Volcanic Eruption in Iceland Causes Floods, Shuts

Down European Air Travel

Don’t be fooled by the name—Iceland is one of the hottest hotspots in the world, geologically speaking.
The island’s volcanic legacy reared its head again yesterday as a massive eruption by avolcano beneath a
glacier caused the evacuation of hundreds of residents and created ash clouds that delayed flights all
around Northern Europe.
The volcano, called Eyjafjallajokull, rumbled last month, but that was nothing like this. “This is a very
much more violent eruption, because it’s interacting with ice and water,” said Andy Russell, an expert in
glacial flooding at the University of Newcastle in northern England. “It becomes much more explosive,
instead of a nice lava flow oozing out of the ground” [AP]. The flood caused by melted glacial ice caused
the evacuation about 800 people. Waters threatened to spill over onto Highway 1, Iceland’s main highway
that makes a circuit around the island. But some quick digging by construction crews altered the course of
the water.
The huge cloud of ash meandered to the south and east toward the United Kingdom, and probably will
move over mainland Europe before it finally dissipates. As a precaution, yesterday British aviation
authorities totally closed the nation’s airspace. The move effectively grounded all flights in Britain from 11
a.m. local time and affected an estimated 6,000 flights that use British airspace every day, aviation
experts said. Oddly, for travelers, the closing was announced under clear blue skies [The New York
Times]. The altitude of the ash cloud made it difficult to see from the ground.
The main aviation risk posed by the ash cloud wasn’t that it would interfere with visibility, experts say, but
rather that the fine silicate particles can seriously damage airplane engines. The particles can clog
ventilation holes, causing the jet engines to overheat. Says vulcanologist David Rothery:“Air traffic
restrictions have very properly been applied…. If volcanic ash particles are ingested into a jet engine, they
accumulate and clog the engines with molten glass” [BBC News].
Despite the flight cancellations, scientists tried to assure people in
Britain that the ash wasn’t heavy enough to be a public health
concern. In fact, it’s nothing compared to the worst eruptions to
happen in Iceland, according to vulcanologist Dougal Jerram. “One
of the most influential ever eruptions was the 1783-1784 event at
Laki in Iceland when an estimated 120 million tonnes of sulphur
dioxide were emitted, approximately equivalent to three times the
total annual European industrial output in 2006. This outpouring of
sulphur dioxide during unusual weather conditions caused a thick
haze to spread across Western Europe, resulting in many thousands
of deaths throughout 1783 and the winter of 1784″ [BBC News].
The danger this time around is that Eyjafjallajokull will trigger an
eruption of its more powerful neighbor, Katla. That happened back
in 1821.
 The volcanic eruption in Iceland and its
effects on Icelandic agriculture
In the past few days the Farmers Association of Iceland has received greetings and inquiries from
its affiliates, partners and friends around the world in relation to the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull
glacier. The Association wishes to convey its gratitude for the sympathy expressed towards
Icelandic farmers and share some information on recent events and their effect on Icelandic
agriculture.
Farmers in South Iceland are experiencing significant difficulties as a result of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption.
There are great quantities of volcanic material in the atmosphere and ash deposits on the ground. There
is also a risk of lowland flooding due the volcanic activity being under the glacier.
Volcanic activity around Eyjafjallajökull originally started on 20 March with an eruption at Fimmvörðuháls.
This eruption lasted for approximately 3 weeks and did not result in major disruptions for people or
livestock. Nevertheless over six hundred people needed to evacuate their homes on the first night, mostly
residents in urban areas in the South. The people were then allowed back home in stages during the next
few days. On Wednesday, April 14, a new and larger eruption occurred in a new location underneath the
glacier itself. Its behaviour and effects are different from the first eruption and have proven more severe.
Agriculture in affected areas
The area affected by the eruption is an important agricultural area, containing 15% of all cattle, 6% of all
sheep and 17% of all horses in Iceland. 12% of all dairy production in Iceland also comes from the close
vicinity of the eruption. Fortunately, the eruption has occurred during a time in which most livestock are
still kept indoors.
One of the major dangers caused by the eruption is the floods, which began with the second eruption.
The worst seems to have passed, although there is still a risk of further flooding. Croplands have seen
some damage but nothing catastrophic. The lambing season has begun in some farms but sheep cannot
be let out due to volcanic ash in the atmosphere and on the ground.
The inhabitants of around 20 farms closest to the volcano itself have been relocated. However, farmers
are allowed to re-enter areas defined as danger zones to perform essential farm work. All other traffic has
been forbidden in the area closest to Eyjafjallajökull. Several roads have had to be breached to channel
floodwater. Driving is difficult in some places due to low visibility, caused by ash in the air. However,
problems with milk transportation have been solved.
Ash can be harmful
Ash has fallen in many areas in Iceland and farmers have been urged to be aware of the danger and
monitor their livestock actively. The volcanic ash brings toxins which can be harmful to both animals and
humans. Most farmers in the affected areas have rounded up their horses and sheep and placed them
indoors. In some places it is almost impossible to stay outdoors due to clouds of fine ash particles. There
are few poultry and pig farms in the area, but ash fall can create major problems for such farms as they
rely on air conditioning. Drinking water has not been spoiled but farmers are keeping a close eye on any
such developments.
Response of the government and the Farmers Association of Iceland 
The minister of fisheries and agriculture has established a special taskforce to respond to the potential
impact of the eruption on agriculture. The Farmers Association has a representative on that taskforce and
is working closely with the ministry and other parties involved. The role of the taskforce is to assess a
response to the current situation and to organise efforts in case livestock cannot be let out in the coming
spring. Naturally, various questions arise following such disasters concerning the effects of ash fall,
potential evacuation of livestock, transportation, insurance issues and food supplies. As yet, no decision
has been taken regarding the evacuation of livestock to other parts of the country, but this issue is being
discussed.
The Chief Veterinary Officer of Iceland along with regional veterinarians are working closely with farmers
in relation to the ash fall and all livestock owners in the area have been contacted about taking animals
inside and tending to them. Great emphasis is laid on guaranteeing livestock’’s access to clean water and
sufficient food. Farmers across Iceland have been asked to anticipate the possibility of ash fall in their
region and to be prepared, as winds can quickly change direction, bringing volcanic ash to different parts
of the country.
In general, residents of affected areas have responded promptly to public safety messages and the
government’’s well-rehearsed contingency plans have been successfully implemented.
What lies ahead?
It is hard to forecast the future development of the eruption. Eyjafjallajökull has erupted three times since
the 9th century A.D., in all cases preceding or following an eruption of neighbouring volcano, Katla, which
is under Mýrdalsjökull glacier. The danger involved in a Katla eruption is mostly due to glacial burst
floods. So far there have been no indications of an impending eruption in Katla.
At this point nothing can be said regarding further complications. If widespread ash fall persists over an
extended period of time the toxic materials in the ash can have adverse effects on vegetation and the
health of livestock. Such developments are not unknown in Iceland in certain areas and last occurred in
1980 following an eruption of another volcano, Hekla.
Iceland is a country of harsh living conditions in close proximity to some of the most extreme forces of
nature, as underlined by this eruption. Icelandic agriculture is fragile and not much is needed to seriously
upset its balance. Right now vegetation is beginning to re-emerge after the winter. The grazing season
lies ahead and lambing starts in earnest in two or three weeks. Should the eruption continue for an
extended period, resulting in ash damage to grazing fields and crops, it would constitute a major blow for
the region and agriculture in Iceland as a whole.
We sincerely hope that this situation will not last for long as we realise that its impact has already been
felt outside Iceland, with widespread air traffic disruptions. Despite the eruption, day-to-day life in the rest
of Iceland carries on and for most Icelanders it is business as usual!

A display board shows cancelled flights at Brussels international airport in Brussels, capital of
Belgium, on April 15, 2010. All the flights at the airport were cancelled due to the volcanic eruption in
Iceland. 
Passengers queue up at counters to change flights or return tickets of cancelled flights at Brussels
international airport in Brussels, capital of Belgium, on April 15, 2010

Iceland's volcano: 9 strange facts

As the eruption continues to cause travel chaos around the world, a look at
some of the stories to come out of the disaster
POSTED ON APRIL 19, 2010, AT 11:45 AM
The Eyjafjallajokull volcano. Photo: CorbisSEE ALL 30 PHOTOS
The closure of the European flightzone thanks to a volcanic eruption in Iceland looks set to
continue well into this week, leaving vast numbers of travellers stranded around the world. But
beyond the packed airport halls and grounded planes, the eruption has affected the world in many
unusual ways. Here, a list of strange facts surrounding the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull:

The volcano looks like Edvard Munch's "The Scream"

Radar images of the volcano's crater appear to resemble a "nightmarish face...reminiscent of Edvard
Munch's painting The Scream," reports Claire Bates in the Daily Mail. "Coincidentally it is thought
that the masterpiece was inspired by the blood red skies caused by the powerful volcanic eruption of
Krakatoa in 1883."(SEE PHOTO)

It forced a Monty Python star to take a $5,000 cab ride

John Cleese, of the classic Monty Python's Flying Circus comedy troupe, paid $5,100 for a taxi ride
from Oslo in Norway to Brussels in Belgium. Known for his absurdist humor, notes Clive Irving at
the Daily Beast, Cleese is "the perfect posterboy for the present situation."
Norway is being governed via iPad
Jens Stoltenberg, prime minister of Norway, is stuck in New York. But he has reportedly been
running the country quite effectively from 4,000 miles away with his new Apple iPad. "It's
official," says Stevie Smith at theTech Herald. Apple's latest toy is "capable of running the world."
The eruption destroyed millions of flowers — in Kenya
Floral exports make up 20 percent of the Kenya's economy — and they have been completely shut
down by Europe's flight ban. The head of the Kenya Flower Council told the BBC that local growers
have been forced to destroy 3,000 tons of flowers since last week with devastating effects on the local
economy.
Just try buying a kumquat in Frankfurt
Like Europe's imported flowers, many of its exotic fruits and vegetables are flown in from Africa and
the Middle East. With so many planes grounded, food suppliers are warning of shortages. "We will
lack beans and chillies from Egypt and fresh herbs from Israel," says wholesaler Peter Grundhoefer
to Reuters. And "exotic fruits like mango, kumquats and physalis" will start becoming scarce in the
next day or two.

Twitter has become an emergency travel service

Stranded travellers are using Twitter to hitch rides across Europe, reports Ben Fenton in
the Financial Times. By posting messages with searchable hash tags such as #getmehome or
#stranded, Tweeple have been able locate "potential lift sharers and others in the same boat (or
train, or car)." A boat service from France to the U.K. was also organized using the social networking
tool.      
Airlines are asking for a "volcano bailout"
While the EU was recently forced to write a check to save Greece's economy, it could be forced to dig
deep in its pockets for the airline industry, too. Several carriers, including British Airways,
have asked for financial compensation. The bill could prove to be steep: at the same time BA is losing
$30 million each day and Air France-KLM around $40 million, volcanologists are warning that
eruption could go on for months.

The sports world is reeling

Marquee sporting events around the globe have been hit hard by the flight ban. Olympic runner
Abdellah Falil was unable to compete in the Boston Marathon on Monday; several Olympic cyclists
missed the Amstel Gold race in Holland; the Japanese MotoGP has been postponed; and wrestling
fans will be devastated to learn that WWE stars including John Cena, Randy Orton and Batista are
stranded in Belfast, Northern Ireland. If the disruptions persist, several European soccer games —
including Tuesday's match between Barcelona and Inter Milan — may have to be postponed.

