Volcanic Eruptions Stir an Already Complex Atmosphere

Volcanic Eruptions

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 ...

Forecasting volcanic eruptions

Forecasting is a central goal of volcanology. Intensive monitoring of recent eruptions has generated integrated timeseries of data, which have resulted in several successful examples of warnings being issued on impending eruptions. Ability to forecast is being advanced by new technology, such as broad-band seismology, satellite observations of ground deformation and improved field spectrometers...

Volcanic eruptions observed with infrasound

[1] Infrasonic airwaves produced by active volcanoes provide valuable insight into the eruption dynamics. Because the infrasonic pressure field may be directly associated with the flux rate of gas released at a volcanic vent, infrasound also enhances the efficacy of volcanic hazard monitoring and continuous studies of conduit processes. Here we present new results from Erebus, Fuego, and Villar...

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...