E15 case study

Question 1

What plate margin does E15 sit on?

Answer 1

On a constructive plate margin.
Between North American plate and Eurasian plate on the mid Atlantic ridge

Question 2

What processes make the plates move around E15?

Answer 2

-Ridge push and convection currents as magma rises due to decompressional melting creating less dense basaltic magma which rises and and pushes the plates away

Question 3

What is the tectonic setting of E15?

Answer 3

-Iceland sits on a hotspot as well as a plate margin causing it to be bigger then other islands on mid Atlantic ridge
-lava produced is low viscosity and gassy
-Shallow low hypocenter earthquakes
-Last E15 eruption was 1823
-Second phase of E15 was phreatomagmatic as magma erupted under ice

Question 4

What are some population statistics of Iceland?

Answer 4

-64% of people live in and around Reykjavik
-Immigrant population is 18.2%
-Risings proportion of older adults
-Life expectancy is 82 years

Question 5

What are some economic statistics of Iceland?

Answer 5

-GDP per capita is £70,000
-First in the world for HDI, scoring 0.972
-Growth rates around 1-1.5% per year
-0% of people live in poverty
-100% literacy rate and access to clean water

Question 6

What is the predominant land use in Iceland?

Answer 6

-Grazing accounts for approximately 20% of land with the other 80% being mostly made up of ‘other land’ consisting of lava fields, glaciers, and mountainous areas that are largely uninhabited.

Question 7

What are the primary impacts of the E15 eruption?

Answer 7

-500 farmers evacuated
-Flights were grounded to and from the capital
-Glass rich ash plume injected into gulf stream
-Flash flood
-Contaminated water
-Local darkness

Question 8

What are the secondary impacts of the E15 eruption?

Answer 8

-100000 cancelled within Europe
-Chanel tunnels and ferries got extra business
-2.8 million tones les co2
-Fluoride deposits poisoned cattle
-Europe lost 2.6 billion in GDP
-Soil become more fertile
-Volcano tourism rose quickly
-Ash storms still occurred for years after eruption

Question 9

What factors affected the severity of the E15 eruption?

Answer 9

-Iceland being located below the fast flowing polar jet stream increased transportation of ash
-Polar jet stream drove ash over Europe
-Melted ice cooled material ejected from volcano to form glassy ash
-Water flowed into crater increasing explosivity

Question 10

Immediate responses to E15 eruption?

Answer 10

-Exclusion zone created
-700 evacuated locals
-100,000 flights cancelled
-Use of masks and protective measures

Question 11

Long term responses to E15 eruption?

Answer 11

-Rebuilding of river banks higher then before
-Restored farmland

Question 12

What planning was done for future eruptions?

Answer 12

-Improved volcanic monitoring
-Research to reduce impact of ash on aviation
-Strengthened emergency planning
-Aviation policy changes
-GPS station and new seismometers

Question 13

What was done in the mitigation stage of the hazard management cycle?

Answer 13

-Embankments and flood channels build to divert floodwater from sub glacial eruptions away from farms and roads
-Prior mapping to identify flood prone areas and high risk zones
-Icelandic meteorological office monitored seismic activity, ground deformation and gas emissions

Question 14

What was done in the preparedness stage of the hazard management cycle?

Answer 14

-Increased seismic activity triggered alerts weeks before eruption
-800 people living near volcano were prepared for a rapid eruption
-Regular public education and drills
-Farmers moved livestock indoors and protected water supplies

Question 15

What was done in the response stage of the hazard management cycle?

Answer 15

-Roads and bridges closed
-Closure of European airspace as over 100,000 flights were cancelled
-Emergency services provided shelters, masks and clean water

There were no direct deaths from eruption

Question 16

What was done in the recovery stage of the hazard management cycle?

Answer 16

-Roads, bridges and farmland were cleared of ash
-Farmers received government compensation for loss of livestock
-Tourism quickly recovered due to effective management
-Air travel systems were reviewed and improved

-Minimal long term economic damage