Scottish airports closed due to Icelandic volcano's ash plume

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Klenchblaize

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 25, 2005
2,610
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Greensand Ridge
Should improve the quality of Scottish lamb!

(As in the opposite affect to the fallout from Chernobyl where trace elements where anything but beneficial to normal development of bone & tissue.)
 
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Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
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Yorkshire
I was looking out the car window for it this morning until I heard on the radio it over 6km up and not visible.
 

tobes01

Full Member
May 4, 2009
1,901
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Hampshire
It's all a smokescreen... they've put the cloud up and are going to move Iceland whilst it's hidden so that the bailiffs can't find them...
 

tobes01

Full Member
May 4, 2009
1,901
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Hampshire
The Danes are shutting down from 4pm. Does that mean we're all on smoky Danepak bacon for the forseeable? (mmm, smoky bacon...)

Btw if this all turns into a Pompeii scenario, then me and the dog are assuming a 'hole in the wall' style burial position just to confuse future archeologists.
 

locum76

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 9, 2005
2,772
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Kirkliston
The consequences of a smilar eruption in 1783 from the Laki volcano in Iceland. Sourced from Wiki.

"1783 eruption

On 8 June 1783, a fissure with 130 craters opened with phreatomagmatic explosions because of the groundwater interacting with the rising basalt magma. These are sometimes mistaken by non-volcanologists as being "Plinian"[citation needed] but are not. Over a few days the eruptions became less explosive, Strombolian, and later Hawaiian in character, with high rates of lava effusion. This event is rated as VEI 6 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index, but the eight month emission of sulfuric aerosols resulted in one of the most important climatic and socially repercussive events of the last millennium.[5]

The eruption, also known as the Skaftáreldar ("Skaftá river fires") or Síðueldur, produced an estimated 14 km3 (3.4 cu mi) of basalt lava, and the total volume of tephra emitted was 0.91 km3 (0.2 cu mi).[1] Lava fountains were estimated to have reached heights of 800-1400 m (~2,600-4,600 ft). In Great Britain, the summer of 1783 was known as the "sand-summer" due to ash fallout.[6] The gases were carried by the convective eruption column to altitudes of about 15 kilometres (10 mi). The aerosols built up caused a cooling effect in the Northern Hemisphere.

The eruption continued until 7 February 1784, but most of the lava was erupted in the first five months. Grímsvötn volcano, from which the Laki fissure extends, was also erupting at the time from 1783 until 1785. The outpouring of gases, including an estimated 8 million tons of hydrogen fluoride and estimated 120 million tons of sulfur dioxide gave rise to what has since become known as the "Laki haze" across Europe.
[edit] Consequences in Iceland

The consequences for Iceland—known as the Mist Hardships -- were catastrophic. An estimated 20-25% of the population died in the famine and fluorine poisoning after the fissure eruptions ceased. Around 80% of sheep, 50% of cattle and 50% of horses died because of dental and skeletal fluorosis from the 8 million tons of hydrogen fluoride that were released.[6][7]

The parish priest Jón Steingrímsson grew famous because of his eldmessa ("fire sermon"). The people of the small town of Kirkjubæjarklaustur were worshipping while the town was endangered by a lava stream, which ceased to flow, not far from town, with the townsfolk still in church..

"This past week, and the two prior to it, more poison fell from the sky than words can describe: ash, volcanic hairs, rain full of sulfur and salt peter, all of it mixed with sand. The snouts, nostrils, and feet of livestock grazing or walking on the grass turned bright yellow and raw. All water went tepid and light blue in color and gravel slides turned gray. All the earth's plants burned, withered and turned gray, one after another, as the fire increased and neared the settlements."[8]

Center of the Laki Fissure
[edit] Consequences in Europe

An estimated 120 mio. tons of sulfur dioxide were emitted: approximately equivalent to three times the total annual European industrial output in 2006, and also equivalent to a Mount Pinatubo-1991 eruption every three days.[6] This outpouring of sulfur dioxide during unusual weather conditions caused a thick haze to spread across western Europe, resulting in many thousands of deaths throughout 1783 and the winter of 1784.

