Global Cooling - from a volcano. The answer - pollute more, warm us up.
In June 1991, the massive eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines rocked the Pacific region and led to a global drop in temperature.
"That volcano produced enough ash and aerosols that were injected into the atmosphere that cooled the globe for up to, I think, 2 degrees centigrade for several years," said Peter La Femina, Assistant Professor of Geoscience at the Pennsylvania State University.
[...]
Meanwhile, Katla has the whole range of magmatic compositions from basalt to rhyolite, which are richer in silica.
"So it has the ability to be much, much more explosive," he said.
However, the effect of these gases in the years following their release into the atmosphere are much more complex than just straight cooling.
"Not only did we have global cooling, but there was actually some warming during the Northern Hemisphere winters," said La Femina.
volcano
Showing posts with label Iceland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iceland. Show all posts
Sunday, May 30, 2010
How Ominous is Ominous
The end of the world as we know it, or simply silly writers ...
It doesn't really matter does it - whether it is one or two volcanos that will erupt and do what decades and centuries of man made pollution didn't do - inextricably alter our environment and end (if this is to be believed) life as we know it and change how we look at life and the future.
All that pollution we are emitting - global warming - may be necessary to prevent another deep ice age.
Funny.
Scientists Issue Ominous Warning About Second Iceland Volcano ‘Katla!’
May 28th, 2010 - 12:15 am
ICT by Angela Kaye Mason -
May 27 (THAINDIAN NEWS) According to scientists, a second volcano in Iceland, known as ‘Katla’ is close to failure, and this could cause world wide catastrophe similar to that in the movie, “The Day After Tomorrow”. As Eyjafjallajokull began erupting, scientists were already warning that this event could trigger an eruption of nearby Katla, which would have repercussions of epic proportions. In the first warning issued came the frightening thought, “If lava flowing from Eyjafjallajokull melts the glaciers that hold down the top of nearby Volcano, Katla, then Katla could also erupt. That potential occurrence could send the entire world, even the United States, into a deep freeze.” Similar warnings were posted in Science Fair and USA today.
And now that very volcano is showing signs that it could be getting ready for an eruption of it’s own. A paper which was released from the University College of London Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction stated, “Analysis of the seismic energy released around Katla over the last decade or so is interpreted as providing evidence of a rising … intrusive magma body on the western flank of the volcano. Earlier seismic energy release at Katla is associated with the inflation of the volcano, which indicates it is close to failure, although this does not appear to be linked to seismicity around Eyjafjallajökull, We conclude that given the high frequency of Katla activity, an eruption in the short term is a strong possibility. It is likely to be preceded by new earthquake activity. Presently there is no unusual seismicity under Katla.”
The president of Iceland, Ólafur Grímsson has issued the following statement: “We [Iceland] have prepared … it is high time for European governments and airline authorities all over Europe and the world to start planning for the eventual Katla eruption.”
volcano
It doesn't really matter does it - whether it is one or two volcanos that will erupt and do what decades and centuries of man made pollution didn't do - inextricably alter our environment and end (if this is to be believed) life as we know it and change how we look at life and the future.
All that pollution we are emitting - global warming - may be necessary to prevent another deep ice age.
Funny.
Scientists Issue Ominous Warning About Second Iceland Volcano ‘Katla!’
May 28th, 2010 - 12:15 am
ICT by Angela Kaye Mason -
May 27 (THAINDIAN NEWS) According to scientists, a second volcano in Iceland, known as ‘Katla’ is close to failure, and this could cause world wide catastrophe similar to that in the movie, “The Day After Tomorrow”. As Eyjafjallajokull began erupting, scientists were already warning that this event could trigger an eruption of nearby Katla, which would have repercussions of epic proportions. In the first warning issued came the frightening thought, “If lava flowing from Eyjafjallajokull melts the glaciers that hold down the top of nearby Volcano, Katla, then Katla could also erupt. That potential occurrence could send the entire world, even the United States, into a deep freeze.” Similar warnings were posted in Science Fair and USA today.
And now that very volcano is showing signs that it could be getting ready for an eruption of it’s own. A paper which was released from the University College of London Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction stated, “Analysis of the seismic energy released around Katla over the last decade or so is interpreted as providing evidence of a rising … intrusive magma body on the western flank of the volcano. Earlier seismic energy release at Katla is associated with the inflation of the volcano, which indicates it is close to failure, although this does not appear to be linked to seismicity around Eyjafjallajökull, We conclude that given the high frequency of Katla activity, an eruption in the short term is a strong possibility. It is likely to be preceded by new earthquake activity. Presently there is no unusual seismicity under Katla.”
The president of Iceland, Ólafur Grímsson has issued the following statement: “We [Iceland] have prepared … it is high time for European governments and airline authorities all over Europe and the world to start planning for the eventual Katla eruption.”
volcano
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Get Ready for Global Cooling
Scientists forecast decades of ash clouds
From The Sunday Times May 16, 2010
Jonathan Leake and Chris Hastings
Iceland could be at the start of a surge in volcanic activity that may produce more eruptions
The Icelandic eruption that has caused misery for air travellers could be part of a surge in volcanic activity that will affect the whole of Europe for decades, scientists have warned.
They have reconstructed a timeline of 205 eruptions in Iceland, spanning the past 1,100 years, and found that they occur in regular cycles — with the relatively quiet phase that dominated the past five decades now coming to an end.
At least three other big Icelandic volcanoes are building towards an eruption, according to Thor Thordarson, a volcanologist at Edinburgh University.
“The frequency of Icelandic eruptions seems to rise and fall in a cycle lasting around 140 years,” he said. “In the latter part of the 20th century we were in a low period, but now there is evidence that we could be approaching a peak.”
His findings coincide with new warnings that the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull, which has disrupted air traffic across Europe for several weeks, could carry on for many months — and possibly years.
Some geologists have also warned of a serious threat from a fourth volcano, Katla, which lies 15 miles to the east of Eyjafjallajokull. Two of its past three eruptions seemed to be triggered by those of its smaller neighbour and a report issued just before Eyjafjallajokull blew suggested Katla was “close to failure [eruption]”.
The three other volcanoes cited by Thordarson as being potentially close to a large eruption are Grimsvotn, Hekla and Askja — all of which are bigger than Eyjafjallajokull.
In the past, they have proved devastating. Hekla alone has erupted about 20 times since AD874, pouring out a total of two cubic miles of lava from a line of fissures that stretches 3Å miles across the mountain.
There was a minor eruption in 2000 and geologists have reported that snow is once again melting on Hekla’s summit, suggesting that magma is rising.
Grimsvotn, another highly active volcano, lies under the huge Vatnajokull glacier in Iceland’s southeast. An eruption in 1996 saw much of this glacial ice melt, causing a flood that washed away the country’s main ring road.
It is linked to the massive Laki fissure volcano whose 1783 eruption ejected so much ash into the atmosphere that it cooled the entire northern hemisphere for nearly three years. The resulting low temperatures caused crop failures and famines that killed 2m people and helped trigger the French Revolution.
Thordarson believes that the behaviour of the volcanoes is linked to movements in the earth’s crust which create massive subterranean stresses over wide areas.
As these stresses build up, more volcanoes erupt and as the stress disappears, the volcanoes subside again.
The theory is a controversial one. Gillian Foulger, professor of geophysics at Durham University, suggests that historic clusters of eruptions could well have occurred by chance. She said: “This needs rigorous statistical support.”
However, both she and Thordarson agree that Europe needs to take the threat of further Icelandic eruptions more seriously, including improving the monitoring of active volcanoes. Foulger is writing to David Willetts, the new science minister, suggesting Britain could support Iceland in such a project.
