Seismologists are warning that Iceland’s Grimsovt volcano could soon experience a large-scale eruption in the near future. Unfortunately, given Iceland’s location between North America and continental Europe, the eruption has a significant impact on transatlantic traffic, disrupting an already fragile system.
Warning from Icelandic seismologists
The Icelandic Met Office Office (IMO) has issued a warning of a growing threat, saying that seismic activity at the Gramsworth volcano has increased over the past month. In fact, it is showing multiple signs that a large-scale explosion could occur soon. The last major volcanic eruption was in 2011 when a huge and unusually powerful eruption sent ash 20 km into the air.
Warning signs
According to Yahoo News, the aviation color code for the volcano went from green to yellow on October 1st. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the yellow code is the second level of warning and is defined as “The volcano is displaying signs of turbulence above the known background activity. “
Scientists say there are concerns about landslides that have risen above previous levels, leading to the closure of Icelandic airspace and the cancellation of 900 flights.
Etherbo News notes that the volcano has only recently been seen to “erupt” as new magma re-enters its lower chamber. More ice is melted in the resulting thermal activity. Furthermore, local seismic activity has increased.
How the plane will be affected
It has been ten years since the volcano erupted in Iceland. The incident froze European airspace and almost all flights to Europe and the Atlantic Ocean were suspended for about a week. This was due to the large amount of ash thrown into the air from the eruption of the volcano – a serious hazard to the aircraft engine.
Because volcanic ash is made up of small particles of rock, it has a strong frictional effect on the plane. This means it can destroy the outer surface of the aircraft’s fuselage, which can be especially bad news for the wings.
Another sensitive part of the aircraft is the windshield, which can quickly fade or be dispersed by aerated ash.
However, the most sensitive part of an aircraft flying through a cloud of volcanic ash is its engines. When hot volcanic ash enters the jet’s engine, it heats up, resulting in the ash melting and sticking together as hollows of molten substance. This can quickly cool, solidify and destroy the engine, completely disabling it and leaving the aircraft without power.
It goes without saying that the aviation industry is already in a precarious position due to the global health crisis. Although there may not be more passengers than passengers these days, the flying plane still carries precious cargo with significant economic significance. Many airlines – and the global economy – have already been hit hard by this year’s events. The volcanic eruption, which resulted in a complete shutdown of transatlantic aviation, has had the opposite effect on the economy on both sides of the Atlantic – even if it only lasts for a week.
We’ll have to wait and see. No doubt this is the last thing we want to be in 2020.
