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EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL CASE STUDY IMG_0487 - Coggle Diagram
EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL CASE STUDY
Description of the Eruption
Runny, non-viscous lava did escape from the volcano
Ranked 3-4 on the Volcano Explosive Index
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Enourmous amounts of ash covered the sky and created a huge blanket of ash which could be seen as a large cloud
This eruption contained multiple explosions
Eruption began as magma broke through the crust of the volcano.
Produced 230 million cubic metres of ash (170 million cubic metres in solid form)
Took place on 14th April 2010
Effects (primary and secondary)
This eruption did not cause any deaths but may have caused some subsequent deaths (eg. breathing issues due to ash inhalation)
The ash from the eruption lay on the grass and crops, this was good for the soil as the ash was warm and fertile. This posed well for the farmers in the area.
A thick, soupy liquid made from melted glacier water and ash called Joküllhlaup was produced and made its way to neighbouring towns
This eruption caused tourism in Iceland to skyrocket (1.7 million tourists coming to Iceland each year)
The earlier explosion led to ash particles being pushed up into the atmosphere and spread across Western Europe. The incident grounded planes for several weeks because of concerns that the particles would damage jet engines, making air travel unsafe.
Responses to the eruption
Approximately 800 people were evacuated from the immediate area of where the volcano was situated
The European Red Cross mobilized volunteers, staff, and resources to help people affected by the eruption
European airspace was closed for around ten days due to the ash cloud of the volcano occupying European airspace.
The Icelandic Red Cross provided accommodation, food, psychosocial support, and translators and healthcare professionals organized meetings for families from the worst affected areas
Tourists stranded in Madrid due to flight cancellations
After the eruption, Iceland experienced an economic boom as the country’s recognition from the eruption caused tourism and imports to increase
Formation of the volcano and causes of the eruption
The Eyjafjallajökull volcano was of a shield formation
The volcano is located under a large glacier which was pulverised as the eruption hit, causing the ash cloud to be created.
The eruption took place as the mid-Atlantic ridge (a constructive plate boundary between the Eurasian and North American plate) served as a chamber of magma under the volcano
As water of the glacier began to melt, the water fell into the volcano, being met with hot magma which, in turn, caused a chemical reaction which caused the volcano to explode
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Ash escaping from the volcano as a result of the chemical reaction between the melted glacier water and the magma inside the volcano