The impact of the atmosphere on the Eyjafjallajökull 2010 eruption plume

Abstract

The eruption had two explosive phases separated by a phase with lava formation and reduced explosive activity. During the explosive phases there were episodes of strong winds that advected ash to the south and southeast leading to widespread disruptions in air traffic. The height of the eruption plume was monitored with a weather radar and with web cameras mounted with a view of the volcano. Three different types of the impact of the ambient atmosphere on the eruption plume are described. First, the weather situation throughout the eruption has been analyzed. The frequency of northerly wind component is found to be unusually high, or 71% in comparison to 49% on average in spring. Secondly, during the effusive phase of the eruption diurnal variation was observed in the plume altitude and there is evidence that suggest that nocturnal inversions may have played a role, limiting the rise of the weak plume. Thirdly, images from a web camera were analyzed and the rise of individual cloud heads associated with explosions at the volcano vent mapped. The velocity profiles obtained largely agree with conceptual models of volcanic plumes.

Long-term variability of dust events in Iceland (1949–2011)

“…A high frequency of dust events in NE Iceland during the 2000s was associated with dry and warm Junes. A high number of dust days in S Iceland in 2010 was often due to the resuspension of volcanic ash from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption during very frequent northerly winds (Petersen et al, 2012). The annual differences in dust event frequency do not correspond to trends of the global climate drivers such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Arctic Oscillation or prevailing ocean currents (Dagsson-Waldhauserova et al, 2013).…”

A new scheme for sulphur dioxide retrieval from IASI measurements: application to the Eyjafjallajökull eruption of April and May 2010

“…This produced a faster cooling of the ejected magma and a large amount of ash and steam. During this period the injection altitude of the plume is estimated at between 2 and 10 km (Marzano et al, 2011;Stohl et al, 2011) and the wind conditions transported the ash plume in a SE direction, towards Europe (Petersen et al, 2012). This was the most powerful phase of the eruption with the highest mass discharge rate (Stevenson et al, 2012).…”

“…Following earthquake activity an explosive eruption began on the 14 April 2010. The explosive part of the eruption can be divided into three phases (Zehner, 2012;Stevenson et al, 2012;Petersen et al, 2012):…”

Inverting for volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> flux at high temporal resolution using spaceborne plume imagery and chemistry-transport modelling: the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption case study

“…gas mass flux, emission altitude/profile) is essential to simulate with reliability the atmospheric fate of the volcanic gas cloud Bonadonna et al, 2012). During the eruption of a volcano monitored by an observatory, ground geophysical and geochemical measurements may help to estimate these parameters Petersen et al, 2012). However, only few volcanological observatories exist in comparison with the numerous active volcanoes worldwide.…”