Electrostatic levitation of volcanic ash into the ionosphere and its abrupt effect on climate
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Genge, MJ
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Large volcanic eruptions cause short-term climate change owing to the convective rise of fine ash and aerosols into the stratosphere. Volcanic plumes are, however, also associated with large net electrical charges that can also influence the dynamics of their ash particles. Here I show that electrostatic levitation of ash from plumes with a net charge is capable of injecting volcanic particles <500 nm in diameter into the ionosphere in large eruptions lasting more than a few hours. Measured disturbances in the ionosphere during eruptions, and the first discovery of polar mesospheric clouds after the A.D. 1883 Krakatau (Indonesia) eruption, are both consistent with levitation of ash into the mesosphere. Supervolcano eruptions are likely to inject significant quantities of charged ash into the ionosphere, resulting in disturbance or collapse of the global electrical circuit on time scales of 102 s. Because atmospheric electrical potential moderates cloud formation, large eruptions may have abrupt effects on climate through radiative forcing. Average air temperature and precipitation records from the 1883 eruption of Krakatau are consistent with a sudden effect on climate.
Date Issued
2018-10-01
Date Acceptance
2018-07-30
Citation
Geology, 2018, 46 (10), pp.835-838
ISSN
0091-7613
Publisher
Geological Society of America
Start Page
835
End Page
838
Journal / Book Title
Geology
Volume
46
Issue
10
Copyright Statement
© The Authors. Gold Open Access: This paper is published under the terms of the CC-BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Identifier
https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/46/10/835/547176/Electrostatic-levitation-of-volcanic-ash-into-the
Grant Number
ST/N000803/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Geology
PINATUBO ERUPTION
DUST LEVITATION
PLUME
ELECTRIFICATION
IMPACT
Geochemistry & Geophysics
04 Earth Sciences
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-08-21