Extent and impact of distal ash fallout from the May 2008 eruption of Chaiten, Chile.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Earth Sciences
Abstract
The current major explosive volcanic eruption in southern Chile presents an immediate opportunity for scientists to measure the impact of fine ash fallout during and after an eruption. We wish to use this opportunity to collect detailed measurements of the thickness and grainsize of ash which has fallen from Chaiten across a very large area of prime grazing land in southern Argentina. It is important that this work is carried out quickly - before the ash has been moved around on the ground by winds, and before the ash has been leached by rain water. Ash fallout is the major hazard from volcanic eruptions to humans, and their life-support systems (agriculture, transport, communications). Even only a thin deposit of ash can have a devastating effect on grazing animals, since they either refuse to eat ash-dusted grasses (and starve); or they consume the toxic salts deposited along with the ash (and die of fluorosis). At the moment, we so not have sufficiently sophisticated models of where fine ash ends up after eruptions - mainly because we do not have the measurements to test these models. Eruptions such as this, which are major explosive eruptions and which deposit fine ash across accessible land areas (rather than the sea), only happen about once in a decade or more. This is the first such opportunity since the major explosive eruptions of Pinatubo (Philippines) and Hudson (Chile) in 1991.
People |
ORCID iD |
David Pyle (Principal Investigator) | |
Tamsin Mather (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Alfano F
(2010)
Tephra stratigraphy and eruptive volume of the May, 2008, Chaitén eruption, Chile
in Bulletin of Volcanology
Alfano F
(2016)
Reconstruction of total grain size distribution of the climactic phase of a long-lasting eruption: the example of the 2008-2013 Chaitén eruption
in Bulletin of Volcanology
Berlo K
(2013)
Element variations in rhyolitic magma resulting from gas transport
in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Browning T
(2015)
Volcanic ash supply to the surface oceanâ€"remote sensing of biological responses and their wider biogeochemical significance
in Frontiers in Marine Science
Martin R
(2009)
Environmental effects of ashfall in Argentina from the 2008 Chaitén volcanic eruption
in Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
Pyle D
(2016)
Volcanic Ash
Rawson H
(2016)
Compositional variability in mafic arc magmas over short spatial and temporal scales: Evidence for the signature of mantle reactive melt channels
in Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Watt S
(2009)
Fallout and distribution of volcanic ash over Argentina following the May 2008 explosive eruption of Chaitén, Chile
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth
Watt S
(2008)
Landslide and tsunami hazard at Yate volcano, Chile as an example of edifice destruction on strike-slip fault zones
in Bulletin of Volcanology
Watt S
(2013)
Evidence of mid- to late-Holocene explosive rhyolitic eruptions from Chaitén Volcano, Chile
in Andean Geology
Description | This project was funded by an urgency grant from NERC, which enabled us to capture detailed information about the dispersal, deposition and environmental impacts of a major volcanic eruption in southern Chile in 2008. This project was completed in 2009. |
Exploitation Route | Volcanic ash collected shortly after deposition are now being used in studies to help to improve satellite-remote-sensing techniques for the measurement of volcanic ash in the atmosphere. This will contribute to improved techniques for ash tracking and detection, which will be of interest to airlines and national agencies responsible for hazard assessments. This work has helped to sustain new collaborations with volcanic hazards specialists in the Chilean Geological Survey, and has contributed to new work on the impacts of ash from explosive volcanic eruptions in Latin America, Europe and elsewhere. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Agriculture Food and Drink Environment |
Description | This funding allowed us to make a rapid response visit to map the extent of the ash fallout following a major explosive eruption in southern Chile. This dataset has been made widely available, following publication, and has helped to make this eruption a valuable case study of explosive volcanism. Our work has also helped to build relationships with researchers in Chile and Argentina. |
First Year Of Impact | 2009 |
Sector | Education,Environment |
Impact Types | Policy & public services |
Description | Blog post on the anniversary of the eruption of Chaiten |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | On May 1, 2013, I published a short blog on the 5th anniversary of the eruption of Chaiten volcanoo, and to publicise the new open access special issue of Andean Geology on the same topic. This post received over 100 views in the first month online, and 200 views in its first year. Our work on Chilean volcanoes has led to frequent requests from the Media for commentaries (in articles, on radio and television) in relation to new phases of volcanic activity in Chile. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2014 |
URL | http://volcanicdegassing.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/chaiten-anniversary-of-an-eruption/ |