Icelandic Volcanic Eruption - Significant Disruption to UK Flights

MisChief said:
whats the reason behind beautiful sunsets after the volcanic eruption?

so looks like my dad won't be coming home today afterall... volcano has ruined my bday :(
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Well the Sulpher reacts with the chemicals in the air, causing sulfate aerosols.. along with the ash it scatters the suns light rays, giving it the vivid colours :)
 
willhub said:
Maybe this will provoke more research into developing new engines that can possibly fly through these dust clouds?
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One if the main issue I believe is that Jet engines can melt the sand/glass particals as they get sucked through a jet engine.

The danger comes when this molten glass sets before leaving the engine (stopping stuff working)

Aparently volcanic dust can strip Car paint at 80-90 mph. So dread to think what happens to a 747 at 550mph with 4 engines full of glass.
 
Not sure if it was on here or on another source, but it had the cockpit glass can become sand blasted because of the dust and becomes so bad the pilot cannot see
 
willhub said:
Maybe this will provoke more research into developing new engines that can possibly fly through these dust clouds?
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Sorry but no :p

I believe it's due to the ash having the component materials of glass. Heat + this ash = glass, which isn't healthy.

Look up BA 009 747-236 BA flight in 1982 to see why they don't allow flights in ash clouds.

Ironically Concorde would have been fine, seeing as it would sit at 55,000 ft all day quite happily :p Although it would have to fly through the cloud on its way to FL550 so hey ho...

As for flying below it, it's slower, use way more fuel and buggers up the schedule more than just grounding everything in place.

Piston engined aircraft would be fine i'd imagine in low density clouds, but why take the risk?

Edit:

UncleBensSauce said:
Aparently volcanic dust can strip Car paint at 80-90 mph. So dread to think what happens to a 747 at 550mph with 4 engines full of glass.
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See above, 1982 BA 747 flying over Java:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Airways_Flight_9
 
Sone said:
supposed to be flying to Iceland on next Sunday, done some googling but should everything be okay by then?
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Impossible to say. Depends on the weather (wind speeds and direction) and what the volcano actually decides to do. Looking out ~8 day to Sunday, both quantities are essentially unknown.
 
UncleBensSauce said:
There was some quite interesting reports post 9/11 about how the reduced Air Travel for those few days in 2001 did have some kind of measurable affect on the environment. Will dig out links when I get home!
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Researchers also worked out over 1000 extra people died because they went by car instead of plane, killed by fear :(
 
willhub said:
Will this eruption have a visible effect on our climate? Like, crap summer then another cold winter?
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Interesting:
Iceland's Laki volcano erupted in 1783, freeing gases that turned into smog. The smog floated across the Jet Stream, changing weather patterns. Many died from gas poisoning in the British Isles. Crop production fell in western Europe. Famine spread. Some even linked the eruption, which helped fuel famine, to the French Revolution. Painters in the 18th century illustrated fiery sunsets in their works.The winter of 1784 was also one of the longest and coldest on record in North America. New England reported a record stretch of below-zero temperatures and New Jersey reported record snow accumulation. The Mississippi River also reportedly froze in New Orleans.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35988484/ns/technology_and_science-science/
 
I wonder if this is how the Icelandic people get their vengeance for the UK freezing their assets ?

I have an odd vision of the Icelandic PM pressing a button under his desk to set the volcano away.
 
Von Smallhausen said:
I wonder if this is how the Icelandic people get their vengeance for the UK freezing their assets ?

I have an odd vision of the Icelandic PM pressing a button under his desk to set the volcano away.
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lol yeah, most peoples big red button consists of nuclear warheads... his consists of Volvanoes located all around the World ^^ pro :D
 
Heard a couple of old women chatting about the lack of flights yesterday. I came in at a golden conversation point:

Well, what do you expect? First their banks collapse with all our money, and now this. And do we get an apology? Do we Hell!
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Favourite old lady saying of the week.
 
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