Volcanic ash produced in large explosive eruptions is generally silicic and is dominated by glass with subordinate silicate crystal fragments both are insulators (the volume resistivity of quartz and glass, for example, are 10 12–10 14 and 10 4 Ω Charge relaxation times have been estimated at 100–1000 s based on gas kinetic theory, assuming a high charge-transfer efficiency ( Mather and Harrison, 2006 Harrison et al., 2010). Average air temperature and precipitation records from the 1883 eruption of Krakatau are consistent with a sudden effect on climate.Ĭharge relaxation of volcanic particulates would, however, occur owing to interactions with positive ions in the atmosphere and would limit levitation. Because atmospheric electrical potential moderates cloud formation, large eruptions may have abrupt effects on climate through radiative forcing. 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 10 2 s.

1883 Krakatau (Indonesia) eruption, are both consistent with levitation of ash into the mesosphere. Measured disturbances in the ionosphere during eruptions, and the first discovery of polar mesospheric clouds after the A.D. 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. Volcanic plumes are, however, also associated with large net electrical charges that can also influence the dynamics of their ash particles. Large volcanic eruptions cause short-term climate change owing to the convective rise of fine ash and aerosols into the stratosphere.

Solar consequence ash download