MEDC Volcanic Eruption Flashcards
What date did the event occur? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
15th April 2010
Where is the volcano located? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
Suourland, Iceland
What is the mean number of years in school? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
19
What plate boundary? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
- Constructive between North American plate and Eurasian Plate
- Mid Atlantic Ridge
What type of volcano is it? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
- Strata volcano
- 1,651 meters elevation
The ice-cap covers the entire caldera, what does this then do? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
Feeds many outlet glaciers
What type of eruption? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
1.5 mile long fissure eruption
What type of lava? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
basaltic, but when in contact with the ice acts more like rhyolitic
How high were the ash clouds? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
30,000 feet
What short term impacts occurred? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
- 20 farms destroyed
- flash floods
- ash damaged properties
- fear over Katla erupting
- ash contaminated local water supplies
What long term impacts occurred? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
- closed airspace for 7 days
- tourism stock market decreased by 4%
- decrease in fuel prices
- respiratory problems
How was the event managed and what response schemes occurred? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
- 30 minute warning text
- cancelling flights prevented deaths
- volcanologists monitored Katla
How was the volcano monitored before the eruption from external changes? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
Change in CO2 - if it increases then it may be magma heating and swelling
How was the volcano monitored before the eruption from ground deformation? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
The ground swells from the CO2, and this is monitored by satellites and received by GPS. If a smaller distance is travelled, then the ground has swelled.
How was the volcano monitored before the eruption from seismology? (Eyjafjallajökull tectonics)
When magma migrates, the geology cracks causing small earth tremors. This is recorded on the seismonitor and analysed
