29 Facts About Volcanic ash

Volcanic ash is formed during explosive volcanic eruptions when dissolved gases in magma expand and escape violently into the atmosphere.

Once in the air, Volcanic ash is transported by wind up to thousands of kilometres away.

Physical and chemical characteristics of volcanic ash are primarily controlled by the style of volcanic eruption.

Types of minerals present in volcanic ash are dependent on the chemistry of the magma from which it erupted.

The pH of fresh Volcanic ash leachates is highly variable, depending on the presence of an acidic gas condensate on the Volcanic ash surface.

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Volcanic ash particles erupted during magmatic eruptions are made up of various fractions of vitric, crystalline or lithic particles.

For example, Volcanic ash collected from Hawaiian lava fountains consists of sideromelane pyroclasts which contain microlites and phenocrysts.

Morphology of volcanic ash is controlled by a plethora of different eruption and kinematic processes.

Lithic morphology in Volcanic ash is generally controlled by the mechanical properties of the wall rock broken up by spalling or explosive expansion of gases in the magma as it reaches the surface.

The overall grain size distribution of Volcanic ash can vary greatly with different magma compositions.

The proportions of fine Volcanic ash are higher for silicic explosive eruptions, probably because vesicle size in the pre-eruptive magma is smaller than those in mafic magmas.

Volcanic ash can affect both proximal areas and areas many hundreds of kilometres from the source, and causes disruptions and losses in a wide variety of different infrastructure sectors.

The health effects of volcanic ash depend on the grain size, mineralogical composition and chemical coatings on the surface of the ash particles.

Chronic health effects from volcanic ash fall are possible, as exposure to free crystalline silica is known to cause silicosis.

Exposure levels to free crystalline silica in the Volcanic ash are commonly used to characterise the risk of silicosis in occupational studies because it is classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Symptoms of fluorosis among cattle exposed to Volcanic ash include brown-yellow to green-black mottles in the teeth, and hypersensibility to pressure in the legs and back.

Volcanic ash can disrupt electric power supply systems at all levels of power generation, transformation, transmission, and distribution.

Principal damage sustained by aircraft flying into a volcanic ash cloud is abrasion to forward-facing surfaces, such as the windshield and leading edges of the wings, and accumulation of ash into surface openings, including engines.

The Volcanic ash melts in the combustion chamber to form molten glass.

Composition of most Volcanic ash is such that its melting temperature is within the operating temperature of modern large jet engines.

Volcanic ash clouds are very difficult to detect from aircraft as no onboard cockpit instruments exist to detect them.

Small accumulations of Volcanic ash can reduce visibility, create slippery runways and taxiways, infiltrate communication and electrical systems, interrupt ground services, damage buildings and parked aircraft.

Signal attenuation due to volcanic ash is not well documented; however, there have been reports of disrupted communications following the 1969 Surtsey eruption and 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption.

Research by the New Zealand-based Auckland Engineering Lifelines Group determined theoretically that impacts on telecommunications signals from Volcanic ash would be limited to low frequency services such as satellite communication.

Impacts for Volcanic ash loading depend on building design and construction, including roof slope, construction materials, roof span and support system, and age and maintenance of the building.

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Volcanic ash can have a detrimental impact on the environment which can be difficult to predict due to the large variety of environmental conditions that exist within the ash fall zone.

Dust masks can be worn to reduce inhalation of Volcanic ash and mitigate against any respiratory health affects.

Spare parts and back-up systems should be in place prior to Volcanic ash fall events to reduce service disruption and return functionality as quickly as possible.

Some effective techniques for the management of Volcanic ash have been developed including cleaning methods and cleaning apparatus, and actions to mitigate or limit damage.