Eyjafjallajokull, Iceland Flashcards
Background
Astride Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Constructive plate - Eurasian and N American
Also located over hot spot in upper mantle = more magma production and volcanic activity
“Land of fire and ice”
Factors affecting severity of impacts
- polar jet stream above in holding pattern blowing NW to SE = drove ash over Europe
- peak VEI 4 = push ash 10km into atmosphere/jet stream (overall 2)
- fine grained = higher and further
•58% silica content - ‘glassy’ ash = aircraft affected
- modern travel aircraft dependent = more vulnerable
- rising magma melted overlying 150m thick ice cap = added to explosivity
- magma from last eruption resting on volcano = brought up + added to volume of ash/extended eruption
The event
Began to erupt 20th March
April 14th = eruption 250m beneath ice of glacier = meltwater
700 evacuated
Ash over UK/Scandanavia/N Europe
Sept returned to dormancy
Local impacts
No fatalities but ECONOMIC
- 20 farms destroyed and lots of livestock killed
- locals evacuated for safety
- flooding (meltwater) - main Route 1 road had to be breached and flow safely to sea
- fresh fish exports, major local industry, ruined
- long term respiratory problems
European region
- flights - one day Heathrow 1000 cancelled
- Europe -$2.6billion GDP
- 400,000 Britons stranded worldwide
- organs not delivered for transport/aid
Positive impacts
Channel tunnel/Cross channel ferries = extra business
National Trust = free entry for any foreign visitor with airline ticket for affected period and passport
Facebook/social media = ‘buddy up’ and share costs
The future
No evidence of another eruption
BUT President of Iceland - repeated??
UK National Centre for Atmospheric Science = radar to sense structure of volcanic ash etc
Aviation Industry = infrared sensor = attached to plans and detect/avoid volcanic ash clouds
Date
April and May 2010