She said: “There are about 35 active [big] volcanoes in Iceland and if we put a high quality seismograph and some global positioning equipment on each one we would often be able to tell in advance if an eruption was coming. The cost is tiny compared with the potential economic damage from an unexpected eruption.”
The most pressing question for Britain and the rest of Europe is how long the current eruption will continue.
Professor Stephen Sparks, from the earth sciences department at Bristol University, said: “Every volcano has its own personality. This particular volcano has erupted before in 1612 and 1821. When it erupted in 1821 it continued erupting for 15 months so there is no reason why it could not last a similar period of time.”
The new rules in place for aviation mean Iceland and Europe can probably cope with Eyjafjallajokull, but an eruption by Katla could cause far bigger problems.
Dr Richard Waller, senior lecturer in physical geography at Keele University, believes the ash cloud could be immense, but for Iceland the biggest problem would be massive flooding.
“Katla has a crater filled with ice more than 2,000ft thick, which will all melt,” he said.
volcano
From The Sunday Times May 16, 2010
Jonathan Leake and Chris Hastings
Iceland could be at the start of a surge in volcanic activity that may produce more eruptions
The Icelandic eruption that has caused misery for air travellers could be part of a surge in volcanic activity that will affect the whole of Europe for decades, scientists have warned.
They have reconstructed a timeline of 205 eruptions in Iceland, spanning the past 1,100 years, and found that they occur in regular cycles — with the relatively quiet phase that dominated the past five decades now coming to an end.
At least three other big Icelandic volcanoes are building towards an eruption, according to Thor Thordarson, a volcanologist at Edinburgh University.
“The frequency of Icelandic eruptions seems to rise and fall in a cycle lasting around 140 years,” he said. “In the latter part of the 20th century we were in a low period, but now there is evidence that we could be approaching a peak.”
His findings coincide with new warnings that the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull, which has disrupted air traffic across Europe for several weeks, could carry on for many months — and possibly years.
Some geologists have also warned of a serious threat from a fourth volcano, Katla, which lies 15 miles to the east of Eyjafjallajokull. Two of its past three eruptions seemed to be triggered by those of its smaller neighbour and a report issued just before Eyjafjallajokull blew suggested Katla was “close to failure [eruption]”.
The three other volcanoes cited by Thordarson as being potentially close to a large eruption are Grimsvotn, Hekla and Askja — all of which are bigger than Eyjafjallajokull.
In the past, they have proved devastating. Hekla alone has erupted about 20 times since AD874, pouring out a total of two cubic miles of lava from a line of fissures that stretches 3Å miles across the mountain.
There was a minor eruption in 2000 and geologists have reported that snow is once again melting on Hekla’s summit, suggesting that magma is rising.
Grimsvotn, another highly active volcano, lies under the huge Vatnajokull glacier in Iceland’s southeast. An eruption in 1996 saw much of this glacial ice melt, causing a flood that washed away the country’s main ring road.
It is linked to the massive Laki fissure volcano whose 1783 eruption ejected so much ash into the atmosphere that it cooled the entire northern hemisphere for nearly three years. The resulting low temperatures caused crop failures and famines that killed 2m people and helped trigger the French Revolution.
Thordarson believes that the behaviour of the volcanoes is linked to movements in the earth’s crust which create massive subterranean stresses over wide areas.
As these stresses build up, more volcanoes erupt and as the stress disappears, the volcanoes subside again.
The theory is a controversial one. Gillian Foulger, professor of geophysics at Durham University, suggests that historic clusters of eruptions could well have occurred by chance. She said: “This needs rigorous statistical support.”
However, both she and Thordarson agree that Europe needs to take the threat of further Icelandic eruptions more seriously, including improving the monitoring of active volcanoes. Foulger is writing to David Willetts, the new science minister, suggesting Britain could support Iceland in such a project.
She said: “There are about 35 active [big] volcanoes in Iceland and if we put a high quality seismograph and some global positioning equipment on each one we would often be able to tell in advance if an eruption was coming. The cost is tiny compared with the potential economic damage from an unexpected eruption.”