Prepare for lots of snow in New Jersey

Experts warn that the last three times Eyjafjallajökull has erupted, it triggered the eruption of Katla,
an even more powerful volcano a few miles away.  Such an eruption could be a global event, reports
Roger Boyes in the Times, as Katla's last eruption — in the 1820s — created severe famines around
the world, and changed the global "climate so dramatically that New Jersey recorded its largest
snowfall and Egypt one of its most enduring droughts."
The Ash Cloud’s Silver Lining
Will Iceland's eruption contribute to global warming, or cooling? This time,
say researchers, neither.
You don't need to have spent four nights in a European airport to know just how disruptive
last week's eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull has been. Despite the global
headache, there's a hint of good news. Climatologists who shudder whenever anything is
expelled into the atmosphere can rest easy knowing that the atmospheric effects of
Eyjafjallajökull won't linger, nor will the belching volcano have a sizable impact on global
climate.
Initially, the environmental consequences will be severe. The contents of eruptions depend
on location and geologic conditions, but all volcanoes spew skyward a mix of pulverized rock
and glass, both of which can devastate ecosystems in the short term. The floating ash that
has limited air travel will soon settle on Europe's fields and water systems and may
have deadly consequences when ingested by livestock. The glass-and-rock mixture is fatal to
most plant species since it prevents photosynthesis; as a result, greenery in Iceland and
parts of northern Europe will have to fight to survive. But the effects don't last long. Within
several months, the ash will simply blow away into the atmospheric background or fossilize
to form new rock.
Then there's the gases. As the world scrambles to assess its output of greenhouse gases that
contribute to climate change, could an unplanned eruption that lets loose carbon dioxide
and other heat-trapping compounds derail the effort? The answer, in short, is no.
"Volcanoes don't emit that much carbon," says Cindy Werner, an analyst with the U.S.
Geological Survey. "And there won't be global effects of this particular eruption." Compared
to other volcanic events, Eyjafjallajökull is small potatoes and lingered in the news cycle
only because of its location and effect on global economies. Each year in Alaska, as many as
four eruptions of the same size or bigger occur. But with little human impact, attention to
those blasts—if there is any—fades quickly.
That's because the planet is mostly equipped to deal with the gases that come out of
volcanoes and has been for millions of years. It's the addition of skyrocketing emissions
from human industrialization that normally concern climate scientists. On-the-ground
estimates are still hazy in Iceland, but satellite images indicate that Eyjafjallajökull has
emitted about 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide per day over the past week, a number roughly
equal to the emissions of 2,000 cars per year. That's not insignificant, but compared to a
bigger eruption, like Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991, which spewed out 42 million
tons over several months, Eyjafjallajökull is like a Tonka truck in a world of big rigs.
The bigger concern for climate researchers is sulfur dioxide, one of the prominent
byproducts of volcanic eruptions. Because of its molecular structure, significant quantities
of the compound can lead not to global warming but to global cooling. USGS researchers
last year who analyzed the effects of three different Indonesian volcanoes over the past 200
years found that long after the ash and other particulate matter settle, which usually
happens within days or weeks, increased levels of SO2 aerosols that migrate into the upper
stratosphere actually deflect sunlight and heat rather than locking them in. Long term,
serious global cooling could be even worse than warming, decimating the availability and
quality of seeds worldwide and influencing mass extinctions. Eyjafjallajökull's aerosols will
likely be rained out in the troposphere before they make it that high, but even output from
the strongest eruptions settles within a few years, limiting lasting environmental impact.
Still, even without the threat of permanent harm, some environmentalists think Iceland
could hold clues of similar and more frequent events to come. But in at least one way,
Eyjafjallajökull may have been more helpful than harmful in the fight against climate
change. "There was more reduction in CO2 from airplanes not flying all week than in the
amount that came from the volcano," says Alan Robock, an environmental scientist and
volcanologist at Rutgers University. As it turns out, it wasn't a bad week for the environment
after all.
Phase 1: Effusive eruption
The first phase of the eruption lasted from 20 March to 12 April 2010 and was characterised by alkali-
olivine basalt lava flowing from various eruptive vents on the flanks of the mountain.

