Investigations on the climatic effects of great volcanic eruptions by the method of tree-ring analysis

Great volcanic eruptions that eject much dust into the stratosphere are known to change climatic factors,e.g. temperature and solar radiation. It is known, on the other hand, that superimposed on the normal variation in the size of tree-rings is a variation caused by inequalities of climate. Therefore, the notion that tree-rings may preserve the date of several great volcanic eruptions seems probable. In order to support this statement, numerical investigations have been performed. Treering graphs of two Hungarian trees were compared with the chronological order of great volcanic eruptions. The mathematical correlation between the variation of the dust veil index (DVI) is examined, based on two-variate numerical computation. It is concluded that during periods subsequent to very great eruptions, exceptionally narrow rings were formed. A remarkable correlation has been found between the variation of mean values of the ring width and that of the dust veil index. Consequently, growth rings of trees in some cases record dates of great volcanic eruptions by responsing to temporary climatic changes caused by volcanic activity. This paper commemorates the 100th anniversary of the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatau in 1883.     

Stratospheric dust loading from early 1981 to September 1985 based on the twilight sounding method and stratospheric dust collections

Stratospheric aerosol loading from early 1981 to late 1985 was investigated by remote optical measurements using the twilight sounding method and by in situ mineral dust collections. Both experiments tracked the decay of aerosol abundances after the El Chichón eruption. A comparison between the remote optical observations and dust samplings suggests that aerosol maxima in 1985 were probably associated with a minor eruption of the Bezymianny volcano. Considering the different dynamical behavior of volcanic ash and condensed sulfuric acid aerosol, we traced the origin of collected dust to a minor eruption of Una Una volcano. This collected dust that could not be detected by remote sensing techniques against the high background level due to condensed aerosol from El Chichón highlights the complimentary nature of stratospheric dust collections and the twilight sounding method.     

Rise of volcanic plumes to the stratosphere aided by penetrative convection above large lava flows

Turbulent volcanic plumes disperse fine ash particles and toxic gases in the atmosphere and can lead to significant temperature drops in the atmosphere. In the geological past, the emplacement of large continental flood basalts (CFB) has been associated with large changes in the global environment and extinctions of biological species. The variable intensity of environmental changes induced by otherwise similar CFB events, however, begs for a reevaluation of physical controls on the environmental impact of volcanic eruptions. The climatic impact of an eruption depends on its ability to inject gases in the stratosphere and on the eruption rate. Using integral models of turbulent plumes above line and point sources, we find that mass rate estimates for CFBs are in general not large enough for volcanic plumes to reach the stratosphere on their own. Basaltic eruptions, however, are also associated with widespread lava flows which lose large amounts of heat and generate convection in the atmosphere. This form of convection, known as penetrative convection, acts to erode the stably stratified lower atmosphere and generates a thick well-mixed heated atmospheric layer in a few hours. The added buoyancy provided by such a layer almost always ensures that volcanic gases get transported to the stratosphere. The environmental consequences of CFBs are therefore controlled not by the inputs to the atmosphere from individual volcanic plumes, but by the dynamic response of the climate system to a succession of short eruptive pulses within a longer-lasting eruption sequence.     