The most pressing question for Britain and the rest of Europe is how long the current eruption will continue.
Professor Stephen Sparks, from the earth sciences department at Bristol University, said: “Every volcano has its own personality. This particular volcano has erupted before in 1612 and 1821. When it erupted in 1821 it continued erupting for 15 months so there is no reason why it could not last a similar period of time.”
The new rules in place for aviation mean Iceland and Europe can probably cope with Eyjafjallajokull, but an eruption by Katla could cause far bigger problems.
Dr Richard Waller, senior lecturer in physical geography at Keele University, believes the ash cloud could be immense, but for Iceland the biggest problem would be massive flooding.
“Katla has a crater filled with ice more than 2,000ft thick, which will all melt,” he said.
volcano
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Co2 - BAD. Volcano fumes - Apparently not as bad.
Brilliant. Just days ago we were told the volcano was spewing more toxic gases and horribly harful emissions than man had created since the industrial age began, and suddenly - 3-4 days without planes in Europe and we have fewer greenhouse gases, even with the volcano. I must be very confused.
Green groups point to ash cloud silver lining
21 Apr 2010 09:40:21 GMT
Reuters
LONDON/OSLO, April 21 (Reuters) - Iceland's erupting volcano has spewed plenty of ash but far less greenhouse gas than Europe's grounded aircraft would have generated.
Carbon dioxide emissions totalled 150,000 tonnes a day in the early days of the eruption, according to Durham University. That compares with 510,000 tonnes per day emitted when planes are flying as normal over the continent.
But experts cautioned it was hard to draw conclusions about the overall impact of pollution because more cars and buses were on the roads to help stranded travellers and the volcano is emitting a nasty cocktail of toxins.
Europe's skies were open for business on Wednesday after an ash cloud wrecked timetables for six days, stranding passengers and costing the airline industry $250 million a day. Ash can scour and even paralyse jet engines.
Planes add to global warming through emissions of carbon, other chemicals and their vapour trails, scientists say.
They also produce pollutants and noise around airports.
The first analysis of air quality around London's two busiest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick, showed that pollutants which can causes respiratory problems had plummeted, said the London Air Quality Network.
"That entire signal dropped to zero (from Thursday through Saturday)," said Ben Barratt at King's College London, who helps coordinate the Network's data, referring to nitrogen dioxide.
"The quality of life difference is mostly down to noise, and we're getting lots of emails saying how lovely it is," he added.
Aviation in 32 European nations emitted 510,000 tonnes a day of CO2 in 2007, according to the European Environment Agency. Assuming two-thirds of flights are cancelled, that means a cut of 340,000 tonnes a day, not counting non-European carriers.
Ahhhhhh - Co2 - the stuff we breathe out. yes. I suppose so. Fewer planes were omitting that terribly hazardous stuff, instead the volcano was emitting poisonous deadly toxins ...
Colin Macpherson, a geologist at the University of Durham in England, estimated the volcano's initial emissions at 150,000 tonnes of CO2 a day, drawing on data from a previous eruption.
Northerly winds helped limit health damage from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland, blowing the ash off-shore to Europe. And air quality in nations including Britain and Norway has been largely unaffected because little ash has reached the ground so far.
volcano
Green groups point to ash cloud silver lining
21 Apr 2010 09:40:21 GMT
Reuters
LONDON/OSLO, April 21 (Reuters) - Iceland's erupting volcano has spewed plenty of ash but far less greenhouse gas than Europe's grounded aircraft would have generated.
Carbon dioxide emissions totalled 150,000 tonnes a day in the early days of the eruption, according to Durham University. That compares with 510,000 tonnes per day emitted when planes are flying as normal over the continent.
But experts cautioned it was hard to draw conclusions about the overall impact of pollution because more cars and buses were on the roads to help stranded travellers and the volcano is emitting a nasty cocktail of toxins.