The summer of 1783 was the hottest on record and a rare high pressure zone over Iceland caused the winds to blow to the south-east. The poisonous cloud drifted to Bergen in Norway, then spread to Prague in the Province of Bohemia by 17 June, Berlin by 18 June, Paris by 20 June, Le Havre by 22 June, and to Great Britain by 23 June. The fog was so thick that boats stayed in port, unable to navigate, and the sun was described as "blood coloured".[6]

Inhaling sulfur dioxide gas causes victims to choke as their internal soft tissue swells. The local death rate in Chartres was up by 5% during August and September, with over 40 dead. In Great Britain, the records show that the additional deaths were outdoor workers, and perhaps 2-3 times above the normal rate in Bedfordshire, Lincolnshire and the east coast. It has been estimated that 23,000 British people died from the poisoning in August and September.

The haze also heated up causing severe thunderstorms with hailstones that were reported to have killed cattle until it dissipated in the autumn. This disruption then led to a most severe winter in 1784, where Gilbert White at Selborne in Hampshire reported 28 days of continuous frost. The extreme winter is estimated to have caused 8,000 additional deaths in the UK. In the spring thaw, Germany and Central Europe then reported severe flood damage.[6]

The meteorological impact of Laki resonated on, contributing significantly to several years of extreme weather in Europe. In France a sequence of extremes included a surplus harvest in 1785 that caused poverty for rural workers, accompanied by droughts, bad winters and summers, including a violent hailstorm in 1788 that destroyed crops. This in turn contributed significantly to the build up of poverty and famine that triggered the French Revolution in 1789. Laki was only a factor in a decade of climatic disruption, as Grímsvötn was erupting from 1783–1785 and a recent study of El Niño patterns also suggests an unusually strong El-Niño effect between 1789-93."
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
Hmmm it's not looking good for our flight to Prague in the morning :(

From Nats

From midday today until at least 6pm, there will be no flights permitted in UK controlled airspace other than emergency situations. This has been applied in accordance with international civil aviation policy. We continue to monitor the situation with the Met Office and work closely with airline customers and adjoining countries. We will review the situation later today to understand what further action will be required. It is very unlikely that the situation over England will improve in the foreseeable future.

Might get to paddle my new boat at the weekend instead though :)
 
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Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
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Yorkshire
Update from NATS regarding UK flight restrictions ...

Statement on Icelandic volcanic eruption: Thurs April 15, 20:20

The cloud of volcanic ash continues to cover much of the UK. Following a review of the latest Met Office information, NATS advises that restrictions will remain in place in UK controlled airspace until 1300 (UK time) tomorrow, Friday 16 April, at the earliest.

However, flights from Northern Ireland and the Western Isles of Scotland to and from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Prestwick may be allowed in the period from 0100 (UK time) to 1300 (UK time) tomorrow subject to individual co-ordination. North Atlantic traffic to and from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Prestwick and Belfast may also be allowed in the period.

We will review further Met Office information and at 0230 (UK time) tomorrow we will advise the arrangements that will be in place through to 1800 (UK time) tomorrow. However be aware that the situation cannot be said to be improving with any certainty as the forecast affected area appears to be closing in from east to west. We continue to work closely with airports, airlines, and the rest of Europe to understand and mitigate the implications of the volcanic eruption.

No Prague for me in the morning :(
 

Miyagi

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 6, 2008
2,298
5
South Queensferry
Iceland?

Serves them right for using kerry katona as a role model.

Didn't they know she's been known to blow her top?

It's been an absolute scorcher here today.

Pah - I was jogging in the downpour while the Chernobyl cloud passed above us.

I had no ill effects, apart from singing Neil Sedaka's "Laughter in the Rayon". :D

All the best

four legged Liam
 

wingstoo

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
May 12, 2005
2,274
40
South Marches
I think it is "Commercial" aircraft that have been grounded, stuff that is likely to be at the heights where the bulk of the dust is going to be, also it appears to be jet engined aircraft as well.

So low flight path, and cylinder based aircraft are still flying in and out of airports.

Wings :)
 

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