THE HISTORICAL RECORDS OF VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN THE KOREAN PENINSULA

The historical document record is of vital significance to determine the volcanic eruption history age in the volcanology research and it cannot be replaced by ¹⁴C dating and other methods. The volcanoes are widely distributed in the northeast area of China, but there is lack of relevant historical records. However, there are the records of the volcanic eruption in the historical documents of Goryeo Dynasty(AD918-1392)and Joseon Dynasty(AD1391-1910)in the Korean Peninsula which is separated by a river with China only. Some of the records have been widely used as important information to the research of Changbaishan Tianchi volcano eruption history by researchers both at home and abroad, but they have different opinions. On the basis of the historical documents in the Korean Peninsula, that is, the History of Goryeo Dynasty and the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty so on, the phenomena of volcanic eruptions, including the intuitive eruptive events and the doubtful volcanic eruption phenomenon such as "the ash fall", "the white hair fall", "the sky fire", "the dust fall" are investigated and put in order systematically in this paper. The results are as follows:1)The intuitive eruptive events are the 1002AD eruption of Mt. Halla volcano on Jeju Island, Korea Peninsula, and the 1007AD volcanic eruption offshore to the west of Jeju Island, Korea Peninsula, as well as the 1597AD eruption of Mt. Wangtian'e volcano in Changbai County, Jilin Province, China; 2)"The ash fall" is airborne volcanic ash, and those "ash falls" happening in 1265, 1401-1405, 1668, 1673 and 1702AD are possibly the tephra of Changbaishan Tianchi volcano; 3)"The white hair fall" is Pele's hair and it is speculated that the "white hair fall "happening in 1737AD is related to Changbaishan Tianchi volcanic eruption; 4)If regarding "the sky fire" as the volcanic eruption phenomenon, "the sky fire" happening in 1533AD is possibly the Changbaishan volcanic eruption event, and "the sky fire" in 1601-1609AD may be the eruptive event of the Longgang volcano in Jilin Province, China or Changbaishan Tianchi volcano; 5)"The dust fall" is recorded in many historical documents. However, "the dust fall" is not the volcanic ash fall but the phenomenon of loess fall. So, it is improper to determine the eruptive events of Changbaishan Tianchi volcano on the basis of "the dust fall".     

Volcanic eruption clouds and the thermal power output of explosive eruptions

The maximum height attained by a volcanic eruption cloud is principally determined by the convective buoyancy of the mixture of volcanic gas + entrained air + fine-sized pyroclasts within the cloud. The thermal energy supplied to convection processes within an eruption cloud is derived from the cooling of pyroclastic material and volcanic gases discharged by an explosive eruption. Observational data from six recent eruptions indicates that the maximum height attained by volcanic eruption clouds is positively correlated with the rate at which pyroclastic material is produced by an explosive eruption (correlation coefficient r = + 0.97). The ascent of industrial hot gas plumes is also governed by the thermal convection process. Empirical scaling relationships between plume height and thermal flux have been developed for industrial plumes. Applying these scaling relationships to volcanic eruption clouds suggests that the rate at which thermal energy is released into the atmosphere by an explosive eruption increases in an approximately linear manner as an eruption's pyroclastic production rate increases.     

Volcanic tremor related to the 1991 eruption of the Hekla volcano,Iceland

Volcanic tremor at the Hekla volcano is directly related to eruptive activity. It starts simultaneously with the eruptions and dies down at the end of them. No tremor at Hekla has been observed during non-eruptive times. The 1991 Hekla eruption began on 17 January, after a short warning time. Local seismograph stations recorded small premonitory earthquakes from 16:30 GMT on. At 17:02 GMT, low-frequency volcanic tremor became visible on the seismograph records, marking the onset of the eruption. The initial plinian phase of the eruption was short-lived. During the first day several fissures were active but, by the second day, the activity was already limited to a segment of one principal fissure. The eruption lasted almost 53 days. At the end of it, during the early hours of 11 March, volcanic tremor disappeared under the detection threshold and was followed by a swarm of small earthquakes. At the start of the eruption, the tremor amplitude rose rapidly and reached a maximum in only 10 min. The tremor was most vigorous during the first hour and started to decline sharply during the next hour, and later on more gently. During the eruption as a whole, the tremor had a continuous declining trend, with occasional increases lasting up to about 2 days. Spectral analysis of the tremor during the first 7 h of the eruption shows that it settled quickly, within a couple of minutes, to its characteristic frequency band, 0.5–1.5 Hz. The spectrum had typically one dominant peak at 0.7–0.9 Hz, and a few subdominant peaks. Hekla tremor likely has a shallow source. Particle motion plots suggest that it contains a significant component of surface waves. The tremor started first when the connection of the magma conduit with the atmosphere was reached, suggesting that degassing may contribute to its generation.     

