Ethiopian Volcanic Ash: A dormant volcano in the north-eastern region of Ethiopia has erupted after 12,000 years, sending a thick plume of smoke and ash across the Red Sea towards Yemen, Oman, India and parts of northern Pakistan. A high-altitude cloud of volcanic ash from Ethiopia entered Indian territory on Monday afternoon. It is expected to reach China completely by Tuesday evening. The volcanic ash spewed from a rare eruption of the Haile Gubbi volcano in northeastern Ethiopia near the Red Sea coast on Sunday.
This journey of more than 7000 kilometers of volcanic smoke and ash has surprised scientists and environmentalists. It reveals a rare feat of global ‘atmospheric dynamics’. Usually this ash gets mixed with the local environment. But in this case these particles were captured by a powerful and fast moving air stream known as the jet stream or specifically the sub-tropical westerly jet stream. Due to this, the volcanic ash reached the altitude where most long distance airplanes fly. This can lead to reduced visibility and risk of inhaling toxic gases like SO2. To avoid these, airlines had to be suspended. The Indian Meteorological Department said that the situation will become normal from Tuesday evening.
How did the ashes reach Delhi?
The eruption of Heli Gubbi volcano produced no flow of lava or magma, but produced huge amounts of gas and smoke, which probably included small fragments of rocks, glass, and some other materials. It came out with an explosive. These heavy particles must have fallen in the surrounding areas. But very fine particles and gases like sulfur dioxide or carbon dioxide can rise very high into the atmosphere, about 15-40 km above the surface. This happens mainly because the air around the volcano becomes extremely hot, becomes lighter and rises. It also carries microscopic particles and gases with itself.
At that altitude the wind flow is very strong and the volcanic smoke usually flows in the direction of the wind flow. The same happened in the case of smoke from the Ethiopian explosions. Volcanic ash and gases accompanied by air currents moved westwards towards Indian territory and entered Gujarat and Rajasthan. Then it moved from south-west to north-east direction towards Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. This cyclonic flow helped the particles travel a distance of about 7000 kilometers and reach the atmosphere of North India in record time. Following this trajectory, they are expected to completely enter China by Tuesday evening.
How dangerous is this smoke and gas?
The substances released from volcanic eruptions are a major threat to health. But this smoke was circulating at a very high altitude, so there was no danger to humans. But this definitely posed a threat to airplanes, which mostly fly at these heights. Commercial airlines, especially on long-haul international routes, typically fly 10-14 kilometers above the ground. Roughly in the same area where the volcanic smoke was circulating. Volcanic smoke could impair visibility and disrupt flight operations. These microscopic particles could enter the engines and melt inside, causing disruption in operation. Since airplanes have strong filtration systems, the risk of passengers breathing outside air is not very high. But filters and sensors could also become clogged with particulates, reducing their effectiveness. Apart from this, there is always a possibility of some harmful gases not being filtered. The danger lies primarily with airplane engines and other machinery, which is why airlines avoid traveling through areas of volcanic eruption.
how’s it going to end
The movement of a volcanic plume is a short-term phenomenon. Their effect is likely to disappear completely in the next few days. Over time, the microscopic particles in the plume disintegrate and become so dense that they are no longer a matter of concern. Clouds and rain carry away many of these particles, thereby reducing their impact to a great extent. Gases such as sulfur dioxide or carbon dioxide can remain in the plume for a very long time, but these gases are already present in the atmosphere. The quantity of these gases in the plume is not so high that there can be any significant difference in their current concentration in the atmosphere.
This event is a clear indication that climate change and extreme weather events are no longer just local problems. The smoke or ash reaching Delhi after the volcanic eruption in Ethiopia shows that our atmosphere is an indivisible and interconnected system. Scientists believe that this incident is a rare, but important example of atmospheric transport. Which emphasizes the need to focus on the possibilities of long-distance pollutant transport in the future. The sky of Delhi has now become not only the study area of meteorology of India, but also the receiver of climate change events from far away places in the world.
