AMSTERDAM — Major airlines that sent test flights into European air space found no damage Sunday from the volcanic ash that has paralyzed aviation over...
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama scrapped plans to travel to Poland on Saturday for the funeral of Poland's president because of hazardous flying conditions caused...
GENEVA — Europeans should try to stay indoors if ash from Iceland's volcano starts settling, the World Health Organization warned Friday as small amounts fell...
Airports remained closed for a second day as volcanic ash from Iceland spread across Europe. As the AP reported: "Eurocontrol, the European air traffic agency,...
Some pictures are just awe-inspiring. Who at Huntintington Post do I need to contact to get a poster of that vocano picture, 2010-04-17-ejafjalla16apr20105.jpg? The depth and contrast of the picture is so vibrant, it's almost like being there. I would like a 24" x 36" of this one.
snillocmit: Some pictures are just awe-inspiring. Who at Huntintington Post do
The explosion of a volcano c. 70,000 years ago resulted in a huge human die-off. Estimates of the genetic bottleneck (based on DNA analysis) range as low as 1000 breeding pairs left alive.
Long-term, non-explosive lava flows like the Deccan and Siberian Traps caused mass extinctions across the biosphere.
The relatively minor explosion of a volcano in 535 A.D. led to cropless summers and extended droughts around the world, causing plague-bearing rats to migrate from the wild in East Africa to the grain ports and thence, by grain ship, to Europe.
The human race has benefitted from a quiescent Earth during its rise to prominence. Betting on that remaining the case for the next day? Sure thing. Next century? Most likely a winner. Next millenium? Even money. Longer than that? Sucker's bet.
That's not even counting the damage we're doing by trapping more and more solar energy into the mix.
In the end, we're going to learn that a population of 7 billion is NOT sutainable under all conditions, and unless we plan wisely for it, the species is going to get severely pruned.
Of course, the science deniers, who think that we began 6000 years ago, have a name for that: Rapture.
jp
jungpatawan: The explosion of a volcano c. 70,000 years ago resulted
It is called post glacial isostatic rebound. The ice melts, the bedrock floats. Only it happens very slowly. But the changes that enable volcanism could be a hair trigger. The weight of the glaciers has acted as a cork in the bottle. This is well known by geologists. And expected in Greenland and Antarctica. Less so in Iceland, but certainly a factor.
Just how much does one of these ice sheets weigh?
1 cubic foot of water weighs 62.4 lbs./ft3
Ice (@ .9 specific gravity) = 56.16 lbs./ft3
1 square mile (5280’ X 5280’) = 2.8 X 107 ft2
(2.8 X 107 ft2) X 56.16 lbs./ft2 = 1.57 X 109 lbs./mi2
Canadian Shield sheet (4000 mi2 X 4000 mi2) = 1.6 X 107 mi2
(1.57 X 109 lbs./mi2) X (1.6 X 107 mi2) = 2.5 X 1016 lbs./vertical foot
Assume 10,000’ thick (2.5 X 1016 lbs.) X (1 X 104) = 2.5 X 1020 lbs. or 250,000,000,000,000,000,000 pounds! (Assume ice sheet was 10,000’ thick = 561,600 lbs./ft2) or 281 tons of ice per square foot (3900 lbs./in2)!
And this is assuming that the entire sheet is composed of ice. If we assume that 30% of it is rock material, at an average specific gravity of 3.0, we can essentially double the total weight of the sheet.
source: http://jersey.uoregon.edu/~mstrick/RogueComCollege/RCC_Lectures/Glaciers.html
Rantman: It is called post glacial isostatic rebound. The ice melts,
I propose a new unit for vulcanism, the Limbaugh. Its not directly translatable into kg, as it icludes hot air, self promotion, lack of intelligence, blows off much effluent, and spreads a lot of shit around.
Synoia: I propose a new unit for vulcanism, the Limbaugh. Its
Geodetics-Debate.
Measurement of the Ey-volcano crater shows that the magma-source is 1.5 km deeper
(without subtraction of the strato) than the Katla magma-source.See the following link on page 78 of Freysteinn Sigmundsson, Iceland geodynamics: crustal deformation and divergent plate tectonics, New York, 2006 http://sites.google.com/site/universeofdiscourseorg/Home.
