Comments on: La Palma Volcano in the Canary Islands is erupting

By: podrock

podrock — Sat, 06 Nov 2021 00:45:44 +0000

La Palma Volcano in the Canary Islands is STILL erupting

This thing just keeps going at a fairly constant rate. It has grown a respectable cinder cone with multiple vest of various activity. The tallest blasts out primarily tephra, the parasitic vents fountain, and rootless vents (lava tubes connected to the paravents) just continue to ooze lava streams towards the sea. Sadly over-running homes, businesses, and plantations. The pyroclastic tephra raining down is also causing problems outside the lava flows; burying roads and collapsing buildings.

By: RL

RL — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 01:50:30 +0000

https://youtu.be/Riauw5UTnW8

By: podrock

podrock — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 15:40:41 +0000

It was visible on the observatory camera too.

By: RL

RL — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 13:51:21 +0000

An emerging story with the unfolding situation on La Palma has been remarkable atmospheric aberrations, including ring-like ripples emanating outward from around its plume. A time-lapse video posted by Twitter user @Cielodecanarias, which translates to “Sky of the Canaries,” captured the disk-like formations accompanying the plume. A unique set of ingredients enabled this spectacle. When it comes to the atmosphere, air will continue rising as long as it is less dense than its surroundings. Density is usually tightly linked with temperature; warmer fluids, like air, are less dense when heated. The volcano produced a plume of air that ascended quickly because it was warmer, and therefore less dense, than its surroundings. Like a chimney, that plume climbed 20,000 feet into the atmosphere. Eventually, the air entrained into the gaseous plume cooled slightly, becoming acutely less buoyant. But it was still rising. Then, suddenly, it slammed into an atmospheric lid of sorts — a cap of hot, dry air, probably originating in the Sahara, several miles above the ground. That meant the plume couldn’t rise anymore and subsequently spread out and flattened. It’s analogous to why thunderstorms are marked by crisp anvil-like tops that resemble the floppy hats that chefs wear. The updraft of a thunderstorm is relatively continuous, but the eruption of La Palma occurred in spurts and bursts. That meant irregular jolts of upward motion. Each triggered a “gravity wave” that rippled outward from there when the plume collided with the cap.

By: podrock

podrock — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 21:03:21 +0000

I feel really bad for the residents there. Even if they are not getting covered in tephra or lava this has disrupted their lives and livelihoods. The roads have been cut off causing a long detour, water lines and power lines have been destroyed.

By: Raoul

Raoul — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 20:36:38 +0000

The inhabitants can’t fish as water is covered with dust, the air is at times unbreathable (depends where they are). They can’t leave the island either as airplanes can’t move. All they can do is wipe their roofs and ground every day. If they were living from tourism, tourists are waiting for a call from their company (my friend was told his flight was cancelled).

By: podrock

podrock — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 00:41:46 +0000

Observatory is closed due to ash fall from the volcano, which is up to five vents now.

By: podrock

podrock — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 00:14:49 +0000

Interesting ER, never heard of that before.

By: ER

ER — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 23:46:58 +0000

My great-grandparents on my mother’s side of the family were Isleños , or “islanders”, from the Canary Islands. They emigrated to Cuba during the 18/19th century. I have even been told I speak Spanish with an Isleño accent, as do many other Cubans. It is my understanding the Spanish Crown encouraged emigration to Cuba from Las Islas Canarias because of economic troubles on the islands, and because of a shortage of white people in Cuba. (They were afraid of slave revolts, like in Haiti.)

I also understand that there is also a small remnant Creole Isleño colony in Louisiana. In the New World, we are all immigrants.

By: podrock

podrock — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 17:52:36 +0000

The destruction of the towns and home there has been heart breaking mixed with fascination of the earth doing what it does. Looks like a beautiful place to visit.