[edit]Evacuations

About 500 farmers and their families from the areas of Fljótshlíð, Eyjafjöll, and Landeyjar were evacuated
overnight (including a group of 30 schoolchildren and their 3 teachers [19][20] fromCaistor Grammar
School in England), and flights to and from Reykjavík and Keflavík International Airport were postponed,
but on the evening of 21 March, domestic and international air traffic was allowed again. [21][22]
[23]
 Inhabitants of the risk zone of Fljótshlíð, Eyjafjöll, and Landeyjar area were allowed to return to their
farms and homes after an evening meeting with theCivil Protection Department on 22 March and
the evacuation plan was temporarily dismissed. Instead, the police closed the road to Þórsmörk, and the
four-wheel-drive trail from Skógarvillage to the Fimmvörðuháls mountain pass, but these roads and trails
were reopened on 29 March, though only for suitable four-wheel drives. When the second fissure
appeared, the road was closed again because of the danger of flash floods, which could have developed
if the fissure had opened near big ice caps or other snow reservoirs, but the road was again opened at
around noon on 1 April.[24][25][26]

[edit]Effect on river water

On 22 March, a flow meter device situated in the Krossá glacial river (which drains Eyjafjallajökull and
Mýrdalsjökull glaciers) in the Þórsmörk area (a few kilometres north-west of the erupting location) started
to record a sudden rise in water level and in water temperature – the total water temperature rose by 6 °C
(11 °F) over a two-hour period, which had never occurred so quickly in the Krossá river since
measurements began. Shortly afterward, the water level returned to normal and water temperature
decreased as well.[27] It is thought that this rise in water temperature is related to the eruption nearby and
is affecting part of the Krossá drainage basin. The temperature of Hruná river, which flows through the
narrow Hrunárgil canyon, into which part of the lava stream has been flowing, was recently recorded
by geologists to be between 50 °C (122 °F) and 60 °C (140 °F), indicating that the river has been cooling
the lava in that canyon.[28]
[edit]Fissure

Second fissure, viewed from the north, on 2 April 2010

The first phase of the 2010 eruption began late on the evening of 20 March at the Eyjafjallajökull.

The initial visual report of the eruption was at 23:52 GMT, when a red cloud was observed at the northern
slopes of Fimmvörðuháls mountain pass,[29][30] lighting up the sky above the eruptive site. The eruption
was preceded with intense seismicity and high rates of deformation in the weeks before the eruption, in
association with magma recharging of the volcano. Immediately prior to the eruption the depth of
seismicity had become shallow, but was not significantly enhanced from what it had been in the previous
weeks. Deformation was occurring at rates of up to a centimetre a day since 4 March at
various GPS sites installed within 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from the eruptive site.[citation needed]

A fissure opened up about 150 metres (490 ft) in length running in a north-east to south-west direction,
with 10 to 12 erupting lava craters ejecting lava at a temperature of about 1,000 °C (1,800 °F) up to
150 metres (490 ft) into the air. The lava is alkali olivine basalt [31] and is relatively viscous causing the
motion of the lava stream to the west and east of the fissure to be slow. The molten lava has flowed more
than 4,000 metres (2.5 mi) to the north-east of the fissure and into Hrunagil canyon, forming a lava fall
more than 200 metres (660 ft) long and is slowly approaching Þórsmörk, but has not yet reached the flood
plains of Krossá.[32][33][34]

