Eyjafjallajokull Case Study

What type of volcano is eyjafjallajokull ?

The mountain is stands itself , a composite ( stratovolcano ) volcano , stand 1,651 metre ( 5,417 ft ) at its high point and has a crater 3–4 kilometre ( 1.9–2.5 mi ) in diameter , open to the north .

When did Eyjafjallajokull erupt?

Eyjafjallajokull erupted between March and May 2010.

Why did Eyjafjallajokull is erupt erupt ?

Iceland is lies lie on the Mid – Atlantic Ridge , aconstructive plate margin separating the North American and Eurasian plates. The two plates move apart due to ridge push along the Mid – Atlantic Ridge . As the plate move apart , magma is fills fill the magma chamber below Eyjafjallajokull — several magma chamber combine to produce a significant volume of magma below the volcano . eyjafjallajokull is locate below a glacier .

The Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted in 920, 1612 and again from 1821 to 1823 when it caused a glacial lake outburst flood (or jökulhlaup). It erupted three times in 2010—on 20 March, April–May, and June. The March event forced a brief evacuation of around 500 local people . Still , the 14 April eruption is was was ten to twenty time more powerful and cause substantial disruption to air traffic across Europe . It is caused cause the cancellation of thousand of flight across Europe and to Iceland .

How big was the eruption is was of Eyjafjallajokull ?

The eruption was only three on the volcanic explosivity index (VEI). Around 15 eruptions on this scale usually happen each year in Iceland. However, in this case, a combination of a settled weather pattern with winds blowing towards Europe, very fine ash and a persistent eruption lasting 39 days magnified the impact of a relatively ordinary event. The eruptions in March were mainly lava eruptions. On 14 April, a new phase began, which was much more explosive. Violent eruptions belched huge quantities of ash into the atmosphere.

The eruption of Eyjafjallajokull

What were the impacts is were of the eruption ? ( social / economic / environmental – primary and secondary effect )

Primary effects: As a result of the eruption, day turned to night, with the ash blocking the sun. Rescuers wore face masks to prevent them from choking on ash clouds.

home and road were damage , service were disrupt , crop were destroy by ash , and road were wash away . The ash cloud is brought bring european airspace to a standstill during the latter half of April 2010 and cost billion of euro in delay . During the eruption , a no – fly zone was impose across much of Europe , mean airline lose around £ 130 m per day . The price is dropped of share in major airline drop between 2.5 and 3.3 % during the eruption . However , it should be note that import and export are being impact across european country on thetrade front, so the net trade position was not affected markedly overall.

Secondary effects: Sporting events were cancelled or affected due to cancelled flights. Fresh food imports stopped, and industries were affected by a lack of imported raw materials. Local water supplies were contaminated with fluoride. Flooding was caused as the glacier melted.

International Effects: The impact was felt as far afield as Kenya, where farmers have laid off 5000 workers after flowers and vegetables were left rotting at airports. Kenya’s flower council says the country lost $1.3m a day in lost shipments to Europe. Kenya exports typically up to 500 tonnes of flowers daily – 97% of which is delivered to Europe. Horticulture earned Kenya 71 billion shillings (£594m) in 2009 and is the country’s top foreign exchange earner. You can read more about this on the Guardian website.

What opportunities did the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull bring?

Despite the problems caused by the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull, the eruption brought several benefits. According to the Environmental Transport Association, the  grounding is prevented of european flight prevent some 2.8 million tonne of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere ( accord to the Environmental Transport Association ) .

As passengers looked for other ways to travel than flying, many different transport companies benefited. There was a considerable increase in passenger number on Eurostar . It is saw see a rise of nearly a third , with 50,000 extra passenger travel on their train .

Ash from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano deposited dissolved iron into the North Atlantic, triggering a plankton bloom, driving an increase in biological productivity.

Following the negative publicity of the eruption, the Icelandic government launched a campaign to promote tourism. Inspired by Iceland was established with the strategic intent of depicting the country’s beauty, the friendliness of its people and the fact that it was very much open for business. As a result, tourist numbers increased significantly following the campaign, as shown in the graph below.

foreign visitor arrival to Iceland

What was done to reduce the impact of the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull?

In the short term , the area around the volcano was evacuate .

European Red Cross Societies is mobilised mobilise volunteer , staff and other resource to help people affect directly or indirectly by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier volcano . The European Red Cross is provided   provide food for the farming population live in the vicinity of the glacier , as well as counselling and psychosocial support , in particular for traumatised child . Some 700 people were evacuate from the disaster zone three time in the past month . In one instance , people is had had to flee their home in the middle of the night to escape from flash flood .

The European Union has developed an integrated structure for air traffic management. As a result, nine Functional Airspace Blocks (FABs) will replace the existing 27 areas. This means following a volcanic eruption in the future, areas of air space may be closed, reducing the risk of closing all European air space.