Eyjajalljokull - Volcano

Question 1

Where was it

Answer 1

Iceland

Question 2

What is the volcano referred to as

Answer 2

‘E15’

Question 3

When was it

Answer 3

2010

Question 4

What was the cause

Answer 4

It was on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and as the North American and Eurasian Plate were pulling apart a fissure opened up

Question 5

What was the type of volcano

Answer 5

Subglacial

Question 6

What was the type of eruption

Answer 6

Initially a tissue opened up about 150m in length. 10-12 erupting lava craters ejecting lava - ICELANDIC ERUPTIO.

Question 7

What was the lava type

Answer 7

Basalt and relatively viscous causing lava stream to be slow

Question 8

How far did the lava flow from the fissure

Answer 8

4000m to the NE

Question 9

What was the temperature of the lava

Answer 9

10,000*C

Question 10

How high is the ice cap on top of the caldera of the volcano

Answer 10

1666 m high

Question 11

What was the volcanic explosive index

Answer 11

4 which is large but not nearly the most powerful VEI

Question 12

What was the eruption like

Answer 12

In the explosive phase, ejected fine, glass rich ash to over 8km into the atmosphere. This was then directed to the east by the westerly winds

Question 13

What made the volcanic activity worse

Answer 13

The volcanoes was located under the Polar Jet Stream which was heading NW to SE. Direction of the jet stream was unusually stable maintains a continuous NW to SE heading

Question 14

As eruption, took place new the glacial ice, what was the result

Answer 14

The resulting melt water flowed into the volcano creating two phenomena:
Vaporising water increased the explosive power.
The lava cooled very rapidly circulating a cloud of highly abrasive, glass rich ash which could damage jet engines, disrupt roads and damage bridges.

Question 15

How long were flights stopped

Answer 15

6 days

Question 16

What did the 6 day shut down cost the airline

Answer 16

£1.26billion

Question 17

What did the thick ash cloud affect

Answer 17

It fell on Pasture at Raufarfell. This has become wet and compact, making it very difficult to continue farming, harvesting or grazing livestock.
Became disruptive to air travel.

Question 18

What were the reports on livestock

Answer 18

There was danger to them in the local area and even as far as Scotland due to ingestion by livestock of fluoride from volcanic ash on pasture land

Question 19

How was the Kenyan flower industry affected by the eruption

Answer 19

Because of the ash, it costed flower growers between $1.5 million and $2 million a day

Question 20

How many people evacuated

Answer 20

10,000 people because of floods

Question 21

Once the ash was picked up by the jet stream, what happened

Answer 21

It was blown towards Europe so many European counties were forced to shut down their air space; the largest shut down since World War II. This affected several million people and had knock-on travel effects across the globe

Question 22

What did the shut down of European airlines cost

Answer 22

£130 million per day for the six days it was closed

Question 23

By the end of 2010, what was E15 considered to be

Answer 23

Dormant by volcanologists

Question 24

What did the Kalta eruption produce

Answer 24

5 times as much ash than this eruption in 1918

Question 25

What are there signs of in Kalta

Answer 25

That magma is rising beneath the surface and an eruption isn’t far away

Question 26

Why is there little risk to people’s lives in this part of Iceland

Answer 26

Becsuse not many people live there, although some had to evacuated after this eruption

Question 27

What does the ash cloud mean

Answer 27

People are vulnerable at some distances away from the volcano, not in terms of their lives, but in their ability to travel, as flights would be severely restricted due to the ash cloud.Business people and tourists were stranded, industrial production was affected as raw materials could not be flown in.

Question 28

What was the first response

Answer 28

500 farmers were evacuated overnight and some roads were closed in fear of flooding.

Question 29

What did a Royal Navy warship collect

Answer 29

Soliders returning from Afghanistan and stranded holiday makers from the Spanish port of Saritander.

Question 30

Why did tourist flock to the site

Answer 30

Because the eruption produced a ‘volcanic Disneyland’ and tourists flocked to see the amazing lava flows

Question 31

The primary effects

Answer 31

Day turned to night due to the ash blocking out the sun.
rescuers wore face masks to prevent them choking on the clouds of ash.
Homes and roads damaged and services disrupted, crops damaged by ash, roads washed away.
100,000 flights cancelled over 8 days.
Total loses of £80million.

Question 32

What were the secondary effects

Answer 32

Sporting events were cancelled or affected due to cancelled flights.
Fresh food imports stopped and industries were affected by a lack of imported raw materials.
Local water supplies were contaminated with fluoride.
Flooding was caused as the glacier melted and torrents of water flowed out from beneath the ice.

Question 33

What were the positive impacts

Answer 33

Tourism.
Lava and ash are rich in nutrients making the soils in volcanic areas very fertile and good for agricultural use. The rocks can be used for building. Geothermal energy is a very valuable resource in Iceland and is used for hot water and to heat swimming pools.

Question 34

What were the long term responses

Answer 34

Further research into the effects on ash on aircraft. Reconstruction of roads, local flood defences needed reconstructing.