Reply to:"Much would depend on whether the current eruption triggers Iceland's nearby and much larger Katla volcano, further increasing the potential impact"(Reuters, loc. cit. ultra)."The economic impact of air travel disruption from a volcanic cloud over Europe depends almost entirely on how long it lasts -- something even experts say they cannot predict"(Peter Apps, Potential scenarios for volcano gas cloud crisis, Reuters, 18th April 2010, London).
Sven_Hedin: Geodetics-Debate. Measurement of the Ey-volcano crater shows that the magma-source
The future of Air Travel is the Solar powered blimp. You can quote me on that. Were going to build them in Detroit, flat topped pyramids as loading platforms a bit like Chichen Itza. I wonder if the Hindenburg was sabotage to eliminate competition. I think GoodYear put that fear to rest in our minds imagine the advertising income potential the passengers could ride for free. If we could switch to Solar Powered Blimps that ride the JET STREAMS taking advantage of Air Power 100 to 400 MPH, they would be oblivious to air born particulates. We could invent wind powered sailing vessels. With everything wind and sun powered we wouldn't need Oil tankers and with mostly local production we wouldn't need huge container ships. We just transport people everywhere to visit each others countries and enjoy nature and different cultures, the hospitality industry will boom, there will be no hurry to get there. The more adventurous could sky dive down to their destinations luggage on a parachute so it doesn't need to stop. The Jet Stream Dirigible Company is just waiting to be founded.
Richard_Gerber: The future of Air Travel is the Solar powered blimp.
In the early nineties Discover magazine published an article about the Hindengurg disaster. The author claimed the explossion had been caused by static electical charge that was built up on the surface and released on contact with the docking pylon. The cause of the static charge was the composition of multiple layers of the skin of the derigible.
It seems the Zeppelin corporation had been experimenting with various combinations of fabrics for the purpose. Lab tests had shown the problem and an inner company fight had been going on.
When the disaster occured a cover-up ensued that involved highly placed German government officials. Seems Zeppelin was too big to fail.
The disaster killed the lighter than air flight industry giving hydrogen a bad name in the public mind.
That author was of the same mind as the commentor and felt that lighter than air vehicles were the logical future of aviation. Huge air ship cruiseliners would be possible with leisurly trips where people could walk, dine, dance and shop on large decks. Costs and enviromental impact could be greatly reduced.
With something this good I'm sure Exxon et al would never allow it. They are just to big to fail.
fpie: In the early nineties Discover magazine published an article about
The implications are so far reaching. South Africa is preparing for the world cup in a couple of weeks - what happens if air travel is still affected? How will teams get here? This could be catastrophic for South Africa.
MarieOra: The implications are so far reaching. South Africa is preparing
There is an error in the title of this article -- this IS the second eruption. The first one occurred last week.
I do not, however think it's a coincidence that this eruption came within 24 hours of the largest solar flare in 15 years...and the China earthquake happened on the same day.
We will learn more about the connection of our electromagnetic field (connected to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions) and the sun in the next two years. NASA predicts major solar flares then.
Mark my words.
donbrown: There is an error in the title of this article
There is a huge relationship between volcanoes, earthquakes, glaciers, and drilling.
Volcanoes are the result of earthquakes where two plates collide one jams under the other and raises a mountain range some of which are volcanoes or pressure release valves. Earthquakes can be viewed as interlocking jigsaw pieces around the globe. If a couple of pieces move it weakens fault lines elsewhere. The 05 tsunami was said to have weakened all fault lines. Consider glaciers now. They weigh millions of tons and are melting. Some of the crashing faces of these glaciers actually put out considerable seismic readings. Low sound waves have the same effect and travel much like a tsunami. They gain strength as they move. A ripple in one place can level a building a mile away. The melting glaciers are also much lighter and the earth under them compressed for hundreds of years is springing up. There are parts of Alaska that rose so drastically that what was a bog is now dry brush, therefore, the recent Alaskan fires. This springing up of compressed earth at both poles is affecting the tectonic plates everywhere. Offshore drilling is most often in the edge of a plate too. Drilling has caused minor earthquakes in the 1 to 2 range. Combine all this action everywhere and it is an unstable condition. I'm not surprised by the volcanoes at all.
