ABSTRACT

Iceland is a land of fire and ice.  Scenic glaciers cover the island’s most active volcanoes, which have produced the largest historical eruptions of lava on Earth.  The combination of these two natural phenomena during subglacial eruptions can have devastating results for local and global populations.  The ongoing 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, Iceland has been a less than subtle reminder that the forces that have shaped our planet and atmosphere can be at once beautiful and awe inspiring, yet also disastrous. The eruption began on March 20, 2010 following years of volcanic unrest.  The initial phase of the eruption took place on two short fissures on the northeastern flank of the volcano and produced fantastic fire fountains, lava flows and lava falls.  On April 14, 2010 the eruption migrated to the glacial covered summit crater.  The subglacial eruption that ensued was very explosive and sent an eruption column of steam and fine-grained ash to over 20,000 feet in elevation and a glacial outburst flood (or jokulhlaup in Icelandic) down several river valleys.  The ash cloud had a severe impact on air-travel, causing the closure of airports across Europe and stranding travelers for over a week.  Join Peter La Femina, Assistant Professor of Geosciences and Halldor Geirsson, Graduate Research Assistant and former staff member of the Icelandic Meteorological Office, as they discuss the ongoing eruption of Eyjafjallajokull volcano and its impact on Iceland and the northern hemisphere.