Transcript ICELAND`S GRIMSVOTN ERUPTS

ICELAND’S GRIMSVOTN
ERUPTS
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2011
Walter Hays, Global Alliance for
Disaster Reduction, University of
North Carolina, USA
ICELAND
A LAND OF FIRE
(VOLCANOES) AND ICE
Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge, the highly volatile divergent
boundary between the Eurasian and
North American tectonic plates that
is marked by earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions.
ICELAND AND PLATE
TECTONICS
GRIMSVOTN: ICELAND’S
MOST ACTIVE VOLCANO
The Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in
Southern Iceland
GRIMSVOTN
• Iceland's most active
volcano, Grimsvotn, located
at the heart of its biggest
glacier Vatnajoekull, started
to spew smoke and lava late
on Saturday.
THE ASH PLUME FROM GRIMSVOTN REACHED 20 KM (12 MI)
AIR TRAVEL AFFECTED
• The ash plume, which was more
than twice the height of last year’
eruption of EYJAFJOELL, led to
the establishment of “no fly zone”
of 220 km (120 mi) in all directions
around the summit, leaving planes
grounded and closing airspace
across Iceland.
EYJAFJOELL’S ASH PLUME
ONLY REACHED 9 KM (5.6 MI)
BUT, EYJAFJOELL’S IMMEDIATE IMPACT
ON AIR TRAVEL WAS WORSE
• In 2010, EYJAFJOELL’s vertical ash
plume, which, unlike Grimsvotn’s,
was comprised of very fine silica
ash, shut down large portions of
European airspace for almost a
month, and forced 600 people to
evacuate from their homes.
Eyjafjallajökull: UNDER A
GLACIER; MARCH 27, 2010
EYJAFJALLAJOEKULL:
VOLCANO UNDER A GLACIER
HEAVY FLOODING:
APRIL 14, 2010
HEAVY FLOODING LOCALLY:
APRIL 14, 2010
HEAVY FLOODING WASHES
OUT ROAD: APRIL 14, 2010
(DARK) ASH CLOUD OVER
ICELAND: APRIL 15, 2010
ASH CLOUD FROM APRIL 14
ERIPTION
A dark and spectacular volcanic
cloud spread over Britain and
toward continental Europe on
Thursday, April 15, forcing airlines
to cancel thousands of flights as it
drifted at high altitude south and
east from the continuing eruption in
Iceland.
The ash cloud, made up of minute
particles of silicate that can
severely damage jet engines, left
airplanes stranded on the tarmac at
some of the world’s busiest
airports.
MAP OF AIRPORTS CANCELLING
FLIGHTS: APRIL 15, 2010
THE ERUPTION CONTINUES:
ICELAND; APRIL 17, 2010
STEAM AND ASH CLOUD:
APRIL 18, 2010
“DIRTY THUNDERSTORM”
APRIL 17, 2010
APRIL 19:
Eyjafjallajökull is still erupting.