UK air space closed!

[Annpan]

I thought someone else would have already mentioned this but I couldn't find it.

all UK airspace has been closed, for the first time.

Now, I heard that the day after 9/11 when USA Airspace was closed that temperatures dropped by around 2 degrees C - Because the amount of exauhst fumes have that much effect on the atmosphere - I think that is pretty damned scary, are we really happy about paying that price for air travel? hmmm... not me, but then, I have never flown... so I guess I don't think it is essential.

I wonder if this will make people realise that airtravel should be used in moderation, I am all for banning people from taking more than 2 flights a year... or every 2 years...

I suspect that it might make people reconsider taking foriegn holidays 5 times a year.

[Millymollymandy]

Why has it closed? No I haven't read or seen any news in over a week!

Glad I'm going on hols in the car, I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Annpan]

Sorry MMM, just realised I hadn't said why...

A volcanic eruption in Iceland has caused huge dust clouds which are now being blown into UK airspace. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8621407.stm

I am waiting for a call from my brother to see if he made it back into the UK before the shut down - he was flying home from USA over the past few days, but with time differences and all he couldn't work out whether it was Wednesday or Thursday he was arriving..... stupid boy....

[Millymollymandy]

Oh! Blimey, hope there's not more traffic on the roads then. Says it's affected airports in northern France too.

[Big Al]

It's now affecting all of continental europe and the candanavian countries with all of uk airports closed until 7 am tomorrow as a minimum and dutch airports will be closed from 9 pm tonight until further notice. There was one other area, I think it was a scandanavian country is closed from 5 pm until further notice.

However, what neither of you good ladies have said either is anything about the effect that the volcanic debris will or could have on the population.

Yes I know it's paranoid android time but if the volcano keeps on erupting and spewing out this debris then it will only be a matter of tie before it decends and then it causes, or rather has the potential to cause illness problems for those with the likes of asthma and bronchitus etc. Also if it gets really bad then it can block out sunlight with the effects that can have.

For further reading have a look here.... http://www.nasca.org.uk/supervolcano/supervolcano.html


.. Of course I've got my paranoid android, the earth is doomed, we are all going to die hat on today

Big Al

[jampot]

i did have to pinch myself after reading the news today coz ive just wathced the film 2012 last night (super volcanoes destroy the world type thing) and thought i might be dreaming

[Nomada]

the last time it errupted it lasted 2 years.......

[The Riff-Raff Element]

the last time it errupted it lasted 2 years.......

Quite a thought. No planes for two years.

That would be an interesting experience.. No long-haul holidays unless one is willing to travel my boat or train, no green beans flown in from Kenya, the world suddenly becoming a larger place again.

Doesn't sound too bad to me, but I'm a Luddite.

[Millymollymandy]

Just as long as it doesn't block out the sun on my holiday.

I could feel sorry for the Icelanders but I'm too tired to worry about them.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

I could feel sorry for the Icelanders but I'm too tired to worry about them.

I think they're rather used to it. I've been there a few times over the years and was taken to see all kinds of hot geological stuff including a lava weep - a sort of slow motion volcano.

It was most educational.

I see the Eurostar have sold 10,000 more seats than is normal for the coming week.

[MKG]

It will almost certainly blow straight over the UK - hitting the Netherlands and Belgium, and then northern Germany etc etc. The problem isn't here on the ground - it's up there where the aeroplanes fly. Apparently, there has been a case of a four-engined aircraft totally losing power in a similar situation, so thank goodness that someone is being responsible rather than commercially-minded.

Having said that, a few days aircraft-free can't do us any harm. But, like the Channel Tunnel fiasco, I bet some people are still turning up at airports on the off-chance.

Mike

[Annpan]

Seems a few flights got out of Glasgow overnight and a few long hauls were able to land.

I'm not too worried about health implications - there are people who live under erupting volcanoes for most of there lives and they don't all have the sun blocked out and drop down dead from asphyxiation.... so nah, we'll probably be fine. On the other hand we could see a smattering of dust on our soils which might boost fertility??? wishful thinking?

Oh what a thing it would be to have 2 years of this To look up and see a blue sky with no white trail marks in it.

Though I am convinced that I could smell something in the air in Glasgow and I swear that there is a greyish haze on the horizon.... but I might also be paranoid

[MKG]

Your eyes may not be deceiving you, Ann. No sooner had I posted the "probably blow over" comment than the reports began coming in of some dust settling over parts of Scotland.

On that logic, then ... Everyone will be a thousand pounds poorer this time next year. Now let's see wht happens

Mike

[Annpan]

I'll do the white sheet of paper test for you then.... (ie put a white sheet of paper down in the garden and examine it for dust in an hour)

[MuddyWitch]

With a trainee vulcanologist in the house I'm assured that the dust/ash is very unlikely to cause significant illness in the UK, or indeed, most of Europe.

The fact that the volcano is erupting beneath 200m of ice means that the lava cools and explodes, causing these minute glass fragments to form, which would be so dangerous to aircraft. (It would be sucked into the engins, melt & then coat the internal bits of the engins with moulten glass!)

For those poor souls who live nearby there is a slight risk if they have 'underlying' respiritary problems. Their biggest concern, in reality, is the melt water mixing with the heavier particles and causing lahars. Hence the evacuations.

Hope this helps.

MW