Sampling campaign for volcanoclastic material for subsequent tephrochronological and geochemical analyses for selected (pre-) historic volcanic eruptions in Iceland
Universität Bern
Lay summary
Volcanic eruptions are considered key natural drivers for changes in the global climate system, and evidence of these events (volcanic ash and sulphate aerosols) may be preserved in high-resolution archives such as the Greenland ice cores, allowing for reconstructions. Eruptions over the last 2000 years have been well characterised, however, gaps still remain. Notably, a period of increased volcanic activity, attributed to Icelandic volcanic systems, and coincident with short-term warming in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions (Medieval Climatic Anomaly), remains poorly understood. To resolve these complexities, correlations are required between the ice-core records and near-source (proximal) deposits, as this will provide better insight into the nature (magnitude and location) and climatic impacts of these events. Therefore, within this project we will sample proximal volcanic material from two regions across Iceland and undertake geochemical and sulphur isotope analysis alongside existing ice-core records to 1) pinpoint the source volcano and, 2) determine the quantity of sulphur ejected into the atmosphere by these Icelandic eruptions.
Details
| Regional focus | Arctic |
| Location | Iceland |
| Funded amount | 9,600 CHF |
| Project dates | 15th May 2021 – 30th September 2022 |
| Category | Polar Access Fund |
Publications
| Decadal-to-centennial increases of volcanic aerosols from Iceland challenge the concept of a Medieval Quiet Period |