What are the effects on the climate after a volcano erupts? Are
they permanent or just temporary?
Kelly LaDuke
Hi Kelly,
It is hard to say that any effects are "permanent" since we've only been
paying attention to the Earth for such a short time. As far as I know,
volcanic effects are temporary. They range from volcanic haze hanging around
a volcano for a few days after an eruption to perturbations of the Earth's
temperature for a few years because of injection of sulfuric acid aerosols
into the stratosphere by big eruptions. Of course there have been
prehistoric eruptions the size of which we've never experienced. One of
these might have climactic effects that would seem permanent even if they
only lasted 10-20 years.
That's a good question. I hope I 've given you at least a partial answer.
For a discussion of some of the specific effects, please see question #13
of "Questions about the effects of volcanoes" in the previously-asked
questions section of ask-a-volcanologist.
Sincerely,
Scott Rowland
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