Hazards (volcano)- Icelandic volcano

Question 1

Background info

Answer 1

-March to May 2010
-completely covered by icecap
-crater 3-4km wide
-composite volcano

Question 2

Causes of erruption

Answer 2

-Iceland lies on Mid-Atlantic Ridge= constructive plate margin, separates North American and Eurasian plates
-plates move apart due to ridge push along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge= magma fills the magma chamber below volcano
-volcano is located below a glacier

Question 3

About the erruption

Answer 3

-level 3 on VEI
-combination of settled weather pattern with winds blowing towards Europe= very fine ash and a persistent eruption lasting 39 days magnified impact

Question 4

Impacts

Answer 4

-ash blocking the sun= rescuers wore face masks to prevent choking on ash clouds
-homes and roads were damaged= roads washed away/ services were disrupted/ crops were destroyed by ash
-ash cloud brought European airspace to a standstill during latter half of April 2010 and cost billions of euros in delays= no-fly zone was imposed across much of Europe, meaning airlines lost around £130m per day
-flooding was caused as the glacier melted
-stopped flow of trade= international impacts

Question 5

Mitigation strats

Answer 5

-European Red Cross Societies mobilised volunteers, staff and other resources to help people affected directly or indirectly by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier volcano
-European Red Cross provided food for the farming population living in the vicinity of the glacier/ counselling and psychosocial support,
-700 people were evacuated from the disaster zone three times in the past month
-European Union (EU) developed an integrated structure for air traffic management= following a volcanic eruption in the future, areas of air space may be closed, reducing the risk of closing all European air space