Environmental pressure from the 2014-15 eruption of Bárðarbunga volcano, Iceland
Journal article, 2015
The effusive six months long 2014-2015 Bároarbunga eruption (31 August-27 February) was the largest in Iceland for more than 200 years, producing 1.6 + 0.3 km3of lava. The total S02emission was 11 ± 5 Mt, more than the amount emitted from Europe in 2011. The ground level concentration of SO2exceeded the 350 μg m-3hourly average health limit over much of Iceland for days to weeks. Anomalously high SO2concentrations were also measured at several locations in Europe in September. The lowest pH of fresh snowmelt at the eruption site was 3.3, and 3.2 in precipitation 105 km away from the source. Elevated dissolved H2SO4, HCl, HF, and metal concentrations were measured in snow and precipitation. Environmental pressures from the eruption and impacts on populated areas were reduced by its remoteness, timing, and the weather. The anticipated primary environmental pressure is on the surface waters, soils, and vegetation of Iceland.
Author
S. R. Gfslason
University of Iceland
Gerður Stefánsdóttir
Icelandic Meteorological Office
M. A. Pfeffer
Icelandic Meteorological Office
S. Barsotti
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Th Jóhannsson
Environment Agency of Iceland
I. Galeczka
University of Iceland
E. Bali
University of Iceland
O. Sigmarsson
Observatoire de Physique du Globe Clermont Ferrand (OPGC)
University of Iceland
Andri Stefánsson
University of Iceland
Nicole S. Keller
University of Iceland
Sigurdsson
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Baldur Bergsson
Icelandic Meteorological Office
University of Palermo
Bo Galle
Chalmers, Earth and Space Sciences, Optical Remote Sensing
Alexander Vladimir Conde Jacobo
Chalmers, Earth and Space Sciences, Optical Remote Sensing
Santiago Arellano
Chalmers, Earth and Space Sciences, Optical Remote Sensing
A. Aiuppa
University of Palermo
Elín B. Jónasdóttir
Icelandic Meteorological Office
E. S. Eiríksdóttir
University of Iceland
S. Jakobsson
University of Iceland
G. H. Guöfinnsson
University of Iceland
S. A. Halldórsson
University of Iceland
H. Gunnarsson
University of Iceland
B. Haddadi
Observatoire de Physique du Globe Clermont Ferrand (OPGC)
I. Jónsdóttir
University of Iceland
Th Thordarson
University of Iceland
M. Riishuus
University of Iceland
Th Högnadóttir
University of Iceland
T. Dürig
University of Iceland
G. B.M. Pedersen
University of Iceland
Höskuldsson
University of Iceland
M. T. Gudmundsson
University of Iceland
Geochemical Perspectives Letters
2410-339X (ISSN) 2410-3403 (eISSN)
Vol. 1 1 84-93Subject Categories
Water Engineering
Physical Geography
Environmental Sciences
DOI
10.7185/geochemlet.1509