Eyjafjallajokul Flashcards
When did eyjafjallajokull erupt
it erupted in 2010 April - June
Where is it located
in Iceland underneath a glacier. Here, convection currents drive apart the North American and Eurasian plates along a constructive or divergent plate boundary. The volcano is located in South Iceland, 75 miles east of the capital city, Reykjavik
How quickly are the Eyjfjallajokul plates moving apart
1-5cm a year
how high did the ash in the eyjafjallajokull go
11,000m
What type of volcano is eyjafjallajokull
Eyjafjallajökull is a composite volcano, uncharacteristic of a conservative plate margin.
What were the events leading up to the Eyjafjallajokull eruption
Signs of an imminent eruption were noted before March 2010 when seismographs detected shallow earthquakes, indicating rising magma. The volcano began erupting on 20th March 2010 and didn’t stop until October 2010. The eruptions before 14th April were in areas not covered by ice caps which meant that they had little effect internationally.
Describe the Eyjafjallajokull eruption
Eyjafjallajökull erupted 250m under a glacier. Interaction between the magma and melt water increased explosively, aiding the plumes of ash to reach nearly 8km in height. At its maximum the VEI was 4 which was powerful enough for the ash to enter the polar jet stream and because it was mostly very fine it spread across to Northern Europe.
Why did the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull affect the aviation industry in Northern Europe?
Eyjafjallajökull erupted under a glacier. Melted ice cooled the ejected material resulting in the creation of glassy ash with a 58% silica content. This ash could scour aircraft windscreens, reducing visibility and had the potential to clog up engines which would cause them to melt and fail. This halted aviation as it was impossible to fly safely.
Environmental effects of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption:
ash dissolved in Atlantic Ocean causing plankton boom,
decrease in air travel lead to less CO2 emissions
Economic effects of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption:
£130m a day lost by airlines,
tourism losses of £5m a day
Social effects of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption
500 local families evacuated,
roads impassible,
water supply contaminated
Immediate responses of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption:
On 14 April a VA SIGMET, (significant meteorological information), was issued for Eyjafjallajökull which led to airports across Europe closing.
*Around 700 people from the surrounding rural area were evacuated.
*Livestock were taken inside to escape the ash.
*Local populations were evacuated for safety and to limit respiratory problems.
*A main road was breached in order to release melt water into the sea. If this action had not been taken, an important bridge, which would have been more costly to repair, would have been destroyed.
*It was recommended that the locals wore breathing masks and goggles outside.
*The hardening of deposited ash and the fact that it contained fluoride which can be dangerous to animals meant that livestock had to be kept inside during times of ash fall. Fluoride causes long term bone damage and could lead to broken bones and teeth.
*The National Trust allowed free entry for foreign visitors if they showed their airline ticket proving that their flight had been disrupted.
Secondary responses of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption
*Katla, a nearby more dangerous volcano, is being closely monitored as in the past it has succeeded an eruption by Eyjafjallajökull.
*The aviation industry is experimenting with an infrared sensor which would be attached to all planes allowing them to detect and avoid volcanic ash clouds. If they can find a reliable solution it would avoid all planes needing to be grounded if an event like this were to happen again. Currently weather radar in aircraft cannot detect ash because it is dry.
*Increase in tourism in the area - in 2011 a visitor centre was built.
*Further research into the effects of ash on aircraft.
*The reconstruction of roads and bridges.
*Reconstruction of local flood defences.
