The volcano with the difficult-to-pronounce name Eyjafjallajökull caused chaos in the airspace of Europe in April and May 2010.
Eyjafjallajökull is an active volcano in Iceland. It is covered with a glacier. Its altitude is 1666 meters, and the diameter of the crater is 3-4 kilometers. It is located 200 kilometers east of Reykjavik, BTA recalls.
The activation of Eyjafjallajökull began on March 21, and its eruption on April 14, 2010 caused the closure of airspace in almost all of Europe due to the volcanic ash ejected to a height of about 8.5 kilometers in the atmosphere.
The natural phenomenon in Iceland is accompanied by many other accompanying manifestations, in addition to lava and volcanic ash, as well as lightning, which are frequent companions of eruptions. The cause of the electrical discharges in the atmosphere is the movement of ash clouds.
The eruption on April 14 took place right under the glacier cap, which, according to experts, is more risky because it creates the possibility of rapid cooling of the lava and its transformation into small glass-like particles that are carried by the wind and cause problems in air traffic.
According to a study by the British economic research group "Oxford Economics" (Oxford Economics), quoted by DPA, from April 14 to May 24 inclusive, the problem with the volcanic ash cloud has damaged the world's gross domestic product (GDP) by five billion dollars. "Oxford Economics" notes that in the week from 15 to 21 April, European aviation was the worst hit, with 100,000 flights cancelled and revenue lost of $2.2 billion.
International air passenger traffic fell by 2.4 percent in April 2010, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), quoted by Agence France-Presse.
The previous significant eruption of Eyjafjallajökull began in 1821 and ended two years later. This period has been marked by different phases, ranging from strong eruptions to periods of calm. The volcano last erupted in 1612.