Icelandic eruption and the weather

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Thought it might be interesting to start a thread on this.
eruption in iceland

It seems to be a fissure eruption and after some reading this afternoon I think it is unlikely at the moment to be putting up large quantities of ash into the atmosphere, this sort of eruption does not seem to be the explosive sort. If it starts to, then we could see some particularly spectacular sunsets.

Worries are though that it might trigger Katla volcano which could be potentially pretty devestating, not only to Iceland but also could affect weather on a global scale. Large eruptions have historically caused global cooling and influenced weather patterns.

hopefully fears end up being unfounded

Iceland is fascinating from a geological point of view. I've had to use wikipedia to put together the bits and pieces I know about that area of the world. It's on the mid-Atlantic ridge but also where two tectonic plates meet, and also appears to have a mantle plume underneath. It's not surprising that it's one of the most geologically active places on the planet.

I don't know anything about wind trends at that latitude, which would influence how far the ash would travel and possibly affect aircraft.

I do remember watching news footage of the Surtsey eruption. I'm now surprised to learn from wikipedia that the eruption went on for three and a half years!

Surtsy is a little before my time but I remember reading about it as a child and finding it so utterly fascinating. I couldn't imagine the birth of a new Island like that.

I would absolutely love to go to Iceland and see the geology there. dh and I were talking about it as an option when I get a job. Might just hold off for a little bit though and see if Katla behaves herself

re aircraft they suspended flights earlier, not sure if they have resumed yet.

Iceland meteorological centre have a seismology section! (lots of little quakes around the erupting volcano I think)

my friend lives in rejkjavik...I wonder if the big one blows, will she be safe

I think that it would have a huge impact on her life, but that she would be ok.
worrying though

She's planning to come back to the UK in the summer so I hope it doesn't do it before that!

This had passed me by completely - really interesting stuff, in an alarming sort of way.

Do Icelanders pronounce Js like the English or as a Y? I've been trying to say Eyjafjallajoekull .

I don't know, I've been trying to pronounce it myself.

Just borrowed dds Violent Volcanoes (Horrible science book) ! it says that volcanoes erupt in Iceland every 5 years.

according to this report could last anywhere between two days and two years. I guess we have a lot to understand when forecasting volcanic activity!

very good news updates

the mid atlantic ridge is where the tectonic plates meet - or more correctly are being pushed (or pulled depending on which way you look at the circulation) apart.

As for the weather implications - if a big volcano blew up on that latitude it would spread ash very quickly around the world because that is where the jet stream is and the ash would be pushed up high enough to get entrained in the jet stream. It can take a year or two to clear the dust out of the atmosphere (through water droplets condensing about it and falling out as rain). While the dust is circulating it blocks some of the suns light - hence a cooler period. I think also there is a lot of sulphur and that produces acid rain.

If you google the year without summer you will see what happened when Tambora blew up in 1816. The global effect depends on how big the volcano is - Mount ST Helens lowered global temperatures by 0.1C

this is interesting.

What a brilliant link - thank you

Thanks, throckenholt, for clarifying my muddled thinking.

I have heard about the "year without summer" and your link goes to some very interesting further reading.

If I could prevail on your knowledge a bit more - I'm sure I read that one of very many precursors to the French Revolution was something to do with weather-related failure of crops leading to food shortages, but even my reading of wikipedia fails to enlighten me. Do you have any pointers to that?

I do have a further question about the storm that hit Perth in Australia, but I'm going to have to marshall my queries about that before I can make any sense whatsoever.

the hail and floody storm on the news today?

my knowledge of France at that time is a bit vague (did read a book about the period about 10 years before a month or so back).

I think it had been a problem for a long time that the poor of France could not afford the price of bread - presumably because of increased population and periods of poor crop yields.

The Laki eruption in 1783 followed by a very bad winter in 1783/4 apparently made food even more scarce.

The nobles of France were seen as being very rich and not passing any of it down to the general populace. I guess seeing revolution in USA plus all of the other things combined to trigger the revolution. I know that in the UK the aristocracy and government were terrified of it happening here and really clamped down on the working class (which were still mainly village based and dominated by local gentry).

this is interesting.

Thanks, throckenholt, that's good info and another interesting link.

There's some aerial footage of the Iceland eruption here: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8586442.stm

Yes, OYBBK, I was referring to the Perth storm. What I'm a bit puzzled about is that typhoons/tornados/extra-tropical storms typically affect the east coasts of the main land masses - Japan, down through the Phillipines and northern Australia, Darwin in particular. Just as severe weather systems travel from the Atlantic, through the Caribbean area to either Gulf of Mexico and southern states or up the eastern seaboard to the US northwest and Canada. But the storm that hit Perth seems to have travelled in the opposite direction. I know there are storm systems that hit California, so those are travelling in the "opposite" direction, but they are rarely severe storms as the Perth one seemed to be.

Yes, I'm a bit muddled as indicated by the fact that I've managed to talk about three different weather thingies in one post.

rather cool webcam

another camera

The ash in the atmosphere from the new eruption last night is causing airports to be closed across Ireland, UK, and parts of Europe. The ash high up in the atmosphere damages aircraft engines.

Check your flights if you are going in the next few days. Hundreds are being cancelled.

This eruption could go on for years apparently - hopefully not airport closures through.

Poor Iceland, a financial crisis now a massive volcanic eruption and floods from melting ice.

bumping and link

Going to be some empty seats at dds school on monday I think

Yes, I have a feeling that there will be empty seats at our school too!

On the news they said our airports were looking to review the situation after 1300, but realistically even if it clears today he back log will be horrendoous, and then there is the possibility of it being an ongoing event.

will look at weather implications in a bit - watching it on telly.

I'm embarrassed to ask this question but would the ash fall in rain or is it too high up?

Not related as such but we had a really freaky phenomena occur yesterday. Thousands of oak leaves fell on the farm from a still and cloudless sky. It only lasted for about 8 minutes and I've never seen anything like it before.

It is too high up at the moment GO, but keep a regular and close eye. dh have had a quick chat. if it collapses we will cover up food plants. also going to make sure got hay in for guineas as they won't be able to go on the grass.

long long way from that yet, and it may well not come to anything, but as well to have contingency plans - you'll need to make sure any livestock feed/water is covered if it happens.