This is Damavand Volcano, Iran. Its history is one of short bursts of eruptive activity followed by long periods of quiescence and while there are active fumaroles near Damavand’s summit, the volcano has been dormant for the past 1000 years. The cloud that encircles its peak is known as a cap cloud, so-called because these peculiar clouds form around high peaks, adding a flat white cap to mountain ...[Read More]
Geosciences Column: Tracing Toba
Sara Mynott
June 12, 2013
Large volcanic eruptions have a significant impact on the Earth’s climate as aerosols (including sulphur dioxide and water vapour), together with ash are released into the atmosphere and increase the amount of sunlight reflected back into space (the albedo). This increase in reflectance (or decrease in energy absorption) can cause widespread climatic cooling, known as a ‘volcanic winter’. However, ...[Read More]
GeoCinema Online: Hazards
Sara Mynott
June 7, 2013
In this week’s GeoCinema Online, we’re taking you to regions of the world that have experienced large eruptions in both the recent and distant past. These films take you through what it’s like to live in an active volcanic area or fault zone, from dealing with disasters, to how scientists are working towards better methods of earthquake and eruption forecasting: Mayon: The Volcano Princess I ...[Read More]
Imaggeo on Mondays: An Icy Illusion
Sara Mynott
June 3, 2013
This week’s Imaggeo on Mondays is brought to you by Robert Wills, a Caltech Ph.D. student studying how mountain ranges help set the global pattern of rainfall and how these rainfall patterns affect the erosional evolution of mountain ranges. Robert is also an avid photographer who particularly enjoys nature photography in the American Southwest. This is one of his finest snapshots from the area… W ...[Read More]