ISS crew snaps erupting volcano NASA has published an impressive snap of the recent eruption of the Sarychev Peak volcano, captured by the crew of the International Space Station: The Sarychev Peak eruption. Pic: NASA The volcano, which lies in the Kuril Island chain northeast of Japan, blew its top on 12 June, an event captured during a "fortuitous orbit …
Well...that's my wallpaper sorted out for the forseable future.
My guess is that the white couldy bit is caused by hot humid air rising from the bottom to the top top, then condensing and falling back into the ash cloud where it is heated again.
But y'know, it's probably deadly gas or something!
"NASA explains that the picture is of particular interest to vulcanologists because it show "several phenomena that occur during the earliest stages of an explosive volcanic eruption"
Like handily labelling the 'pyroclastic flow' and 'Ostrov Matua'
Seriously though, fabulous shot - I never would've guessed that the top of the plume would look like that - I'd assumes ash all over!
We need several decent -sized volcanoes to go off in unpopulated parts of the world, ideally nearer to the poles than the equator, they chuck dust up into the upper atmosphere and cool the atmosphere. Krakatoa did that pretty well, but it was a bit lairy and a bit too close to where people lived.
Could give us some pretty sunsets on our summer hols this year too.
Great pics though, especially the cloud condensing on top of the plume.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
