Ira Krakow's Iceland Volcano Update April 18 2010

[nas4x]

thanks for the update

[irakrakow]

There was a false alarm about Mt. Hekla, erupting, on Twitter. Actually, Hekla didn't erupt and is relatively far from this volcano. However, nothing is impossible. Vulcanologists know very little about how the underground magma channels between the volcanos work. Short of going down there, it's hard to figure this out.

[DR3isGawd]

Ira please fill us in on what you know about Katla and if there is a serious threat.

[irakrakow]

@DR3isGawd Katla is very near to this volcano. Every time this volcano has erupted, Katla followed, within about a year. Katla erupts frequently, about once every 50 years. The last time it erupted was 1918. Its strength would be 10 times this one and would result in global cooling in the northern hemisphere. So Katla's effects would dwarf this one and make the current inconveniences a walk in the park.

[nas4x]

@irakrakow Ive been wanting to more about Katla thks

[cutiekiska]

so is the earth's core going to get colder now that so much lava has come out? Or is iceland going to be colder?

[irakrakow]

@cutiekiska This is a pretty small volcano, not enough to affect the earth's core. However, if Katla blows, that may be a different story.

[cutiekiska]

@irakrakow this is where studying Geology in school would have been helpful LOL but thanks for the updates. My parents' plane leaves soon and it helps to know what's going on.

[irakrakow]

@cutiekiska I wish your parents good luck and bon voyage on their flight.

[donalduck815]

So, is Iceland getting Bigger?

[TheTrish1970]

The Royal Navy are now to be sent to Spain to pick up stranded Britons from across Europe... Source Sky News.

[irakrakow]

@TheTrish1970 This is the biggest evacuation of Brits since Dunkirk. I will be reporting on this and other events today. Also, Tony Blair is stuck in Jerusalem, trying to get home.

[satishnshaila]

Sir, I really appreciate your good work for giving us the latest news. Please be careful and take care. We do not want to lose people like you.

[irakrakow]

@satishnshaila The media and government don't want to promote panic in the public mind. The danger from microscopic ash particles is real and ongoing, but the authorities will try to convince us that everything is OK...until there's a catastrophic engine meltdown with loss of life. After that, all bets are off.

[a2zhandi]

@irakrakow I'm betting your right about that.

[satishnshaila]

@satishnshaila I hope people read your messages and try to understand the reality of the problem and not get carried away by what the airlines say. Pls keep up the good work

[supergooddeal]

Awesome, any predictions on what it could do in the next few days?

[irakrakow]

@supergooddeal My guess is that the volcano will continue to be active, and the winds will be at the same strength and direction. However, around Thursday the winds will shift, even to the east, closing Keflavik, Iceland's airport. As the winds shift, it will be impossible to know the next areas that will be affected. I don't see an end to this for many months. The affect on the world economy has not been totally calculated.

[irakrakow]

@supergooddeal The latest is that there appears to be a conflict between Eurocontrol, the agency that controls European airspace, and individual airlines, like Lufthansa and KLM. The airlines have done some test flights, claimed everything was OK, and want to fly. Eurocontrol see that the ash cloud is still there, invisible to radar, and potentially catastrophic. The airlines want to fly, but what happens if there's big crash with engines destroyed?

[supergooddeal]

@irakrakow Yeah I also had just heard this on HLN. Pretty disturbing. I don't think i'd be flying unless I knew for sure. Who would want to take the risk I guess unless it was life threatening.

[irakrakow]

@supergooddeal Looks as if they're going to claim that about 50% of the skies over Europe will be free of the ash cloud by Monday. I don't buy it. These clouds are volatile, the ash can't be picked up on radar. There's no way to be absolutely sure that flying anywhere over Europe is safe. This will continue for months.

[irakrakow]

@supergooddeal Air France just claimed a successful test flight from Paris to Toulouse. My take: it doesn't matter how many successful test flights they do. That has no bearing on the next flight, and if it's "unsuccessful", who wants to take the blame for the disaster that results?

[supergooddeal]

Thanks for the update.

[irakrakow]

@supergooddeal I'll be doing updates daily, until the event is over. Please subscribe so you can keep current with this changing story.