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SO2 emissions from Iceland reach Europe

9/12/24

Volcanic activity on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula is unusually high this year. The sixth eruption in a row over the last year took place on August 22 and since then it has been sending clouds of sulfur dioxide into the air which reach Europe in low concentrations.

Photo: Pixabay

Clouds of sulfur dioxide have been gradually reaching Europe since the end of last week from Western Europe. The eruption occurred in the Sundhnúks crater on the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland. The situation is being closely monitored and activity is currently focused on two areas north of Stóra-Skógafell. The intensity of the eruption is decreasing every day.

A cloud of sulfur dioxide began to move across the North Atlantic the day after the eruption and reached Western Europe on August 24. After that, he began to go to the east of Europe. The highest concentrations of sulfur dioxide are at altitudes of five to eight kilometers. However, surface measurements of sulfur dioxide concentration revealed that there was also a slight increase at ground level.

However, there is no reason to panic as the measured values in the air are below the recommended threshold set by EU air quality standards. Therefore sulfur dioxide clouds from a volcano in Iceland are not expected to have negative health effects.

CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) researchers regularly monitor sulfur dioxide content in real time through satellite images of clouds. Thanks to this, they are able to evaluate the possible impacts on air quality in areas around the world in a timely manner. It is certain that the emissions produced by the recent eruption in Iceland are not severe enough to have an impact on global atmospheric processes.

Source: Copernicus/Editorial