E15 is one of Iceland’s smaller ice caps which covers the caldera of a volcano 1666m in height.
Volcano had been dormant for 200 years.
200m of overlying glacial ice on top. Located on divergent plate boundary & hot spot. (N. American & Eurasion plates)
1st E15 eruption - On flanks of volcano.
Fissure eruption 150m in length & 150m high lava fountains.
Lava flows for 2-3 weeks.
Basaltic & viscous = slow stream.
Ash ejected 4km into atmosphere.
2nd E15 eruption - Erupted from main crater of caldera under ice cap
led to subglacial & phreatomagmatic eruption – occurs when water comes into contact with hot magma – causing rapid cooling & resulting in explosive release of fine ash.
Since E15 erupted under glacial ice – the ice melted into crater leading to cooling of basaltic magma & ash explosion.
Explosive nature due to instantaneous evaporation of water into steam
Why do people choose to live in Iceland (near E15)? =
Tourism & livestock farming = jobs.
Fertile soils & mountain to protect from cold N winds.
Geothermal energy generates 26% of electricity – byproduct is hot water = heating for 90% of homes & heated greenhouses.
Emotional attachment as generations lived in farms – ‘Fire-sermon’ by priest believed to prevented village from lava flows. Low risk perception as frequent eruptions
hazards created by the Eyjafjallajökull eruption =
an 8 Mile High ash plume.
230 m of ash.
Ice boulders blasted upwards landing in farms
flooding caused by glacial meltwater.
Non viscous lava flow.
Polarjet stream carried ash across western Europe
Social impacts = E15
zero deaths
800 people were evacuated overnight during the explosive phase of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption
Impacts on economy/tourism – E15 =
Tourism in short term – visited lava fountains & lava flows.
2nd eruption – tourism drop, however soon return when media showed Iceland recovering.
No. of tourists 3x since 2010 eruption.
Eruption attracted global footage & showcased ‘land of fire & ice’.
LAVA = new interactive museum on tectonic hazards opened in 2017
Environmental impacts – E15 =
Thick layer of ash fell on farmland.
Fertile land created due to ash – leading to bumperharvest.
Meltwater caused local rivers to rise rapidly & flooding.
Main orbitalroad closed & damaged caused
international impacts of E15 =
Volcano located directly under polar jet stream = ash went up to where planes fly. Ash blown from NW -> SE across Europe.
Ash could cause planes engine to stall & crash = 6 day flight ban.