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 84-93

Subject Categories

Water Engineering

Physical Geography

Environmental Sciences

DOI

10.7185/geochemlet.1509

More information

Latest update

8/10/2023