Powerful Explosive Eruption at Eyjafjallajökull Volcano

Eruption rate believed to be 200 tons per second: IMO

The average height of the volcanic plume is about 7 km (21,000 ft), according to radar observations, with the gray plume drifting northeast.

At least 70 flashes of lightning struck in a 12 hour period with a maximum of 10 flashes per hour, IMO reported.

An ongoing powerful explosive eruption at the current plume height suggests that the eruption rate is at least 200 tons per second, IMO said.

For more details see status report.

This natural-color satellite image was acquired by MODIS aboard NASA’s Terra satellite on May 18, 2010 at 12:20 p.m. local time. The pale gray ash plume blows from the summit of Eyjafjallajökull almost directly northwest. Eurocontrol said the airspace over Europe was open, and ash was unlikely to affect flights until May 20, 2010. Image and [edited] caption: NASA E/O. Download large image (2 MB, JPEG). Click image to enlarge.

MODIS on NASA’s Aqua satellite passed over Eyjafjallajökull and acquired this natural-color image on May 17, 2010.  Image and [edited] caption: NASA E/O. Download large image (2 MB, JPEG). Click image to enlarge.

Related Links:

• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – Satellite Animation 6 – 17 May
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Closes Down Main UK Airports
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Gradually Intensifying
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – MISR Satellite Image
• Eyjafjallajökull Volcano: Unending Eruption
• 2010 Year of Super Volcanoes?
• Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Links Page [This page contains a comprehensive index of links to resources on Eyjafjallajökull including additional satellite images.]

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