dc.contributor |
Háskóli Íslands |
dc.contributor |
University of Iceland |
dc.contributor.author |
Galeczka, Iwona |
dc.contributor.author |
Sigurdsson, Gunnar |
dc.contributor.author |
Eiriksdottir, Eydis Salome |
dc.contributor.author |
Oelkers, Eric H. |
dc.contributor.author |
Gíslason, Sigurður Reynir |
dc.date.accessioned |
2020-08-24T11:13:20Z |
dc.date.available |
2020-08-24T11:13:20Z |
dc.date.issued |
2016-04 |
dc.identifier.citation |
Galeczka, I., Sigurdsson, G., Eiriksdottir, E. S., Oelkers, E. H., & Gislason, S. R. (2016). The chemical composition of rivers and snow affected by the 2014/2015 bárdarbunga eruption, iceland. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 316, 101-119. doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2016.02.017 |
dc.identifier.issn |
0377-0273 |
dc.identifier.uri |
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/2003 |
dc.description |
Post-print (lokagerð höfundar) |
dc.description.abstract |
The 2014/15 Bárðarbunga volcanic eruption was the largest in Iceland for more than 200 years. This eruption released into the atmosphere on average 60,000 tonnes/day of SO2, 30,000 tonnes/day of CO2, and 500 tonnes/day of HCl affecting the chemical composition of rain, snow, and surface water. The interaction of these volcanic gases with natural waters, decreases fluid pH and accelerates rock dissolution. This leads to the enhanced release of elements, including toxic metals such as aluminium, to these waters. River monitoring, including spot and continuous osmotic sampling, shows that although the water conductivity was relatively stable during the volcanic unrest, the dissolution of volcanic gases increased the SO4, F, and Cl concentrations of local surface waters by up to two orders of magnitude decreasing the carbon alkalinity. In addition the concentration of SiO2, Ca, Mg, Na and trace metals rose considerably due to the water–molten lava and hot solid lava interaction. The presence of pristine lava and acidic gases increased the average chemical denudation rate, calculated based on Na flux, within Jökulsá á Fjöllum catchment by a factor of two compared to the background flux.
Melted snow samples collected at the eruption site were characterised by a strong dependence of the pH on SO4, F and Cl and metal concentrations, indicating that volcanic gases and aerosols acidified the snow. Protons balanced about half of the negatively charged anions; the rest was balanced by water–soluble salts and aerosols containing a variety of metals including Al, Fe, Na, Ca, and Mg. The concentrations of F, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cu, and Pb in the snowmelt water surpassed drinking- and surface water standards. Snowmelt–river water mixing calculations indicate that low alkalinity surface waters, such as numerous salmon rivers in East Iceland, will be more affected by polluted snowmelt waters than high alkalinity spring and glacier fed rivers. |
dc.description.sponsorship |
The authors would like to thank associate editor Alessandro Aiuppa for handling this manuscript. Two anonymous reviewers are greatly thanked for their constructive comments which improved the manuscript. This study was funded by Ríkislögreglustjórinn Almannavarnadeild – The National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police, Jarðvísindastofnun Háskólans – Institute of Earth Sciences University of Iceland, Veðurstofa Íslands - IMO and Rannsóknamiðstöð Íslands - The Icelandic Centre for Research RANNÍS (Grant # 163531-051). The authors would like to thank all of those who helped in collecting the water and snow samples: Morgan Thomas Jones, Sverre Planke, Dougal Jerram, John Millett, Helgi Alfredsson, Þorsteinn Jónsson, Nicole Keller, Sveinbjörn Steinþórsson, Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir, Catherine Gallagher, Thor Thordarson, Ármann Höskuldsson, Jón Ottó Gunnarsson, Morten Riishuus, Ólafur Freyr Gíslason, Hermann Arngrímsson, Njáll Fannar Reynisson, Svava Björk Þorláksdóttir, Daði Þorbjörnsson, Lukasz Kowolik. Rósa Ólafsóttir is gratefully thanked for helping in maps preparation. We also thank all colleagues and co-workers from the Institute of Earth Sciences and IMO for the fruitful discussions during this time of the Bárðarbunga unrest. |
dc.format.extent |
101-119 |
dc.language.iso |
en |
dc.publisher |
Elsevier BV |
dc.relation.ispartofseries |
Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research;316 |
dc.rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
dc.subject |
Volcanic eruption |
dc.subject |
Bárðarbunga volcano |
dc.subject |
Holuhraun lava |
dc.subject |
Dissolved fluxes |
dc.subject |
Weathering rates |
dc.subject |
Snow pollution |
dc.subject |
Eldgos |
dc.subject |
Hraun |
dc.subject |
Gosefni |
dc.subject |
Veðrun |
dc.subject |
Bárðarbunga |
dc.subject |
Holuhraun |
dc.title |
The chemical composition of rivers and snow affected by the 2014/2015 Bárðarbunga eruption, Iceland |
dc.type |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article |
dcterms.license |
CC BY-NC-ND |
dc.description.version |
Peer reviewed |
dc.identifier.journal |
Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research |
dc.identifier.doi |
10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2016.02.017 |
dc.contributor.department |
Jarðvísindastofnun (HÍ) |
dc.contributor.department |
Institute of Earth Sciences (UI) |
dc.contributor.school |
Verkfræði- og náttúruvísindasvið (HÍ) |
dc.contributor.school |
School of Engineering and Natural Sciences (UI) |