Can volcanoes save the earth

Amid the general warming of the climate of our planet, scientists are increasingly asking the question what role volcanoes can play in this process. Indeed, the eruptions of large volcanoes, known for reconstructing the climatic events of the past, had disastrous consequences for our planet associated with periods of cooling.

In the photo: the remains of the volcano Krakatau, Indonesia

Recently, a lot of interesting data was obtained on the basis of the study of cores obtained in Antarctica and Greenland. The polar regions of the Earth store a lot of valuable information under many kilometers of ice. For example, based on the data obtained, scientists concluded that volcanoes were a driving force in climate change in parts of the planet and influenced the climate of the globe as a whole. Most of the coldest periods surprisingly coincide in time with the largest eruptions. According to climatologists, the cooling was caused by an increased content of sulfates in the atmosphere. If there is too much sulfate in the atmosphere, they prevent the penetration of sunlight, playing the role of a screen, thereby causing a noticeable decrease in temperature.

In the photo: Plosky Tolbachik volcano, Russia

Significant cold snap was recorded in 526, 626 and 939 years of our era, which researchers also associate with volcanic eruptions. As a result of these cataclysms, not only air temperatures decreased, but also the general transparency of the atmosphere, which negatively affected the growth of plants. Ultimately, the crop failures brought a lot of grief to the inhabitants of the planet.

But, it would seem, against the backdrop of global warming, such consequences of the eruption of the largest volcanoes could be of some benefit: to reduce the influx of solar radiation for a while and slow down the melting of ice. But here everything is not so clear. It is quite difficult to find that middle ground at which the temperature will be lowered and the negative impact on the flora and fauna of the planet will not begin. Therefore, it’s premature to say that any awakened volcano can save humanity from the effects of global warming. Rather, on the contrary, each of the more than 500 active volcanoes of our planet is fraught with a potential threat to all its inhabitants.