METEOROLOGICAL TSUNAMIS FROM ATMOSPHERIC EFFECTS AND VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS – A HAZARD FOR COASTAL REGIONS AND PORTS

Excitation of atmospheric oscillations by volcanic eruptions

We investigated the mechanism of atmospheric oscillations with periods of about 300 s which were observed for the 1991 Pinatubo and the 1982 E1 Chich6n eruptions. Two distinct spectral peaks, at T=270 and 230 s for the Pinatubo eruption and at T=195 and 266 s for the E1 Chich6n eruptions, have been reported. We found similar oscillations for the 1980 Mount St. Helens and the 1883 Krakatoa erupt...

Volcanic Eruptions and Climate

Volcanic eruptions are an important natural cause of climate change on many timescales. A new capability to predict the climatic response to a large tropical eruption for the succeeding 2 years will prove valuable to society. In addition, to detect and attribute anthropogenic influences on climate, including effects of greenhouse gases, aerosols, and ozone-depleting chemicals, it is crucial to ...

Volcanic Eruptions

Structured Elicitation of Expert Judgment for Probabilistic Hazard and Risk Assessment in Volcanic Eruptions

When a potentially dangerous volcano becomes restless, civil authorities invariably turn to scientific specialists to help them anticipate what the volcano will do next, and to provide them with guidance as to the likely threats. Although it is usually possible to discern the earliest signs of unrest, the science of forecasting the course and timing of eruptions remains inexact. In this chapter...

Winter Warming from Large Volcanic Eruptions

An examination of the Northern Hemisphere winter surface temperature patterns after the 12 largest volcanic eruptions from 1883-1992 shows warming over Eurasia and North America and cooling over the Middie East which are significant at the 95% level. This pattern is found in the first winter after tropical eruptions, in the first or second winter after midlatitude ruptions, and in the second wi...