Volcano ash over Europe

[luv4tn]

http://www.dwd.de/bvbw/generator/Sites/DWDWWW/Content/Oeffentlichkeit/WV/WVFK/Dynamisches/Regional/meteStaubAktuellM00h,templateId=poster,property=poster.png][url]http://www.dwd.de/bvbw/generator/Sites/DWDWWW/Content/Oeffentlichkeit/WV/WVFK/Dynamisches/Regional/meteStaubAktuellM00h,templateId=poster,property=poster.png[/url]

This shows the european situation as of 10UTC 04/17/2010. While the central part seems to be ash free it is surrounded by ash (the darker the more ash is in the air). German airports will stay closed until 00UTZ 04/18/2010 at least and I think the situation won't change in the near future.

[Thundersnow]

Been seeing the reports of this... London Heathrow is closed as well.  Sounds like air travel is paralyzed in much of Europe because of this... amazing.

Related note-- I wonder if this could have some climate effects.  High producing volcanoes have been known to do that... such as the "year without summer" back in the 1800s.

[luv4tn]

Right now DWD says, that the concentration of particles isn't posing any health threats for Germany, but it might cause a cooler than usual spring season for Europe, the longer the volcano keeps spitting ashes. And I don't wanna know, what this could mean to the airline industry ...

I barely remember the eruption in the 1970s, but I am pretty sure it didn't cause that much problems.

[luv4tn]

Full size at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/vaac/data/VAG_1271527299.png

Graph shows how air travel is effected by the ash plume over europe until tomorrow 12UTC.

Airspace closure for Germany has been extended to 04/18/2010, 06UTC. One news source is reporting, that Lufthansa is moving most of their jets to Frankfurt International so they are "at the right spot" should the ban get lifted. They are flying at 3000m "on sight" and don't carry anyone, but crew (which exempts them from the ban).

[toastido]

Found a neat article on PysOrg about the effects of volcanic ash on flights, weather, and other things:  http://www.physorg.com/news190572036.html

Worth a read... the effects apparently can be widespread, and quite dramatic.

[luv4tn]

I remember the story about the 747 ... I think it was featured on "Mayday". The chaos now starts to spread out to Asia, first flights from China have been canceled.

Btw ... why are there lightnings over the volcano?

[Thundersnow]

Btw ... why are there lightnings over the volcano?

I think the same physics of why lightning occurs in storm clouds also lead to lightning in the ash plume.

[luv4tn]

I think the same physics of why lightning occurs in storm clouds also lead to lightning in the ash plume.

Caused by ash and dust?

A friend tweeted me this link (http://www.metsul.com/blog/). Not actually fluent in spanish, but I understand it shows the volcano in Iceland.