Summary
Summary OCR Geography A Level - HAZARDOUS EARTH case study - Iceland Volcanic eruption
Case study of volcanic eruption in Iceland. Covers each spec point one by one.
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
1 review
By: jemimvicarage • 9 months ago
Content preview
VOLCANIC ERUPTION – ICELAND (AC)VOLCANOLOGY
Constructive plate margin – Eurasian and N American plates – Mid Atlantic Ridge
30 active volcano systems
3 major volcanoes – Hetla, Katla, Eyjafjallajokull
Mainly effusive eruptions however, Eyjafjallajokull = explosive
WHY PEOPLE LIVE THERE
Extremely fertile land for agriculture
Well-developed infrastructure
7th most productive country in the world
Political stability
Education and health standards are high
Most peaceful country in the world
SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND POLITICAL IMPACTS OF ERUPTION – Eyjafjallajokull 2010 (VEI 2)
Social
No deaths however 500-600 evacuated
400 homes destroyed by lava flows and tephra (primary) and fires (secondary)
Infrastructure damage – road closures due to ash
Food shortages – animals killed and crops destroyed
Respiratory issues in long term due to ash inhalation
Economic
Local – farmers fields covered in ash and debris, crops destroyed, livestock killed decreased productivity
Global – ash cloud 6-day travel ban £1.1 billion loss for airline industry
However, positive impact = increased tourism and fertile soils
Environmental
Ash plume emitted gases and debris into atmosphere ash cloud – local and global consequences
Ash destroyed vegetation and compacted into thick compact layer of ash difficult to continue farming
Lava flows melted ice caps flooding
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Modify event itself
Lava cooling – preventing advance of lava by spraying it with cold water eg Heimaey – v successful due to
abundance of water available and slow moving lava.
Modify vulnerability
Meteorological Institute of Iceland noted unusual seismic activity – 3000 small earthquakes detected near
volcano aware of potential eruption could plan evacuation routes
Prediction meant fire brigades were put on standby and police posted evacuation plans – issued ‘Yellow’
warning – volcano active but eruption not imminent
500-600 evacuated to reduce vulnerability
Modify losses
Search and Rescue teams (ICE-SAR) 99 rescue units based all over the island
Aid – resources handed out eg face masks and goggles to prevent gas inhalation and protect eyes
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller alexandralkeays. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £5.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
52510 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now