However, the magma chamber that deflated in Eyjafjallajökull during the explosive April eruption was not the one that filled up right beforehand. When it comes to a typical eruption of highly active volcanoes, scientists have learned over the years that magma chambers within the volcano gradually fill up beforehand and rapidly deflate as pressure is released, deforming the surface. "There are many such volcanoes in the world, including many on the circum-Pacific 'Ring of Fire' volcanic belt, including volcanoes in the U.S. West, Kamchatka [in Russia] and the Andes," Sigmundsson told OurAmazingPlanet. A group of scientists has looked at the cause of the Iceland volcano's eruption. The last eruption in the Eyjafjallajokull glacier, in 1821, spread to Katla, causing serious flooding. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, The last major eruption occurred in 1918, so it is long overdue. "Our research shows that mapping out magmatic plumbing systems is important to correctly interpreting potential precursors to eruption. The situation of a slowly growing magmatic intrusion inside a volcano can quickly go out of bounds if such an intrusion hits a body of magma of different composition — then a sudden explosive eruption can occur, as in Iceland earlier this year.". KEY INFORMATION. As explosive as Eyjafjallajökull proved, it is actually only a moderately active volcano — that is, one that erupts once every few centuries or even millennia, explained volcanologist Freysteinn Sigmundsson at the University of Iceland. Answer. It then erupted in April, spewing a huge plume of ash that created phenomenal lightning displays, colored sunsets a fiery red across much of Europe, and forced flight cancellations for days. The plate boundary is pulling apart at a rate of 2 cm a year. I guessed this in my homework: The volcano is located on a constructive plate boundary. It consists of an elongated ice-covered stratovolcano with a 2.5-km-wide summit caldera. Its eruption in 2010 interfered with European and transatlantic flights for two weeks. This time, the lava broke out through a new vent under the ice-capped summit of the mountain. The 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull were volcanic events at Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland which, although relatively small for volcanic eruptions, caused enormous disruption to air travel across western and northern Europe over an initial period of six days in April 2010. Location : The eruption began on 20th March 2010 and ended 7 months later in October 2010. The 2010 eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano caused so much trouble to air traffic with its ash plume because of the jagged particles … By Charles Q. Choi 17 November 2010. Iceland’s capital… Located on the Island of Iceland In the Atlantic Ocean Remember these headings in the News? It was the highest level of air travel disruption since World War 2. why did the Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupt? The behavior of Eyjafjallajökull might be typical for such moderately active volcanoes. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. A dense plume of ash and steam rises from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in this photo-like image from May 10, 2010. "There are many such volcanoes in the world, including many on the circum-Pacific 'Ring of Fire' volcanic belt, including volcanoes in the U.S. West, Kamchatka [in Russia] and the Andes," Sigmundsson told OurAmazingPlanet. Iceland sits on a boundary between two tectonic plates. The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland is known to everyone because of its most recent eruption in the year 2010 that disrupted the air traffic in entire Europe. By comparison, Hekla is a mere infant at just 8800 years of age. Started: April 14th, 2010 Ended: June 23rd, 2010 . The behavior of Eyjafjallajökull might be typical for such moderately active volcanoes. "One of the surprises was the complexity of the plumbing system," Sigmundsson said. It then erupted in April, spewing a huge plume of ash that created phenomenal lightning displays, colored sunsets a fiery red across much of Europe, and forced flight cancellations for days. Eyjafjallajökull first erupted on March 20, 2010, in a fiery display that sent fountains of lava shooting high into the air and ribbons of lava flowing down cliff faces. Sigmundsson and his colleagues detailed their findings Nov. 17 in the journal Nature. Top Answer. Additional localised disruption continued into May 2010. This article was provided by OurAmazingPlanet, a sister site of LiveScience. Over time, the earthquakes rose towards the surface, and land near the volcano rose at least 40 millimeters (2 inches)—both indications that magma was moving underneath the volcano. When it comes to a typical eruption of highly active volcanoes, scientists have learned over the years that magma chambers within the volcano gradually fill up beforehand and rapidly deflate as pressure is released, deforming the surface. First, find Iceland on the map. On May 23rd, the London Volcanic Ash Advisory Commission declared the eruption to have stopped. A peek into the roots of the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland earlier this year that disrupted flights across Europe could shed light on the mysterious behavior of volcanoes that have been dormant for centuries. Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. The geologic processes that trigger an actual eruption are not yet well understood, says Feigl. The situation of a slowly growing magmatic intrusion inside a volcano can quickly go out of bounds if such an intrusion hits a body of magma of different composition — then a sudden explosive eruption can occur, as in Iceland earlier this year.". There are several large volcanoes in Iceland, and when they erupt they are likely to have considerable effects across western Europe and beyond. The eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in May 2010 resulted in the grounding of thousands of flights all over Europe. Until now, it was uncertain as to whether, or how "colder," moderately active volcanoes such as Eyjafjallajökull behaved any differently from their hotter and more active kin during eruptions, since they erupt less often for researchers to study. It most recently erupted in 2010. Its latest 2010 eruption paralysed the air traffic and, caused a lot of commotion for days. Still, why did Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull cause so much trouble back then, and why even today are its other volcanoes often causing similar worries among airlines and … As explosive as Eyjafjallajökull proved, it is actually only a moderately active volcano — that is, one that erupts once every few centuries or even millennia, explained volcanologist Freysteinn Sigmundsson at the University of Iceland. Each of the eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull in 920, 1612, and 1821–1823 has preceded an eruption of Katla. Visit our corporate site. 23 24 25. All hope was not lost, however, and hope came from a most unlikely source: the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in the spring of 2010. "Our research shows that mapping out magmatic plumbing systems is important to correctly interpreting potential precursors to eruption. Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull Volcano, Iceland. Sigmundsson and an international team of collaborators had tracked Eyjafjallajökull over the last two decades of intermittent volcanic unrest using satellite radar, GPS receivers and seismic monitoring. NY 10036. The volcano continued to have several earthquakes daily, with volcanologists watching the mountain closely. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. I've searched all over the internet and can't find it for some reason. Eyjafjallajökull actually lies away from the rift in the earth that other Icelandic volcanoes spring from and which is ultimately responsible for the island's existence. Rather, two or more discrete magmatic sources were involved, with magma of different composition.". It has been an active volcano since many decades. Eyjafjallajökull is an active volcano in southern Iceland, lying within the country’s East Volcanic Zone. Why did Eyjafjallajokull erupt? This enabled them to deduce how the volcano swelled to within a few millimeters accuracy due to the flow of magma within in the months before and after it became active. Here, you can read more Eyjafjallajökull facts. Case study - eruption in a developed country: Eyjafjallajökull. The cause of Eyjafjallajökull's explosive eruption seemed to be the meeting of one body of magma, made up mostly of the common volcanic rock basalt, with another type of magma within the volcano, consisting largely of silica-rich trachyandesite. Iceland has several volcanoes and is situated on two tectonic plates – the North American plate and Eurasian plate. The cause of Eyjafjallajökull's explosive eruption seemed to be the meeting of one body of magma, made up mostly of the common volcanic rock basalt, with another type of magma within the volcano, consisting largely of silica-rich trachyandesite. The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland caused numerous flight delays earlier this year across Europe. This enabled them to deduce how the volcano swelled to within a few millimeters accuracy due to the flow of magma within in the months before and after it became active. Sigmundsson and his colleagues detailed their findings Nov. 17 in the journal Nature. Eyjafjallajökull did not behave like a highly active volcanoes when one of those volcanoes (think Kilauea) is going to start erupting. Why did Eyjafjallajökull erupt? Eyjafjallajökull (also known as Eyjafjöll) is located west of Katla volcano. Creates the mid-Atlantic ridge. The cause of Eyjafjallajökull's explosive eruption seemed to be the meeting of one body of magma, made up mostly of the common volcanic rock … Weird sounding volcano, Eyjafjallajökull is one of the most famous places in Iceland. From the initial eruptive activity at Eyjafjallajokull volcano in 2010, that was a lava producing eruption 20 March - 12 April, preceding the explosive eruption. You will receive a verification email shortly. The eruption also created electrical storms. Until now, it was uncertain as to whether, or how "colder," moderately active volcanoes such as Eyjafjallajökull behaved any differently from their hotter and more active kin during eruptions, since they erupt less often for researchers to study. Why are there volcanoes in Iceland? Eyjafjallajökull Volcano. Fissure-fed lava flows occur on both the E and W flanks, but are more prominent on the western side. There was a problem. After a two-day pause, the volcano began to erupt again on April 22nd. However, the magma chamber that deflated in Eyjafjallajökull during the explosive April eruption was not the one that filled up right beforehand. The 2010 eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano had a huge impact on air travel, changing the assessment of risk by the aviation sector and catalyzing new lines of scientific investigation. Task 2: Why did the eruption happen? © The ash plume that was created reached a height of 11 km. It lies where the Eurasian plate meets the North American plate. Eyjafjallajökull did not behave like a highly active volcanoes when one of those volcanoes (think Kilauea) is going to start erupting. The second eruption, the real Eyjafjallajökull eruption lasted 39 days. View of the eruptive fissure on March 25, 2010. So how did Iceland turn things around? Eyjafjallajökull, however, maintained basically the same inflated shape through mid-April, when the first eruption ended. Why did Eyjafjallajökull erupt when it did? The volcano, Eyjafjallajökull