Volcanoes and Earth :: Geology

VOLCANOES AND THE EARTH SYSTEM EFFECTS OF VOLCANIC GASES Most of the gases in the atmosphere originally come from the Earth's interior. Gases within magma are dissolved because of high pressures beneath the earth's surface, but reduced pressure at the surface allows dissolved gases to expand and escape. When a volcano erupts, gases such as sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, chlorine, argon, sulfur, carbon monoxide, fluorine, and water vapor escape into the atmosphere. Although many of the gases emitted during a volcanic eruption can be helpful to the earth, a lot of the gases can be disruptive to the earth system. Quite possibly the only gas that is generally better for the atmosphere than the rest of the gases is water vapor. Although it is a greenhouse gas, water vapor from volcanic eruptions adds to the earth's water supply. Sulfur dioxide emitted from volcanic eruptions is one of the main chemical compounds responsible for the earth's already dangerous acid rain problem. Carbon dioxide is universally considered one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases on the planet. Increases in this gas have been proven to cause an increase in the average temperature of the Earth. Global warming can result in the melting of polar ice caps. This melting causes the rising of ocean levels, which can flood coastal cities. Volcanoes contribute about 110 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. Although this can be viewed as a bad problem for the ever-increasing problem of global warming, volcanoes can actually cause the opposite effect. Volcanoes can help cool the earth's surface by forming sulfuric acid aerosols that reflect the sun's rays. This is contradicted though by the carbon dioxide that adds to the greenhouse effect. Weather patterns can be disrupted by sulfur dioxide. In a reaction involving the sun and water vapor, sulfur dioxide can turn into sulfuric acid. This sulfuric acid can combine with rain and cause acid rain to fall to earth. Sulfuric aerosol remains in the air long after the volcano has erupted. These aerosols can last for years and studies have shown a strong correlation between periods of long-term sulfuric aerosol layers in the atmosphere and a resulting temperature decrease during those same years. Without replenishment, the sulfuric acid aerosol layer around the earth is gradually depleted, but it is renewed by each eruption rich in sulfur dioxide. This was determined after the eruptions of such volcanoes as El Chichon in Mexico and Mt. Volcanoes and Earth :: Geology VOLCANOES AND THE EARTH SYSTEM EFFECTS OF VOLCANIC GASES Most of the gases in the atmosphere originally come from the Earth's interior. Gases within magma are dissolved because of high pressures beneath the earth's surface, but reduced pressure at the surface allows dissolved gases to expand and escape. When a volcano erupts, gases such as sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, chlorine, argon, sulfur, carbon monoxide, fluorine, and water vapor escape into the atmosphere. Although many of the gases emitted during a volcanic eruption can be helpful to the earth, a lot of the gases can be disruptive to the earth system. Quite possibly the only gas that is generally better for the atmosphere than the rest of the gases is water vapor. Although it is a greenhouse gas, water vapor from volcanic eruptions adds to the earth's water supply. Sulfur dioxide emitted from volcanic eruptions is one of the main chemical compounds responsible for the earth's already dangerous acid rain problem. Carbon dioxide is universally considered one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases on the planet. Increases in this gas have been proven to cause an increase in the average temperature of the Earth. Global warming can result in the melting of polar ice caps. This melting causes the rising of ocean levels, which can flood coastal cities. Volcanoes contribute about 110 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. Although this can be viewed as a bad problem for the ever-increasing problem of global warming, volcanoes can actually cause the opposite effect. Volcanoes can help cool the earth's surface by forming sulfuric acid aerosols that reflect the sun's rays. This is contradicted though by the carbon dioxide that adds to the greenhouse effect. Weather patterns can be disrupted by sulfur dioxide. In a reaction involving the sun and water vapor, sulfur dioxide can turn into sulfuric acid. This sulfuric acid can combine with rain and cause acid rain to fall to earth. Sulfuric aerosol remains in the air long after the volcano has erupted. These aerosols can last for years and studies have shown a strong correlation between periods of long-term sulfuric aerosol layers in the atmosphere and a resulting temperature decrease during those same years. Without replenishment, the sulfuric acid aerosol layer around the earth is gradually depleted, but it is renewed by each eruption rich in sulfur dioxide. This was determined after the eruptions of such volcanoes as El Chichon in Mexico and Mt.