate boundaries associated with eruption

Answer 5

located on a divergent plate boundary - on the mid Atlantic ridge - where eurasian plate meats the North American plate

Question 6

characteristics of the first phase of the eruption

Answer 6

march 10 - effusive eruption - series of lava fissures between 150m to 200m

Question 7

characteristics of second phase

Answer 7

vulcanian eruption

large amount of ash released into atmosphere - 10km high - 58% silica

polar jet stream drove the ash particles all over Europe

Jokulhlaup - large and abrupt release of water from a subglacial lake or reservoir - down northern slope

Question 8

3 social impacts of the eruption

Answer 8

high level of lung irritation symptoms

many sports events disrupted - Boston marathon

travel plans stopped due to closure of airports

Question 9

economic impacts of the eruption (4)

Answer 9

total loss for the airline industry was $1.7 billion

thick ash fell on farmland in raufarfell - difficult to continue farming - loss income for farmers - less food security

disruption to supply chains - Nissan stopped the production of 4,000 vehicles - could not ship the products

in the UK 13 travel firms collapsed post eruption

Question 10

Environmental impacts caused by the eruption (3)

Answer 10

Ash infiltrated water - contaminated water for livestock

volcano released 150,000 tonnes of CO2 each day

reduction in air travel - saved estimated 1.3 to 2.8 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere

Question 11

Political impacts caused by the eruption (2)

Answer 11

Norwegian prime minister has to run country on iPad in airport as he could not travel home

400,000 British citizens were stranded outside the country as they could not travel home including gov officials

Question 12

name 3 local impacts

Answer 12

High level of lung irritation - caused by ash

route 1 - main road was washed away by jokulhlaup - unable to travel - to job

good harvest longer term due to more fertile soil

short term harder to farm due to ash lying over land

Question 13

name 2 regional impacts

Answer 13

in the UK 13 travel firms collapsed post eruption

disruption of UK general election between Tony Blair and Vince cable

Question 14

name 4 global impacts from the eruption

Answer 14

reduction of air travel saved an estimated 1.3 million tonnes to 2.8 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere

IATA stated total loss for airline industry was around $1.7 billion

air travel disrupted - due to ash clouds - ash heated up in plane engine turn to glass - cause plane to crash - no travel in euro region

disruption to merchandise exports - Kenyas flowers costing $3.8 million each day

Question 15

mitigate the loss of the eruption

Answer 15

less mitigation of loss as Iceland is an AC

European commission permitted state aid to those airlines and airpots who were hit badly by the shut downs

Question 16

mitigate the hazard event

Answer 16

the jokulhlaup was redirected - as was flowing towards an expensive bridge - therefore rerouted to route 1 road - the flowed into the sea - scale of economic impacts was reduced as bridge reconstruction expensive

Question 17

mitigate the vulnerability (4)

Answer 17

sweeper system was deployed - local volunteers - go house to house to ensure everyone has received the warnings - and are evacuating

700 people living in low lying areas were evacuated - due to Jokulhlaup - due to high education - residents aware and compliant

all volcanoes in Iceland are monitored and response units are fast to react

chief of police held meetings with scientists, local police - in response to increased seismicity - early 2010 to finalise evacuation plans

Question 18

why do people live in Icelands hazardous environments (4)

Answer 18

geothermal energy used to create electricity for 89% of Icelandic homes - is also sustainable - in reykjavik 2200 km of pipes are used to transport the geothermal energy for the citizens

fertile land due to the ash - good for food production

tourism is a large aspect of why people live there - 345,000 in 2005 - one of main attraction is the blue lagoon hot spring - caused by groundwater heating

primary industries use the natural minerals in rocks - for infrastrucure such as roads using pumice