Iceland is located on the North American Plate that is moving West, and the Eurasian Plate that is moving East, thus creating a divergent plate boundary. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge also runs through the island.

It was a fissure eruption, with the lava flow Eastwards & Westwards, however more dominant Westwards.

An ash plume rose 11,000 m into the air.

The ash was fine grained, with 24% of it under 10 μm which is the same as an aerosol.

The ash was distributed by high velocity jet streams above Iceland.

The 150 m thick ice cap melted which caused major flooding in Iceland and 700 people were evacuated.

It destroyed parts of the main Route 1 road. Other roads were bulldozed to allow the flash flood water to reach the sea.

Fine ash silted the rivers caused blockages a year on.

The government paid to dredge rivers or allow them.

The fine grain ash posed a problem to airplanes as it can enter engines or turn into a glassy substance due to the heat of the jet engine.

20 farms were destroyed by the flooding and the ash.

Airspace closed across Europe, with at least 17,000 flights a day being cancelled, with 6 flightless days. Overall 95,000 flights were cancelled.

This cost airlines more than $200 million a day and was estimated that $2 billion was lost overall.

Shares in Air Travel and Tourism Agencies dropped by 4%. Less fuel was needed and so 1.87 million barrels were not in demand causing a loss of money in the oil industry.

It was estimated that London lost £102 million of tourist income which caused a knock on effect for workers travelling and businesses.

Britain had fine anticyclonic weather when the ash cloud existed meaning that winds dispersed the ash clouds better.