Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – UPDATE 21 April

Eyjafjallajökull Rumbling, Churning out Magma

Eyjafjallajökull has entered a Strombolian-like phase of explosive of  activity, producing magma splatters, but less ash and smoke than the previous days.The plume, however, is till rising to a height of about 3,500m.

The magma in Eyjafjallajökull cauldron seems to be more viscous  than in its neighboring Fimmvörðuháls fissure,  the Icelandic  Met Office reported, adding that the interaction of magma with ice and melt water had decreased.

Icelandic Met Office:  Update on activity
Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland
Current events
Deflation – 20 April 2010 13:30 [22:30UTC]

Latest available results from GPS stations around Eyjafjallajökull showed deflation associated with the eruption. This suggested that the volume of eruptive material which has been ejected already, relieves pressure off the volcano.

No movements associated with the Katla volcano are presently observed. END

Thórólfsfelli (Þórólfsfelli) View

Hvolsvelli View

Valahnúk View

Latest webcam images of Eyjafjallajökull show the volcano is still petty much active. Frames frozen at 08:42UTC on April 21, 2010. Click images to enlarge.

There is no sign of lava flow as yet, but the situation could change rapidly.

“It seems that the ice cauldrons over the eruption site have coalesced to form a larger cauldron. In spite of magma splatters, no lava flow has been detected yet.”

“Heavy sound blasts have been heard and found near Eyjafjallajökull, especially south and east of the mountain. The viscosity of the magma from Eyjafjallajökull is higher than on Fimmvörðuháls and this enhances the explosive sound effect which can be heard over long distances.” it said.

Nearly all of the European airports have now reopened, however, the travel chaos with an unprecedented backlog of about 100,000 flight cancellations continues. The 6-day flight ban has cost the airlines more than one billion dollars. The actual cost to the unsustainable economies of Europe may be even larger.

Eldgosið í Fimmvörðuhálsi var undanfari eldgossins í Eyjafjallajökli. Árni Sæberg. Source: MBL-Island. Image may be subject to copyright.

A Silver Lining to the Ash Cloud?

University students in Britain have estimated the amount of carbon dioxide released by  Eyjafjallajökull Eruption  at 150,000 metric tons per day. The figure compares with 510,000 tons of CO2 per day emitted as a result of the planes flying normally over Europe. Their estimates seem to imply a ‘saving’ of 360,000 tons of CO2 per day as a result of the flight restriction over Europe. Source:  Reuters report.

ASTER on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired the above image at 1:50 p.m. local time on April 19. The image shows both the eruption plume and the heat signature of lava at the volcano’s summit and at nearby Fimmvörduháls fissure. Source: NASA. Click image to enlarge.

Latest Videos

• EyjafjallajökullEruption video by Ómar Ragnarsson [Latest available video]

Related Links

• How many are up there polluting our skies?
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption: Flight Ban Lifted
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Links Page
• “Thank God men cannot as yet fly and lay waste the sky as well as the earth!”

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