Europe's skies were open for business on Wednesday after an ash cloud wrecked timetables for six days, stranding passengers and costing the airline industry $250 million a day. Ash can scour and even paralyse jet engines.
Planes add to global warming through emissions of carbon, other chemicals and their vapour trails, scientists say.
They also produce pollutants and noise around airports.
The first analysis of air quality around London's two busiest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick, showed that pollutants which can causes respiratory problems had plummeted, said the London Air Quality Network.
"That entire signal dropped to zero (from Thursday through Saturday)," said Ben Barratt at King's College London, who helps coordinate the Network's data, referring to nitrogen dioxide.
"The quality of life difference is mostly down to noise, and we're getting lots of emails saying how lovely it is," he added.
Aviation in 32 European nations emitted 510,000 tonnes a day of CO2 in 2007, according to the European Environment Agency. Assuming two-thirds of flights are cancelled, that means a cut of 340,000 tonnes a day, not counting non-European carriers.
Ahhhhhh - Co2 - the stuff we breathe out. yes. I suppose so. Fewer planes were omitting that terribly hazardous stuff, instead the volcano was emitting poisonous deadly toxins ...
Colin Macpherson, a geologist at the University of Durham in England, estimated the volcano's initial emissions at 150,000 tonnes of CO2 a day, drawing on data from a previous eruption.
Northerly winds helped limit health damage from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland, blowing the ash off-shore to Europe. And air quality in nations including Britain and Norway has been largely unaffected because little ash has reached the ground so far.
volcano
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Iceland and the Fallout for Global Warming Prophets
All that ash and smoke, from the volcano no one but Icelandic people can pronounce, more CO2 than mankind has ever produced since the Industrial Age. Not just CO2 - according to San Diego State University, when Mount Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines in 1991, it shoved so much Sulfur Dioxide into the atmosphere that the Earth's temperature dropped an average two degrees for two years. And MAN had nothing to do with it, unless we caused the eruption.
All that cap and trade won't help much. I suppose you can force nature to abide by your inspidily idiotic ideas. If you can, by all means, confront nature about the aging process. Stop it, not just slow it down, reverse it.
Otherwise, select your arguments wisely. If mankind had not emitted any of that stuff into the atmosphere - that one volcano would have brought us even with current measures. So you may respond - well, even more reason to hurry up and stop emitting - nature is already doing it and we need to cut down. Silly. Another volcano will be erupting within the next year emitting at least the same amount into the atmosphere. Mankind in our entire history on earth will never have contributed so much. And that ignores the volcanos several years from now.
We will be lucky if a lot does not change - lower temperatures, less sun for those sun-starved people ...
Now we start to see the response - study after study after EPA argue the contrary about CO2 emissions. And so we will have to gather up all the studies from all the universities (5 so far) who argue it did emit tremendous amounts, more than man has produced since industry began, and line them up against each other and decide. Oh wait, we already did that with global warming and Al Gore won a prize.
weather
All that cap and trade won't help much. I suppose you can force nature to abide by your inspidily idiotic ideas. If you can, by all means, confront nature about the aging process. Stop it, not just slow it down, reverse it.
Otherwise, select your arguments wisely. If mankind had not emitted any of that stuff into the atmosphere - that one volcano would have brought us even with current measures. So you may respond - well, even more reason to hurry up and stop emitting - nature is already doing it and we need to cut down. Silly. Another volcano will be erupting within the next year emitting at least the same amount into the atmosphere. Mankind in our entire history on earth will never have contributed so much. And that ignores the volcanos several years from now.
We will be lucky if a lot does not change - lower temperatures, less sun for those sun-starved people ...