Dynamical analysis of volcanic explosion

Visible phenomena accompanied by volcanic explosions at Sakurajima Volcano in Kyushu, Japan, were recorded by means of a TV camera and still cameras to make clear the process of explosive eruption of a Vulcanian type by image analysis and to enable a discussion of the process of explosive eruption. The most interesting phenomenon observed by the TV camera was visible shock waves passing through the atmosphere above the crater. The instant disappearance of thin clouds and the condensation of dense clouds were induced by the passage of shock waves. Explosion-quakes, which occurred at a depth of 1–2 km beneath the active crater, clearly preceded the explosion at the crater bottom. The atmospheric shock waves were generated in the crater 1.1–1.5 seconds later than the occurrence of the explosion-quake and propagated with the velocity of Mach 1.3–1.5 in a height range from 300 m to 600 m above the crater. Eruption clouds expanded subspherically for several seconds after the ejection and then the eruption column developed upwards at a certain velocity. The maximum ejection velocity of volcanic blocks, which was obtained from the analysis of photo-trajectories, was 112–157 m/sec. The internal pressure which ejected the volcanic blocks was estimated to be 138–271 bars in the case of the explosive eruptions analyzed. The results of analysis suggest that a high-pressure gas chamber was formed just beneath the crater bottom before the explosive eruption and that pressure waves caused by the explosion-quake acted as the trigger for the explosive eruption.     

长白山天池火山地震类型及火山活动性的初步研究

2002年以来，长白山天池火山区出现了地震活动增强、地形变加剧和多种地球化学异常等现象，火山口附近发生的多次有感地震在社会上产生了较大影响。本文利用2002年以来的流动地震观测资料，采用频谱分析、时频分析和多台站资料对比的方法，对火山区地震事件的类型进行了分析；对火山活动的危险性进行了初步研究。结果表明，目前天池火山区出现的大量地震活动仍然属于火山构造地震，少量台站地震记录中表现出的低频特征主要是由于局部介质影响造成的，排除了长周期地震引起的可能。尽管长白山天池火山地震活动明最增强，震群活动较为频繁，但仍属于岩浆活动的早期阶段，短期内发生火山喷发的危险性较小。     

小冰期气候变化主控因子的模拟试验

小冰期是距今最近,特征最明显的寒冷气候事件,对于研究世纪尺度气候变化具有重要意义. 过去的研究结果认为,太阳活动和火山活动的变化是小冰期气候变化的主要原因. 本文应用AGCM SSiB模式分别试验了植被、太阳辐射和火山活动变化对小冰期温度、降水的影响,发现下垫面植被变化对小冰期温度变化影响的量级与太阳辐射和火山活动变化的作用相当,对降水的影响甚至超过太阳活动和火山活动变化的作用,说明对于世纪尺度的气候变化而言,下垫面植被的反馈作用不可忽略. 这对于深入理解小冰期气候变化的机理具有启迪作用,同时也为世纪尺度气候变化研究与气候情景预测提供了新的思路和方法.     

Seismic activity related to the 2000 eruption of the Hekla volcano, Iceland

The 2000 Hekla eruption took place from February 26 to March 8. Its seismic expressions were a swarm of numerous small earthquakes related to its onset, and low-frequency volcanic tremor that continued throughout the eruption. A swarm of small earthquakes was observed some 80 min before the onset of the eruption, and the size of the events increased with time. Low-frequency volcanic tremor, with a characteristic frequency band of 0.5–1.5 Hz and dominant spectral peak(s) at 0.7–0.9 Hz, became visible at 18:19 GMT on February 26, marking the onset of the eruption. The tremor amplitude rose quickly and was very high in the beginning of the eruption. However, it soon began to decrease after about an hour. In general, the seismic activity related to the 2000 Hekla eruption was very similar to what was observed in the previous eruption in 1991. Based on knowledge gained from seismicity and strain observations from 1991, this was the first time that a Hekla eruption was predicted.Editorial responsibility: J Stix     

