Ash generation and distribution from the April-May 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland

Abstract

The 39-day long eruption at the summit of Eyjafjallajokull volcano in April-May 2010 was of modest size but ash was widely dispersed. By combining data from ground surveys and remote sensing we show that the erupted material was 4±861.2.10 11 kg (benmoreite and trachyte, dense rock equivalent volume 0.1860.05 km 3). About 20% was lava and water-transported tephra, 80% was airborne tephra (bulk volume 0.27 km 3) transported by 3-10 km high plumes. The airborne tephra was mostly fine ash (diameter ,1000 mm). At least 7.10 10 kg (70 Tg) was very fine ash (<28 μm), several times more than previously estimated via satellite retrievals. About 50% of the tephra fell in Iceland with the remainder carried towards south and east, detected over,7 millionkm 2 in Europe and the North Atlantic. Of order 10 10 kg (2%) are considered to have been transported longer than 600∼700 km with ,10 8 kg (,0.02%) reaching mainland Europe.