Ash

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Reference

Volcanic ash/PM

Pollution Recipient

Specific type

Method used in paper

Concentration ranges**

Duration of pollution

Source of pollution

Type of study

Cape et al., 2008

PM

Plant (forests)

 

 

Annual N deposition > than 15 kg ha-1

 

Soot, dust, quarry mechanical generation

Observational

Tognetti et al., 2012

Volcanic ash

Plant (forests)

 

Dendrochronological

Tephra volume = 7.2x10^8 m3 1988 eruption

25/12/1988 - 24/01/1990 (2 years)

Lonquimay Volcano

Field/Lab

Bilderback & Carlson, 1987

Volcanic ash

Tree

Douglas fir

Chlorophyll amount determined by method dictated by Mackinney (see ref). Needles washed, dried, weighed to determine tephra amount.

420 mg -  15.7 mg tephra per gram needle dry weight

16 months

Mt. St. Helens

Field/Lab

Seymour et al., 1983

Volcanic ash

Tree

Douglas fir

Fluoride levels determined by washing with EDTA solution and oven dried. Mechanical damage determined using scanning electron microscopy

 

 

Mt. St. Helens

Lab

Battipaglia et al., 2007

Volcanic ash

Tree

 

Tree-ring chronologies were selected from forest old stands about 40km away from Vesuvio. Isotopic analysis.

 

 

Mt. Vesuvio

Field/Lab

Misson et al., 2005

PM10&2.5

Tree

Mixed conifer forest, oak forest

PM characterisation and metrological and plant parameters

 

 

Anthropogenic atmospheric aerosol

 

Chameides et al., 1999

PM

Plants

Arable crops

Model-estimate of aerosol optical depths over China  and their effect on solar irradiance and subsequently the crop's response to this change using radiative transfer calculations.

~5-30% reduction in solar radiation

 

Anthropogenic atmospheric aerosol

Theoretical case study

Mercado et al., 2009

Volcanic and anthropogenic aerosol

Ecosystems

 

Estimate the impact of variations in diffuse fraction on the land carbon sink using a global model (JULES) modified to account for the effects of variations in both direct and diffuse radiation on canopy photosynthesis.

 

1901-2100

 

Theoretical

Yamaguchi et al., 2014

Ammonium sulfate particles (pm2.5)

Trees

Multiple species

Four Japanese forest tree species exposed to submicron-size AS particules during two growing seasons inside phytotron chambers. AS particles generated from atomized 0.1% AS solution. Filters inside the cambers used to calculate sulfur concentration. Deposition of particles on leaf surfaces observed using scanning electron microscope.

2.73 - 4.32 ug SO4(2-)/m3

2 years

Lab generated AS particles.

Lab

Wilson et al., 2011

Volcanic ash

Similar to inital tephra eruption: Abrasion of vegetation and contamination of feed supplies with fine ash.

 

3-week study tour of environments affected by ash storms, with emphasis on determining the impacts of repeated ash storms on agriculture and local practices that were developed in an attempt to mitigate these impacts. Interviews were conducted with farmers and officials who experienced the eruption. Samples of initial tephra fall and reworked material analysed.

"Heavy tephra fall" >100mm

Wind remobilisation recorded from eruption up to early 1992

Volcan Hudson

Field/Lab

Monteith, 1962

Anthropogenic aerosol

Earth surface

 

Consistency of radiation records at different stations is checked by comparing max daily totals with theoretical estimates for a model atmosphere. Deriving mean coeffs for reflection and abs by clod at clean country stations, monthly totals of direct and diffuse radiation can be calculated from obs of cloudiness - attenuation by pollution can then be estimated by comparing the amount of radiation received at a smoky station with the calculated amount for a clean atm.

Total radiation average 10% decrease

 

Anthropogenic atmospheric aerosol

Theoretical

Unsworth & Monteith, 1972

Anthropogenic aerosol

Earth surface

 

Irradiance of solar beam measured by pyrheliometer on cloudless days in Midlands and north-west Scotland. Total and diffuse fluxes measured on some days with solarimeter.

Attenuation coefficient for aerosol (ta) = 0.05-0.15 in maritime air; 0.1-0.5 in continental air; in tropical maritime air, ta decreased from 0.13 at sea level to 0.07 at 1340 m.

 

Continental/local/marine air mass

Field

Sato et al., 1993

Volcanic ash

Earth surface

 

Aerosol optical depths are estimated from optical extinction data (whose quality increases with time) over the period 1850-1990.

 

1850-1990 (different sources)

Volcanic eruptions

Theoretical

Crossley & Fowler, 1986

PM

Trees

Scots Pine

Scots pine needles examined at one polluted and two clean air sites during july 1981 - march 1982. Physical structure of epicuticular wax was assessed by scanning electron microscopy.

Clean air: SO2 < 10 ug/m3; polluted air: SO2 < 40 , ug/m3

2 years

Pulverized fuel ash' (a coal combustion product)

Field/Lab

 

Ayris & Delmelle, 2012

Volcanic ash

Vegetation

 

Review of many different volcanic case-studies that focuses on the various effects of ash on the environment

Ash dep on pine foliage in excess of 10 g/m2 diminished radiative flux captured by needles up to 98%; particles of tephra with diameter <2um clog leaf stomates

 

 

Review

* note papers are detailed this is one aspect of the study highlighted

** unit conversion

References: 
Ayris, P.M. ; Delmelle, P. 2012 The immediate environmental effects of tephra emission Bulletin of Volcanology 74 1905-1936
Battipaglia, G. ; Cherubini, P. ; Saurer, M. ; Siegwolf, R.T. ; Strumia, S. ; Cotrufo, F. 2007 Volcanic explosive eruptions of the Vesuvio decrease tree-ring growth but not photosynthetic rates in the surrounding forests. Global Change Biology 13 1122-1137