地震电磁辐射观测是短临预测重要手段之一

地震和火山活动是具有相同属性的自然现象,观测表明,在大地震及火山喷发之前的几天或几小时,均呈现有非常宽频谱的电磁辐射和电离层异常现象。本文重点描述了地震前后存在从零开始相当宽频谱的地震电磁辐射以及电离层异常等现象,并提出可利用电离层异常的观测和采用不同频段上地震电磁辐射的立体监测网,作为地震的短临预测、预报手段是现实、可行的。同时还提出了加强我国地震电磁辐射观测研究的建议。     

Plume chemistry provides insights into mechanisms of sulfur and halogen degassing in basaltic volcanoes

This paper deals with sulfur, chlorine and fluorine abundances in the eruptive volcanic plume of the huge October 2002-January 2003 eruption of Mount Etna, aiming at relating the relevant compositional variations observed throughout with changes in eruption dynamics and degassing mechanisms. The recurrent sampling of plume acidic volatiles by filter-pack methodology revealed that, during the study period, S/Cl and Cl/F ratios ranged from 0.1-6.8 and 0.9-5.6, respectively. Plume S/Cl ratios increased by a factor of ∼10 as volcanic activity drifted from paroxysmal lava fountaining (mid- and late November) to passive degassing and minor effusion (early January), and then decreased to the low values (S/Cl=0.1) typical of the final stages of the eruption. Parallel variations in chlorine to fluorine ratios were also observed. A theoretical model is proposed for quantitative interpretation of these changes in plume composition. The model calculates the composition of a volatile phase exsolving from an ascending Etna magma, based on knowledge of solubilities and abundances in the undegassed melt of sulfur and halogens [T.M. Gerlach, EOS 72 (1991), 249, 254-255]. According to this model, degassing of Etnean basaltic melt at high pressures and depths (>100 MPa, 3 km) is likely to release a CO₂+H₂O-rich vapor phase with S/Cl molar ratios ∼1. Extensive sulfur and chlorine degassing from the melt would take place at shallower depth (P<20 MPa, 0.6 km), with S/Cl ratios in the vapor phase increasing as pressure drops to 0.1 MPa. Comparisons between model compositions and volcanic plume data demonstrate that the chemical trends observed during the eruption may be explained by increased degassing due to depressurization of a basaltic magma batch ascending toward the surface.     

The volcanic acidification of glacial Lake Caviahue,Province of Neuquen,Argentina

Lake Caviahue (northern Patagonia, Argentina) is a large glacial lake acidified by volcanic fluids from Copahue volcano. The lake and the feeding rivers were sampled annually from 1997 till early 2006, including the eruptive period of 2000. Lake Caviahue waters evolved over time, with the most concentrated waters in 2000 during the eruptive period, followed by gradual dilution that was interrupted by renewed acidification in 2003–2004. Inversion of the lake water data and application of a dynamic non-steady state model for the lake provides our best quantitative estimates for the variation in element fluxes over the 9-year period. The model flux results agree well with most of the measured fluxes. The Copahue hydrothermal system had gently declining element fluxes between 1997 and mid-1999, although the lake was still becoming more concentrated. About 2–3 months before the 2000 eruption, element fluxes increased strongly, but the hydrothermal fluxes almost shutoff directly after the main eruptive events. The fluxes of several elements recovered post-2001, with an increase in element fluxes in 2003–2004; the lake became more dilute between 2004 and 2006. The intrusion of new magma into the hydrothermal system just prior to the 2000 eruption led to enhanced water rock interaction, with higher concentrations of the rock forming elements in the fluids, and the hot spring flow rate increased as a result of the higher pressure in the reservoir. The fluids became saturated in alunite and jarosite, and they were already saturated with anhydrite. Precipitation of these minerals possibly led to a decreased permeability of the hydrothermal reservoir, leading to the strongly reduced element fluxes just after the eruption. In addition, K, Al and S were retained in the newly precipitated minerals as well, further diminishing their export. The acidification in 2003–2004 may have resulted from a new small intrusion of magma or resulted from seismic activity that created new permeability and fresh rock surfaces for water rock interaction. The volcano is a significant source of toxic trace elements such as F, As, B and Li as well as a nutrient (P) for the local watershed. Monitoring of the hydrothermal fluids in the river that drains Copahue, especially the S/Cl, Mg/Cl and Mg/K values as well as the magnitude of the element fluxes would provide the best information for eruption forecasting for this volcano.     

