HR: 14:40h
AN: A43D-05    [Abstracts]
TI: An Estimate of the Global Loading of Fine Ash from Volcanic Eruptions
AU: * Prata, F J
EM: fred.prata@nilu.no
AF: Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Institutveien 18, Kjeller, 2027, Norway
AB: Volcanic eruptions produce copious amounts of ash and gases. Most of these emissions do not penetrate the tropopause and have little effect on global climate. Estimates of the global emissions of sulphur dioxide gas from volcanoes have been made using satellite sensors, notably TOMS and TOVS, but little attention has been paid to the amount of particulate matter released into the atmosphere by volcanoes. Fine volcanic dust or ash with particle diameters <10 microns can remain in the atmosphere for sufficient time that long-range transport takes place, sometimes causing the ash to reach higher altitudes than anticipated. Ash fall onto the oceans can also fertilize the sea with potential consequences on ocean productivity and carbon dioxide drawdown. Here I analyse 6-years of MODIS satellite data to determine the particle size distribution statistics (mean, mode, skewness and kurtosis) and infrared opacity of ash to estimate the global loading of fine ash from volcanic eruptions. The implications of the results for local and global climate will be discussed.
DE: 0370 Volcanic effects (8409)
DE: 1605 Abrupt/rapid climate change (4901, 8408)
DE: 1616 Climate variability (1635, 3305, 3309, 4215, 4513)
DE: 3362 Stratosphere/troposphere interactions
DE: 8408 Volcano/climate interactions (1605, 3309)
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly