EPSC 185 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Phreatomagmatic Eruption, Volcanic Ash, Eyjafjallajökull
2 Apr 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Volcanic hazard from iceland: analysis and implications of the eyjafjallajokull eruption. Current volcanic activity in iceland isn"t unusual (explosive eruptions occur in iceland every 20-40 years) Volcanic activity it eyjafjallakokull = major problem over europe only if it is coincident with north to north westerly air flow between iceland and north west europe (only happens 6% of the time) The impact of eruption on regional air space could have been predicted and thus better prepared for (the growing problem of potential ash-clouds caused by volcanic eruptions have been recognized for decades) Response to the ask cloud in uk + adjacent air space = reactive (not effective as it could have been). Situation = made worse by inflexible existing aviation protocols + no pre- existing agreement on safe ash levels. Volcanic ash = damaging to airframes, avionics, and engines of planes. There is speculation about the larger neighboring volcano of eyjafjallaj kull, katla, to potentially erupt soon (strong possibility).