Delayed impact of new volcanic ejecta on ground water quality

We observed long-term changes in the concentrations of dissolved ions in ground water caused by leachate from new volcanic ejecta deposited on the ground surface of the volcanic Miyakejima Island, Japan. Water samples were collected from nine wells and two rain collectors over a period of more than 10 years, and samples of runoff water were collected periodically. The samples were analyzed for temperature, pH, alkalinity, Cl⁻, and SO₄²⁻; some of the samples were also analyzed for δ¹³C. Because the leachate from the volcanic ejecta contained sulfate, we recorded an increase in SO₄²⁻ concentrations in the (unconfined) well water. The increase in SO₄²⁻ was initially detected between less than 1.4 and 5.2 years after the eruption, showing peak concentrations from 2.4 to 6.4 years after the eruption. This delayed response reflects the transit time of downward-moving SO₄²⁻ in the vadose zone, corresponding to an apparent movement rate of 0.4 to 7.2 cm/d. The rate relates to the mean recharge, represented as a fraction of local mean rainfall, and is calculated using the Cl⁻ balance method. The magnitude of the recorded increases reflects the volume of volcanic mudflow on the ground surface within the basin. For the management of ground water after an eruption, it is therefore important to know the chemical properties of the volcanic ejecta and the spatial distribution of mudflow to estimate the magnitude of the effect of ejecta on ground water quality.     

Geochemical Changes in Spring Water Associated with the 2000 Eruption of the Miyakejima Volcano, Japan

Water was sampled from eight springs and a lake in volcanic Miyakejima Island of Japan after the 2000 eruption. Major chemical and isotopic compositions of the water were analyzed. Significant increases of sulfate ion are observed in several springs where the thickness of ejecta exceeds 32 mm. A good relationship of Cl/S mole ratios between spring water and leachate of the ejecta is observed. Sulfur isotopic compositions of the spring water become close to that of leachate of the ejecta as time elapses after the eruption. Consequently the sources of the added sulfate ion in the spring water after the eruption are interpreted to be anhydrite and adhered sulfur of the ejecta.     

Observations of eruption clouds from Sakura-zima volcano,Kyushu, Japan from Skylab 4

Hasselblad and Nikon stereographic photographs taken from Skylab between 9 June 1973 and 1 February 1974 give synoptic plan views of several entire eruption clouds emanating from Sakura-zima volcano in Kagoshima Bay, Kyushu, Japan. Analytical plots of these stereographic pairs, studied in combination with meteorological data, indicate that the eruption clouds did not penetrate the tropopause and thus did not create a stratospheric dust veil of long residence time. A horizontal eddy diffusivity of the order of 10⁶ cm² s^?1 and a vertical eddy diffusivity of the order of 10⁵ cm² s^?1 were calculated from the observed plume dimensions and from available meteorological data. These observations are the first, direct evidence that explosive eruption at an estimated energy level of about 10¹⁸ ergs per paroxysm may be too small under atmospheric conditions similar to those prevailing over Sakura-zima for volcanic effluents to penetrate low-level tropospheric temperature inversions and, consequently, the tropopause over northern middle latitudes. Maximum elevation of the volcanic clouds was determined to be 3.4 km. The cumulative thermal energy release in the rise of volcanic plumes for 385 observed explosive eruptions was estimated to be 10²⁰ to 10²¹ ergs (10¹³ to 10¹⁴ J), but the entire thermal energy release associated with pyroclastic activity may be of the order of 2.5 × 10²² ergs (2.5 × 10¹⁵ J).Estimation of the kinetic energy component of explosive eruptions via satellite observation and meteorological consideration of eruption clouds is thus useful in volcanology as an alternative technique to confirm the kinetic energy estimates made by ground-based geological and geophysical methods, and to aid in construction of physical models of potential and historical tephra-fallout sectors with implications for volcano-hazard prediction.     

