Researchers poring through ice cores containing around 60,000 years of events have discovered evidence of countless volcanic activities dating all the way back to the very last Ice Age, and 25 of said eruptions being greater than just about anything observed on Terra in the previous 2,500 years.
The samples were dug nearby both polar regions: Antarctica & Greenland. This scientific proof comes in the shape of sulfuric acid residues left behind from previous explosions. It provides scientists with information on the size and effect of certain volcanoes.
Whenever a big eruption happens, sulfuric acid is thrown into the high stratosphere, where it is spread worldwide, encompassing Greenland as well as Antarctica. The quantity of sulfuric acid that has already dropped may be used to determine the extent of an outburst.
The study discovered 69 eruptions that topped the 1815 Tambora eruption (VEI 7) — an occurrence powerful enough even to shut out the light from the sun and trigger an era of global chilling.
The findings close some gaps in the Earth’s volcanic data, which has previously been rather hazy far further than 2,500 years ago.
As may be shown, a larger number of these massive eruptions happened during the ancient Ice Age than in current times. Due to the rarity of big explosions, a lengthy timescale is required to determine when they happen. That is presently the case.
Ice cores additionally record temperature swings before and immediately following eruptions, providing insight into their impact on the global weather. The largest episodes might result in chilling for up to 5-10 years following the eruption. Due to the fact that major eruptions reveal a great deal about our planet’s sensitivity to shifts in the climate systems, they may be beneficial for climate change projections.
The findings were published in Climate of the Past.
