hazards -volcano case study Flashcards
what was the case study of a volcano?
.eyjafjallajokull
where was the volcano eyjafjallajokull?
.iceland
when was the volcano eyjafjallajokull?
.april 2010
where is Iceland in terms of plate margins?
.iceland lies on the mid-Atlantic ridge, which is a constructive plate margin
what 2 plates are separating where Iceland is?
.the Eurasian and North American are separating
what type of volcanoes run through the centre of Iceland?
.several active basaltic/shield volcanoes located in a belt
where is the volcano in Iceland?
.located in the far south of the south if the island
when did the volcano enter its explosive phase?
.april 2010 -ejected fine, glass-rich ash to over 8km into the atmosphere
what was the VEI of the volcano?
4 -relatively large
what were the social impacts of the eruption?
.air space closure across mainland Europe as the ash cloud was injected into the polar jet stream -100,000 flights were cancelled over 8 days, accounting for 48% of total air traffic
-10 million passengers were affected
.decline in air quality -heavy ash-fall -so people experienced minor health problems such as eye irritations and dry throat -effects were short lived
what were the economic impacts of the eruption?
.local disruption to farming -a thick layer of ash fell on farm pastures -making it wet and compact -so it is difficult to continue farming, harvesting or grazing livestock
.tourism – the eruption initially attracted tourism -by the end of March 10,000 people had visited -number of international tourists dropped during the summer affecting the economy, jobs and incomes
what were the environmental impacts of the eruption?
.lahars -were channelled into rivers, increasing the flood risk
.one positive was the decline in aircraft noise and pollution as CO2 emissions reduced
what were some immediate responses to the eruption?
.800 local people were evacuated because of the risk of flooding
.farmers told to keep their livestock indoors to prevent them from eating grass or drinking
poisoned water
.roads were closed for several days because of fear of flash floods - gaps were opened in the
road to allow meltwater to escape, to protect bridges from collapsing
what were the long term responses to the eruption?
.local flood defences and roads had to be reconstructed
.close monitoring of Katla, a neighbouring volcano
.the eruption has prompted further research into engine designs -meteorological forecasting of ash movements during eruptions