Ah yes...because MAN is the primary reason for Nature's goings on....
TOTAL HUBRIS!!
There is NO evidence to back up ANY theory other than inference from observations that recent earthquake and volcanic activity is in ANY way related to human activity.
Sure, one can make theories about how it MIGHT be related and there could even be good arguments, but unless the evidence is STRONG don't buy it.
Doug0915: Ah yes...because MAN is the primary reason for Nature's goings
Melting of the ice caps reduces the pressure on the plates. Rock that would melt into magma can't, even at temperatures way past their fusion point, because the pressure keeps the rock from melting by preventing its expansion. Reduce the ice cap, reduce the pressure, the rock can melt and the lava then shoots up the volcano.
Humans have a role on global warming, which happens way faster than if men was not there. Be prepared for more volcanic and tectonic activity, especially near the poles.
A link between the Iceland volcano and the earthquake in China ? I don't really know.
It seems far-fetched that human activity, or even volcanic activity, can create earthquakes. Earthquakes, on the other hand, sure can trigger volcanic activity. But messing with the ice caps is sure to create some hell on Earth...
Martin_Houde: Melting of the ice caps reduces the pressure on the
... of course you realize that volcanos cause a drop in global temperatures, right? There is data to even state that the last ice age was caused by a single supervolcano eruption.
Downix: ... of course you realize that volcanos cause a drop
Loading comments… 
http://blo
Long-term, non-explos
The relatively minor explosion of a volcano in 535 A.D. led to cropless summers and extended droughts around the world, causing plague-bea
The human race has benefitted from a quiescent Earth during its rise to prominence
That's not even counting the damage we're doing by trapping more and more solar energy into the mix.
Nor is it counting "death from above" in the form of comet or asteroid strikes. See my article here ( http://www
In the end, we're going to learn that a population of 7 billion is NOT sutainable under all conditions
Of course, the science deniers, who think that we began 6000 years ago, have a name for that: Rapture.
jp
Just how much does one of these ice sheets weigh?
1 cubic foot of water weighs 62.4 lbs./ft3
Ice (@ .9 specific gravity) = 56.16 lbs./ft3
1 square mile (5280’ X 5280’) = 2.8 X 107 ft2
(2.8 X 107 ft2) X 56.16 lbs./ft2 = 1.57 X 109 lbs./mi2
Canadian Shield sheet (4000 mi2 X 4000 mi2) = 1.6 X 107 mi2
(1.57 X 109 lbs./mi2) X (1.6 X 107 mi2) = 2.5 X 1016 lbs./verti
Assume 10,000’ thick (2.5 X 1016 lbs.) X (1 X 104) = 2.5 X 1020 lbs. or 250,000,00
And this is assuming that the entire sheet is composed of ice. If we assume that 30% of it is rock material, at an average specific gravity of 3.0, we can essentiall
source: http://jer
Of course it was all turned to melt water and water vapour very rapidly, so a fair bit of pressure was removed very rapidly.
Measuremen
(without subtractio
Reply to:"Much would depend on whether the current eruption triggers Iceland's nearby and much larger Katla volcano, further increasing the potential impact"(Re
It seems the Zeppelin corporatio
When the disaster occured a cover-up ensued that involved highly placed German government officials. Seems Zeppelin was too big to fail.
The disaster killed the lighter than air flight industry giving hydrogen a bad name in the public mind.
That author was of the same mind as the commentor and felt that lighter than air vehicles were the logical future of aviation. Huge air ship cruiseline
With something this good I'm sure Exxon et al would never allow it. They are just to big to fail.
I do not, however think it's a coincidenc
We will learn more about the connection of our electromag
Mark my words.
Volcanoes are the result of earthquake
http://www
TOTAL HUBRIS!!
There is NO evidence to back up ANY theory other than inference from observatio
Sure, one can make theories about how it MIGHT be related and there could even be good arguments, but unless the evidence is STRONG don't buy it.
Humans have a role on global warming, which happens way faster than if men was not there. Be prepared for more volcanic and tectonic activity, especially near the poles.
A link between the Iceland volcano and the earthquake in China ? I don't really know.
It seems far-fetche