Geochemical evidence of the renewal of volcanic activity inferred from CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> soil and SO<Subscript>2</Subscript> plume fluxes: the 2007 Stromboli eruption (Italy)

On 27 February 2007, a new eruption occurred on Stromboli which lasted until 2 April. It was characterized by effusive activity on the Sciara del Fuoco and by a paroxysmal event (15 March). This crisis represented an opportunity for us to refine the model that had been developed previously (2002–2003 eruption) and to improve our understanding of the relationship between the magmatic dynamics of the volcano and the geochemical variations in the fluids. In particular, the evaluation of the dynamic equilibrium between the volatiles (CO₂ and SO₂) released from the magma and the corresponding fluids discharged from the summit area allowed us to evaluate the level of criticality of the volcanic activity. One of the major accomplishments of this study is a 4-year database of summit soil CO₂ flux on the basis of which we define the thresholds (low–medium–high) for this parameter that are empirically based on the natural volcanological evolution of Stromboli. The SO₂ fluxes of the degassing plume and the CO₂ fluxes emitted from the soil at Pizzo Sopra la Fossa are also presented. It is noteworthy that geochemical signals of volcanic unrest have been clearly identified before, during and after the effusive activity. These signals were found almost simultaneously in the degassing plume (SO₂ flux) and in soil degassing (CO₂ flux) at the summit, although the two degassing processes are shown to be clearly different. The interpretation of the results will be useful for future volcanic surveillance at Stromboli.     

Hazard assessment of far-range volcanic ash dispersal from a violent Strombolian eruption at Somma-Vesuvius volcano, Naples, Italy: implications on civil aviation

Long-range dispersal of volcanic ash can disrupt civil aviation over large areas, as occurred during the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallaj?kull volcano in Iceland. Here we assess the hazard for civil aviation posed by volcanic ash from a potential violent Strombolian eruption of Somma-Vesuvius, the most likely scenario if eruptive activity resumed at this volcano. A Somma-Vesuvius eruption is of concern for two main reasons: (1) there is a high probability (38?%) that the eruption will be violent Strombolian, as this activity has been common in the most recent period of activity (between AD 1631 and 1944); and (2) violent Strombolian eruptions typically last longer than higher-magnitude events (from 3 to 7?days for the climactic phases) and, consequently, are likely to cause prolonged air traffic disruption (even at large distances if a substantial amount of fine ash is produced such as is typical during Vesuvius eruptions). We compute probabilistic hazard maps for airborne ash concentration at relevant flight levels using the FALL3D ash dispersal model and a statistically representative set of meteorological conditions. Probabilistic hazard maps are computed for two different ash concentration thresholds, 2 and 0.2?mg/m³, which correspond, respectively, to the no-fly and enhanced procedure conditions defined in Europe during the Eyjafjallaj?kull eruption. The seasonal influence of ash dispersal is also analysed by computing seasonal maps. We define the persistence of ash in the atmosphere as the time that a concentration threshold is exceeded divided by the total duration of the eruption (here the eruption phase producing a sustained eruption column). The maps of averaged persistence give additional information on the expected duration of the conditions leading to flight disruption at a given location. We assess the impact that a violent Strombolian eruption would have on the main airports and aerial corridors of the Central Mediterranean area, and this assessment can help those who devise procedures to minimise the impact of these long-lasting low-intensity volcanic events on civil aviation.     

Further studies of the atmospheric temperature change produced by the Mt. Agung volcanic eruption in 1963

Monthly mean geopotential data at five tropical stations for the period 1959–1969 have been used to estimate the vertical distribution of tropospheric temperature change associated with the Mt. Agung volcanic eruption in March 1963. The estimate is that tropospheric temperature decreased by up to 1K with the maximum cooling occurring between August 1964 and August 1965, it is complicated by sea surface temperature changes. It is suggested that the change occurs either directly, by absorption of nearinfrared radiation by the stratospheric aerosol leading to less gaseous absorption and less heating in the troposphere, or indirectly by absorption of solar radiation and a concomitant decrease in evaporation and latent heat release in the troposphere.