What is it about?
The presence of volcanic ash after an eruption can change the atmospheric composition on a regional level through reactions occurring on the surfaces of particles in the aftermath of volcanic eruptions.
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Why is it important?
It seems that volcanic ash particles can accelerate oxidation processes of atmospheric gases by using oxygen molecules from the air and change thus atmospheric composition. For instance SO2 (sulfur dioxide), a gas often emitted in the course of a volcanic eruption, may be oxidized to sulfuric acid (H2SO4) in the presence of water vapor and thereby contribute to the acidification of the atmosphere. Sulfuric acid occurs in the form of small (submicronic) atmospheric particles and may themselves accelerate certain reactions in the atmosphere. In addition, sulfuric acid may significantly contribute to the climate effect by cooling the atmosphere on a local or regional scale.
Perspectives
This publication is hopefully the first in a series dealing with chemical consequences of surface reactions of atmospheric trace gases or free radical intermediates on the surface of particles emitted in the course of a volcanic eruption. The fact that these volcanic ash particles have been previously exposed to massive amounts of SO2 during an eruption is irrelevant because they pursue their accelerating (catalytic) action if exposed to additional SO2 (sulfur dioxide) particles during their atmospheric lifetimes.
Dr Michel J. Rossi
PSI Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Reactive Uptake of Sulfur Dioxide and Ozone on Volcanic Glass and Ash at Ambient Temperature, Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, September 2017, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1002/2017jd026993.
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