Eyjafjallajökull

[fuji]

Any bets on how long this thing is going to keep spewing ash and grounding flights?

I am trying to find out if there are any scientific estimates of how long this thing could go on erupting. I mean, is it, "a few more days" or could it go on longer?

Haven't found anything authoritative yet. Anyone?

 

[phail]

no one knows at all. it will be longer than first thought. following closely as im grounded at schipol.

 

[SillyGirl]

When it erupted in the early 1800's, the eruptions went on for a year. I don't think they have any way of predicting what will happen.

 

[Cycleguy007]

no one knows at all. it will be longer than first thought. following closely as im grounded at schipol.

Amsterdam??? There are worse places to be grounded!!! Hee hee... Congrats Hoop!

 

[fuji]

When it erupted in the early 1800's, the eruptions went on for a year. I don't think they have any way of predicting what will happen.

I'm surprised the media isn't getting more into the possible length and science of it, given the possibility this could go on for a month or even a year. Hopefully it stops after a few days.

 

[SillyGirl]

MSNBC just reported that KLM airline has test-flown a plane through the ash, supposedly with no damage to the plane. They are considering resuming flights....not sure I'd want to be on one flying through that.

 

[Cycleguy007]

MSNBC just reported that KLM airline has test-flown a plane through the ash, supposedly with no damage to the plane. They are considering resuming flights....not sure I'd want to be on one flying through that.

STAY PUT HOOP! You can find SOMETHING to occupy your time No?

 

[blackrock13]

no one knows at all. it will be longer than first thought. following closely as im grounded at schipol.

I bet the cruise line business is picking up. I dunno, 8 days trans-Atlantic on a luxury liner with people in the same pickle. Could be something to look into. It all depends how important you are back home.

 

[Mia.Colpa]

Not only cruise business, but ferries, trains, taxis, buses, you name it, has been going gang busters trying to keep up with business. I read that if it continues for a few more weeks, the economic impact will be severe globally. Imagine if planes can't fly for a year into Europe, or even worst, is the ash spreads to Russia and Eurasia, scary stuff.

 

[Cassini]

I'm pretty sure given the range of Europe from the Volcano, you can carefully fly one plane through the dust cloud once, and have it land safely.

However, Europe probably has tens of thousands of daily plane flights. The planes need to survive operating in the dust cloud for sustained periods of time. At any time, some of the ash could get stuck in the engine at a critical point. The ash can build up with time. The ash can cause wear that leads to sudden, difficult to predict, stress fractures. The airlines will not want to replace aircraft engines more frequently than absolutely necessary.

Still feel safe?

 

[Never Compromised]

book passage on a cargo ship. Most have a few cabins for travellers.

 

[fuji]

book passage on a cargo ship. Most have a few cabins for travellers.

Not enough to handle the volume of people.

 

[Never Compromised]

Not enough to handle the volume of people.

Hell no. But if you are stuck in Europe right now, not everyone is going to think outside the box. Book now before some daft idiot posts something on some BB somewhere an the idea becomes public.

 

[Berlin]

Hopefully it stops after a few days.

Ditto.

We are at the mercy of mother nature.

 

[fuji]

A better option than weeks on a boat would be to take a train across Europe to Asia and fly from there.

 

[shakenbake]

I'm surprised the media isn't getting more into the possible length and science of it, given the possibility this could go on for a month or even a year. Hopefully it stops after a few days.

And, what about the effects of this eruption on Global Warming?

 

[fuji]

And, what about the effects of this eruption on Global Warming?

It will definately have an effect for a year or two, until the ash falls out of the air. Unless it keeps on erupting for hundreds of years without end it won't have a lasting effect.

However if we could ever figure out how to cause an eruption on purpose in a place where the ash isn't disruptive like this it could be a technological answer to set one off and keep it going permanently.

 

[Aardvark154]

MSNBC just reported that KLM airline has test-flown a plane through the ash, supposedly with no damage to the plane. They are considering resuming flights....not sure I'd want to be on one flying through that.

From what I've heard they were flying under the ash cloud, I heard they were flying at only 11,000 feet. (3,352 meters) which is inefficent for a jet aircraft (but a heck of a lot better than loosing the engines)

 

[Aardvark154]

Any bets on how long this thing is going to keep spewing ash and grounding flights?

I'm not a volcanologist, but it is my understanding that the reason for the vast quantities of fine ash is the cold water from the glacier mixing with the hot lava and rapidly and explosively cooling it.

If I've understood correctly, when the glacier has melted this problem will grow less severe, then again if the neighboring volcano that Danmand posted about erupts (which I read it frequently does after Eyjafjallajökull erupts then it may get worse rather than better).

 

[fuji]

So it is melting the glacier, the water is flowing into the fissure, and causing the ash. Any idea what percent of the glacier it has melted? Will it take days, months, or years for it to melt the remainder if it does not stop erupting?