Lecture 5 - Volcanoes and Climate

Question 1

Why study volcanic eruptions and climate?

Answer 1

Winter warming and summer cooling have followed large tropical eruptions like El Chichon and Pinatubo.
Volcanic eruptions may result in crop failure.

Question 2

What happened in 1815 with Mount Tambora?

Answer 2

Largest eruption of past 10,000 years.
100km3 ash
Year without a summer

Question 3

Overall impacts of Mount Tambora

Answer 3

10,000 direct deaths
1-3 degrees cooler summer temperatures in W and Central Europe
Food shortages and highly increased food prices

Question 4

Chemical process related to the volcanic eruption

Answer 4

Injection of water with SO2 results in enhanced rate of sulfate formation.
Production of sulfate aerosols.
Aerosols cause cooling and warming.

Question 5

Responses of the hydrological cycle to volcanic eruptions

Answer 5

Large eruptions result in a decrease of precipitation.
In wet regions, aerosols reflect sunlight
Cooler global temperatures reduce water-holding capacity.

Question 6

Aerosol effect on radiation

Answer 6

Reflects shortwave radiation from space - cooling
Scatter longwave radiation from Earth - warming