Eyjafjallajökull (E15)

Question 1

Where does Iceland lie?

Answer 1

On the mid-Atlantic ridge

Question 2

What type of plate boundary is the mid-Atlantic ridge?

Answer 2

Constructive

Question 3

How did lava eruptions begin in March 2010?

Answer 3

Rising magma broke through the crust under the E15 glacier and lava eruptions began.

Question 4

What happened on 14th April 2010?

Answer 4

Lava eruptions became more intense and explosive; water mixed with the silica to form fine glossy ash; glacier continued to melt and meltwater flowed towards the sea

Question 5

What is the GDP per capita of Iceland?

Answer 5

$48100 (2016)

Question 6

What percentage of people in Iceland have internet access?

Answer 6

98.2%

Question 7

How are phreatomagmatic eruptions characterised?

Answer 7

By violent explosions that result from the mixing of rising magma with water. Water initially chills the magma at the interface to a hot glass, which then shatters.

Question 8

How is the water transformed into a high-pressure superheated steam?

Answer 8

Water penetrates the mass of shattered glass; runaway process of heat transfer and further magma fragmentation

Question 9

When did E15 erupt prior to 2010?

Answer 9

920, 1612, 1821-23

Question 10

How long did E15 erupt for in 2010?

Answer 10

2 months (officially declared over in October)

Question 11

How will the risk of eruption change in the future?

Answer 11

Technology is being continuously updated; air traffic control has become more technological

Question 12

Were the impacts more significant on a local/ regional/ international scale?

Answer 12

International (e.g. flight cancellations) - Iceland managed the impacts locally and regionally by carrying out evacuation procedures and being adapted to natural hazards

Question 13

Where the impacts short term or long term?

Answer 13

Short (excluding the fact that volcanic ash can produce very fertile soils)

Question 14

How severe were the impacts?

Answer 14

Not too severe for Iceland - although severe for LICs on a global scale such as Kenya which suffered from a lack of trade by air

Question 15

How effective were the responses?

Answer 15

European Red Cross mobilised volunteers and responses were quick although perhaps not implemented fast enough

Question 16

What is the key point to take away from this case study?

Answer 16

Volcanoes are very different to predict and therefore it is the immediate response that matters - this may have been the case locally or nationally but not internationally.

Question 17

How does this case study link to wider geographical concepts?

Answer 17

• glacial melt may increase in severity as a result of climate change, increasing the risk posed by Jokulhlaup
• global trade suffered (e.g. Kenya)
• flows of people affected due to airline cancellations
• place perception of Iceland has changed - now a tourist hotspot that brings economic activity

Question 18

What was the main factor in determining the level of the disaster?

Answer 18

Physical factor - mid-Atlantic ridge results in Iceland being vulnerable to volcanic eruptions. The level of development in Iceland meant that people were kept safe and were evacuated so the effects caused by social factors were minimal.

Question 19

What were the economic impacts?

Answer 19

• ash plume stopped 100 000 jets in Europe
• Eurotunnel and ferries had to do extra business
• ash made Icelandic soil fertile so farmers could produce rapeseed oil and grapes
• Europe lost US$2.6 billion GDP
• Kenyan economy affected as perishable goods were unsold (20% of economy)
• airlines lost £130 million a day

Question 20

What were the social impacts?

Answer 20

• 700 people evacuated due to flooding from the glacier
• cancelled flights left many stranded in different countries
• ash contaminated drinking water supplies
• ash caused respiratory illnesses for some locals

Question 21

What were the environmental impacts?

Answer 21

• fluoride deposits on grazing land poisoned cattle
• fertiliser for the surrounding land was not needed
• surrounding rivers were silted with ash
• less aircraft noise and 2.8 million tonnes less carbon dioxide released due to flight bans
• Jokulhlaup river became 100x its normal capacity

Question 22

Preparedness of for the eruption

Answer 22

• texts were sent to locals with a 30 minute warning
• diggers were in position to dam rivers

Question 23

Immediate responses to the eruption

Answer 23

• 100 000 European flights cancelled during a 6-day ban
• exclusion zone created
• 700 locals evacuated
• Eurostar carried 50 000 extra passengers
• Icelandic Red Cross provided food for farmers

Question 24

Long-term responses to the eruption

Answer 24

• visitors centre now built (tourism)
• Icelandic government rebuilt river banks, even higher than before