Volcanoes as a Cause of Climate Changes

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Volcanoes as a Cause of Climate Changes

Volcanoes and Climate Change

NASA estimates that volcanoes emit between 130 and 380 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.And they estimate that humans emit about 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, about 100 to300 times more than volcanoes, by burning fossil fuels.

The eruptions considered to be large enough to affect the Earth's climate on a scale of more than 1 year are the ones that inject over 0.1 Mt of SO₂ into the stratosphere.This is due to the optical properties of SO₂ and sulfate aerosols, which strongly absorb or scatter solar radiation, creating a global layer of sulfuric acid haze.^[41] On average, such eruptions occur several times per century, and cause cooling (by partially blocking the transmission of solar radiation to the Earth's surface) for a period of a few years.

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century, affected the climate substantially, subsequently global temperatures decreased by about 0.5 �C (0.9 �F) for up to three years. Thus, the cooling over large parts of the Earth reduced surface temperatures in 1991-93, the equivalent to a reduction in net radiation of 4 watts per square meter.^[44] The Mount Tambora eruption in 1815 caused the Year Without a Summer .^[45] Much larger eruptions, known as large igneous provinces , occur only a few times every fifty - hundred million years - through flood basalt , and caused in Earth past global warming and mass extinctions .^[46]

Small eruptions, with injections of less than 0.1 Mt of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, impact the atmosphere only subtly, as temperature changes are comparable with natural variability. However, because smaller eruptions occur at a much higher frequency, they too have a significant impact on Earth's atmosphere.^[40][47]

Seismic monitoring maps current and future trends in volcanic activities, and tries to develop early warning systems. In climate modelling the aim is to study the physical mechanisms and feedbacks of volcanic forcing.^[48]

Volcanoes are also part of the extended carbon cycle . Over very long (geological) time periods, they release carbon dioxide from the Earth's crust and mantle, counteracting the uptake by sedimentary rocks and other geological carbon dioxide sinks . The US Geological Survey estimates are that volcanic emissions are at a much lower level than the effects of current human activities, which generate 100-300 times the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by volcanoes.^[49] A review of published studies indicates that annual volcanic emissions of carbon dioxide, including amounts released from mid-ocean ridges, volcanic arcs, and hot spot volcanoes, are only the equivalent of 3 to 5 days of human caused output. The annual amount put out by human activities may be greater than the amount released by supererruptions, the most recent of which was the Toba eruption in Indonesia 74,000 years ago.^[50]

References:

1. Scott A. Mandia, Professor - Physical Sciences, T-202 Smithtown Sciences Bldg., S.C.C.C., 533 College Rd., Selden, NY 11784. (631) 451-4104. [email protected] ; http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/mandias/There are several competing theories to explain the possible cause of the climate changes experienced during the MWP and the LIA. These include sunspot variations, volcanic eruptions, changes in the large-scale ocean current conveyor belt, and to a lesser extent, changes in the earth's albedo. None of these theories on their own offers conclusive evidence; it is more likely that each has played a role. One should also note that these causes CANNOT explain the warming experienced from 1900 to present
2. NASA caron cycles