Study: Volcanic eruptions offset small part of greenhouse gas-driven global warming during the past 10 years

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Researchers gaining a better understanding of stratospheric aerosols

Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO —A series of small to mid-sized volcanic eruptions the past 10 years were the main factor in the formation of stratospheric sulfuric acid that reflected the sun’s energy and partially offset the effects of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.

“This new study indicates it is emissions from small to moderate volcanoes that have been slowing the warming of the planet,” said Ryan Neely, a researcher at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science and doctoral student at CU Boulder.

Neely said previous observations suggest that increases in stratospheric aerosols since 2000 have counterbalanced as much as 25 percent of the warming scientists blame on human greenhouse gas emissions. (more…)

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Volcanic pumice may have key role in coral reef ecosystems

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Floating rafts of pumice attract all sorts of marine life as they float across the South Pacific.

New study suggests floating rafts of pumice could help replenish reefs

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Pumice from volcanic explosions may play a previously unknown role in the formation of coral reefs, according to researchers with the Queensland University of Technology in Australia.

Dr. Scott Bryan, a geologist at the university, led a recent study of westward flowing rafts of pumice after volcanic eruptions in Tonga in 2001 and 2006, finding that plants and tiny animals — including corals — latched onto pumice as it was swept by ocean currents towards north eastern Australia.

“The pumice raft created after the 2006 Home Reef volcano erupted in Tonga initially formed at least a 440-square-kilometer floating mass,” Bryan said. “This mass slowly broke up into streaks and millions to billions of marine organisms such as cyanobacteria, barnacles, molluscs, corals, anemones, and crabs began hitching a ride.” (more…)

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Climate: smaller volcanoes found to affect upper atmosphere

Posted on July 8, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

A NASA satellite captures a view of the smoke billowing from the Nabro Volcano in Ethiopia during a June 2011 eruption.

New study to help inform climate models

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Using data from sensitive satellite instruments, researchers at the University of Saskatchewan have determined relatively small volcanic eruptions can affect climate on a global level, as aerosols from the eruptions are transported into the upper levels of the atmosphere by weather systems like monsoons.

“If an aerosol is in the lower atmosphere, it’s affected by the weather and it precipitates back down right away,” said Adam Bourass, with university of Saskatchewan’s Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies. “Once it reaches the stratosphere, it can persist for years, and with that kind of a sustained lifetime, it can really have a lasting effect,” Bourass said, explaining that the particles scatter incoming sunlight, thus cooling the Earth’s surface. (more…)

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Climate: Volcanoes only a drop in the global CO2 bucket

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Mt. St. Helens. PHOTO COURTESY USGS.

USGS research quantifies emissions from eruptions

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Among the numerous red herrings thrown out by global warming deniers is the idea that it’s not worth reducing carbon dioxide emissions because volcanoes spew out so much more of the heat-trapping gas.

Scientists have known that’s not quite true — not even close to true, actually, and a recent study helps quantify and compare the emissions from the two different sources, showing that, globally, all volcanoes combined emit about as much CO2 annually as a mid-sized state like Pennsylvania.

“On average, human activities put out in just three to five days, the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide that volcanoes produce globally each year. (more…)

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