Now we start to see the response - study after study after EPA argue the contrary about CO2 emissions. And so we will have to gather up all the studies from all the universities (5 so far) who argue it did emit tremendous amounts, more than man has produced since industry began, and line them up against each other and decide. Oh wait, we already did that with global warming and Al Gore won a prize.
weather
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Iceland and the UK - Bad News to Even Worse News
The British Prime Minister, may be, according to an article in The Telegraph, be going blind. He is already blind in one eye, from an accident when he was a teenager. Now however, his other eye is causing problems. Sufficient problems that his 'friends' are worried he may go blind at any moment, bumping into things, or staring off into the sea of blankness.
Not a good idea at this juncture of problems in the world, to be going blind.
As bad as that may be, Iceland is worse off:
Iceland's government privatized the only three banks which had been owned and operated by the government. Like banks in the UK and in the US, the Iceland banks decided to get into the high-risk, high-return investment business - that is where all the money was at.
All three banks have failed and the government has taken them over. The problem is, Iceland has only €2 billion in foreign-exchange reserves. If the banks are on the hook for €100 billion, then Iceland is looking at potential losses 50 TIMES its total reserves.
The national currency, the krona "has ceased functioning as a currency outside Iceland" according to the Wall Street Journal.
Iceland now has the financial underpinnings of a third world country - and they would be the equivalent of a fourth-world country if there were any.
Iceland is bankrupt. Iceland can't find people or countries that will lend it any money to cover the bank shortages. If things are as bad as the Wall Street Journal points out, "Iceland's tiny treasury can't back its banks' obligations then that the country might default on its sovereign debt." That would have an effect on many other countries struggling with debt!!! They may consider defaulting on their debt.
From bad to worse, and it could be much worse ....
Financial crisis: Countries at risk of bankruptcy from Pakistan to Baltics
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
10 Oct 2008
Nuclear-armed Pakistan is bleeding foreign reserves at an alarming rate leading to fears that it could default on its loans.
There are mounting fears that Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Argentina could all now slide into a downward spiral towards bankruptcy, while western banks exposed to property bubble across Eastern Europe have seen their share price crushed.
The markets are pricing an 80pc risk that Ukraine will default, based on five-year credit default swaps (CDS) – an insurance policy on a country being able to pay its debts.
The country's banking system has begun to break down after years of torrid credit growth; its steel mills are shutting as demand collapses; and the political crisis is going from bad to worse.
iceland
economic
Not a good idea at this juncture of problems in the world, to be going blind.
As bad as that may be, Iceland is worse off:
Iceland's government privatized the only three banks which had been owned and operated by the government. Like banks in the UK and in the US, the Iceland banks decided to get into the high-risk, high-return investment business - that is where all the money was at.
All three banks have failed and the government has taken them over. The problem is, Iceland has only €2 billion in foreign-exchange reserves. If the banks are on the hook for €100 billion, then Iceland is looking at potential losses 50 TIMES its total reserves.
The national currency, the krona "has ceased functioning as a currency outside Iceland" according to the Wall Street Journal.
Iceland now has the financial underpinnings of a third world country - and they would be the equivalent of a fourth-world country if there were any.
Iceland is bankrupt. Iceland can't find people or countries that will lend it any money to cover the bank shortages. If things are as bad as the Wall Street Journal points out, "Iceland's tiny treasury can't back its banks' obligations then that the country might default on its sovereign debt." That would have an effect on many other countries struggling with debt!!! They may consider defaulting on their debt.
From bad to worse, and it could be much worse ....
Financial crisis: Countries at risk of bankruptcy from Pakistan to Baltics
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
10 Oct 2008
Nuclear-armed Pakistan is bleeding foreign reserves at an alarming rate leading to fears that it could default on its loans.
There are mounting fears that Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Argentina could all now slide into a downward spiral towards bankruptcy, while western banks exposed to property bubble across Eastern Europe have seen their share price crushed.
The markets are pricing an 80pc risk that Ukraine will default, based on five-year credit default swaps (CDS) – an insurance policy on a country being able to pay its debts.
The country's banking system has begun to break down after years of torrid credit growth; its steel mills are shutting as demand collapses; and the political crisis is going from bad to worse.
iceland
economic
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