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Scientists are tracking a massive plume of toxic gas spewed by an ongoing volcanic eruption in Iceland as it moves through northern Europe. Gas clouds are unlikely to cause serious health problems. But experts warn that it could affect the ozone hole over the Arctic.
On March 16, an underground volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula erupted for the fourth time in recent months, opening the largest rift in the current eruption cycle and spewing a massive lava flow, but not before the evacuation of Grindavik. I barely made it to town. There were initial concerns that the lava flow could reach the ocean and release a plume of hydrochloric acid, which could be “life-threatening” for those near the coastline, Live Science previously reported. Ta. However, the lava did not reach the coast.
However, this eruption released sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is a colorless, toxic gas that can be extremely dangerous in high concentrations.
Related: Satellite observes Icelandic volcano spewing lava towards fishing village (photo)
On March 17, the volcano was spewing out about 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of sulfur dioxide every second, according to a translation of a statement from the Icelandic Meteorological Office. Workers at the nearby Svartsengi power plant were evacuated from the facility due to high gas levels, and local residents were briefly warned to stay indoors, Icelandic news site RÚV reported.
Sulfur dioxide emissions have fallen significantly since March 18, but new data from the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS), part of the European Union’s Copernicus programme, uses satellite data to predict weather and It tracks climate change and shows that the atmosphere was formed by the first bursts of gas. The 3-mile (5-kilometer) high concentration column was then blown toward the rest of Northern Europe.
The gas plume has already passed over the UK and is now approaching Scandinavia, and will begin to dissipate before reaching Russia.
“While we do not anticipate any effects on surface air quality or climate, CAMS is continuing to track the plume,” Mark Purrington, a senior scientist at CAMS, said in a statement emailed to Live Science. I will continue.”
However, sulfur dioxide gas can react with ozone molecules in the atmosphere and deplete the amount of this protective substance in the ozone layer, which protects the earth’s surface from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, so track sulfur dioxide emissions. That is still important.
In October 2023, scientists attributed the near-largest ozone hole in history over Antarctica in part to the 2022 eruption of an undersea volcano in Tonga that released high levels of water vapor. The company announced that it may have been released into the atmosphere, reducing ozone levels.
Experts predict that the recent eruption in Iceland could be the beginning of another centuries of activity in the region. As a result, the amount of sulfur dioxide being pumped toward the Arctic may also increase in the coming years, potentially making the Arctic ozone hole even larger in the future.
“Although the atmospheric effects of the Icelandic volcanic eruption are not yet severe, it is important to continue to monitor developments,” CAMS Director Lawrence Rouille said in a statement.
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