On 25 March 2010, while studying the eruption, scientists witnessed, for the first time in history, the
formation of a pseudocrater during a steam explosion.[35] Crustal expansion continued at Þorvaldseyri for
two days after the eruption began, but has been slowly decreasing whilst the volcanic activity increased.
This indicates that the rate at which magma is flowing into the magma chamber roughly equals the rate at
which it is being lost due to the eruption, giving evidence that this phase of volcanic activity has reached
equilibrium.[36]

A new fissure opened on 31 March, around 200 metres (660 ft) north-west of the original fissure. [37] Many
witnesses were present while the new fissure opened. It is a bit smaller, around 300 metres (980 ft) long
according to witnesses, and lava coming from it has now started to flow into Hvannárgil canyon. These
two erupting fissures share the same magma chamber according to geophysicists. No unusual seismic
activity was detected at the time the new fissure appeared, nor any crustal expansion according to
many seismometers and GPS recorders situated in nearby areas.[38][39]

Geophysicist Magnús Tumi Einarsson said (at a press meeting in Hvolsvöllur on 21 March) that this
eruption is small compared to, for example, the eruption of Hekla in 2000. The eruption, rather than taking
place under the ice cap of the glacier, occurred in the mountain pass between the Eyjafjallajökull
and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers. As long as the fissure is not near the glacier, the risk of flooding is minimal;
however, the fissure could extend into the ice cap thereby greatly increasing the risk of flooding. [40]

[edit]Phase 2: Explosive eruption

Photograph from satellite Aqua showing the ash plume over North Atlantic at 13:30 GMT on 15 April

The estimated ash cloud at 18:00 GMT on 15 April.

After a short hiatus in eruptive activity a new set of craters opened early in the morning of 14 April 2010
under the volcano’s ice covered central summit caldera. Prior to this event, a large increase in seismic
activity was detected between 23:00 on 13 April and 1:00 on 14 April. The earthquake swarm was
followed by the onset of a seismic eruption tremor. Meltwater started to emanate from the ice cap around
07:00 on 14 April and an eruption plume was observed in the early morning. Visual observations were
greatly restricted due to cloud cover over the volcano, but an airplane of the Icelandic Coast
Guard imaged with eruptive craters with radar instruments. A series of vents along a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi)
long north-south oriented fissure were active, with meltwater flowing mostly down the northern slopes of
the volcano, but also to the south. An ash loaded eruption plume rose to more than 8 kilometres (5.0 mi),
deflected to the east by westerly winds.

[edit]Ash analysis
Samples of volcanic ash collected near the eruption showed a silica concentration of 58%—much higher
than in the lava flows.[41] Theconcentration of water-soluble fluoride is one third of the concentration
typical in Hekla eruptions, with a mean value of 104 milligrams of fluoride per kilogram of ash. Agriculture
is important in this region of Iceland,[42] and farmers near the volcano have been warned not to let their
livestock drink from contaminated streams and water sources, [43] as high concentrations of fluoride can
have deadly renal and hepatic effects, particularly in sheep.[44]

[edit]Impact on farming
The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority released an announcement on 18 April 2010, asking that all
horse owners who keep their herds outside be on the alert for ash fall. Where there is significant ash fall
all horses must be sheltered indoors.[45] The thick layer of ash that has fallen on some Icelandic farms and
pastures at Raufarfell has become wet and compact, making it very difficult to
continue farming, harvestingor grazing livestock.[46]

[edit]Timeline of the second eruption phase

Unlike the earlier eruption phase, the second phase occurred beneath glacial ice. Cold water from melted
ice quickly chilled the lava causing it to fragment into highly abrasive glass particles that were then carried
into the eruption plume. This, together with the magnitude of the eruption (estimated to be VEI 4)[2] and
being ten to twenty times larger than the eruption of Fimmvörðuháls on 20 March, injected a glass-rich
ash plume into the Jet Stream.

In addition to the fact that volcanic ash is very hazardous to aircraft,[47] the location of this eruption directly
under the Jet Stream ensured that the ash was carried into the heavily used airspace over northern and
central Europe.