erupted just over 5 years ago, and therefore this makes it a much more tangible case study as it is something many people will have seen on the news making it more relatable. The cause of Eyjafjallajökull's explosive eruption seemed to be the meeting of one body of magma, made up mostly of the common volcanic rock … The name Eyjafjallajökull is derived from an Icelandic phrase meaning … In the past, the UK has been affected by volcanic eruptions in Iceland, the most notable being the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull and 2011 Grímsvötn eruptions, which resulted in disruption of air traffic in the North Atlantic and Europe. (Image: © Thorsteinn Jonsson, University of Iceland), Newly discovered fungi turn flies into zombies and devour them from the inside out, Scientists think they've detected radio emissions from an alien world, Unsafe levels of radiation found in Chernobyl crops, 1,200-year-old pagan temple to Thor and Odin unearthed in Norway, Angel, devil and blood-red heart appear at Martian south pole, Image Gallery: Iceland Volcano's Fiery Sunsets. "The study gives the hope that with similar methods as we have used, we can better understand how volcanoes work and how they wake up before eruptions," Sigmundsson said. The initial eruption caused a 500 metre fissure in a nearby pass. "The study gives the hope that with similar methods as we have used, we can better understand how volcanoes work and how they wake up before eruptions," Sigmundsson said. This is when the plates move apart due to convection currents. Sigmundsson and an international team of collaborators had tracked Eyjafjallajökull over the last two decades of intermittent volcanic unrest using satellite radar, GPS receivers and seismic monitoring. In 2011, the Grímsvötn volcano had a major eruption, causing Icelandic airspace to close - just a year after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, which caused travel chaos across all of Europe. Eyjafjallajökull, lying in south-west of Iceland, is a volcano covered by an ice cap. Records show eruptions in 920, 1612 or 1613, 1821–23, and 2010. A phonecall in the dead of night was the first inkling the people living on the Thorvaldseyri farm had that Iceland's glacier-covered Eyjafjallajokull volcano was about to erupt. Located on a constructive plate margin. The plates are moving apart at a rate of 1-5cm a year. Stratovolcano ; Is a fissure and explosive eruption. On the boundary can be found numerous volcanoes and these erupt fairly frequently. Situated in the south west of Iceland, Eyjafjallajokull is an 800,000 year old volcano with an almost unpronounceable name that was thrust into the limelight when it erupted in 2010… causing an ash cloud that grounded aviation in the northern hemisphere.It is reckoned to be the oldest active strato volcano on the island. The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull was presaged by a series of earthquakes starting in early March. Recently, there have been peaks in these warning gases, which can indicate an eruption is on the way. There … "One of the surprises was the complexity of the plumbing system," Sigmundsson said. It started up again a few weeks later in June but the activity was very limited. The country’s government, still reeling from the financial crisis, chose to bring in UK consulting firm Brooklyn Brothers to help mitigate the impact of the negative coverage. Image Gallery: Iceland Volcano's Fiery Sunsets. Convection currents are driving apart the North American plate and the Eurasian plate. IE 11 is not supported. Wiki User Answered . As of August 2010, Eyjafjallajökull … The volcano Eyjafjallajökull (AYA-feeyapla-yurkul) burst to life in March after nearly two centuries of dormancy. New York, Katla did not display any unusual activity (such as expansion of the crust or seismic activity) during the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull, though geologists have been concerned about the general instability of Katla since 1999. Why did the eruption happen? "There was not one main magma chamber active under the volcano capturing magma in 18 years of unrest preceding the eruption, as is often envisioned in models for the most active volcanoes on Earth. Eyjafjallajökull actually lies away from the rift in the earth that other Icelandic volcanoes spring from and which is ultimately responsible for the island's existence. Published May 10, … "We're still trying to figure out what wakes up a volcano." The Eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano !! Shares. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. The volcano Eyjafjallajökull (AYA-feeyapla-yurkul) burst to life in March after nearly two centuries of dormancy. It is one of the oldest stratovolcanoes Eyjafjallajökull is a stratovolcano. 2010-12-10 09:45:01 2010-12-10 09:45:01. Asked by Wiki User. During the eruption, almost all air traffic was canceled for the next 5 days, more than 100,000 flights. A peek into the roots of the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland earlier this year that disrupted flights across Europe could shed light on the mysterious behavior of volcanoes that have been dormant for centuries. Eyjafjallajokull volcano, Icelandic volcano whose name is derived from an Icelandic phrase meaning ‘the island’s mountain glacier.’ Lying beneath Eyjafjallajökull (Eyjafjalla Glacier), its summit rises to 5,466 feet (1,666 meters) above sea level. Why Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Erupted. One is Katla, which last erupted in 1918 and is widely considered to be overdue for an eruption. BGS scientists respond to volcanic eruptions and contribute to the Scientific Advisory Group in Emergencies (SAGE). Please refresh the page and try again. Rather, two or more discrete magmatic sources were involved, with magma of different composition.". 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