Quantifying volcanic ash dispersal and impact of the Campanian Ignimbrite super-eruption

Costa, A., Folch, A., Macedonio, G., Giaccio, B., Isaia, R. and Smith, V. C. (2012) Quantifying volcanic ash dispersal and impact of the Campanian Ignimbrite super-eruption. Geophysical Research Letters, 39 (10). ISSN 1944–8007 doi: 10.1029/2012GL051605

Abstract/Summary

1] We apply a novel computational approach to assess, for the first time, volcanic ash dispersal during the Campanian Ignimbrite (Italy) super-eruption providing insights into eruption dynamics and the impact of this gigantic event. The method uses a 3D time-dependent computational ash dispersion model, a set of wind fields, and more than 100 thickness measurements of the CI tephra deposit. Results reveal that the CI eruption dispersed 250–300 km3 of ash over ∼3.7 million km2. The injection of such a large quantity of ash (and volatiles) into the atmosphere would have caused a volcanic winter during the Heinrich Event 4, the coldest and driest climatic episode of the Last Glacial period. Fluorine-bearing leachate from the volcanic ash and acid rain would have further affected food sources and severely impacted Late Middle-Early Upper Paleolithic groups in Southern and Eastern Europe

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/29053
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Environmental Systems Science Centre
Publisher	American Geophysical Union
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item