Eruption column

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An eruption column consists of hot volcanic ash emitted during an explosive volcanic eruption. The ash forms a column rising many kilometres into the air above the peak of the volcano. In the most explosive eruptions, the eruption column may rise over 40 km, penetrating the stratosphere. Stratospheric injection of aerosols by volcanoes is a major cause of short-term climate change.

A common occurrence in explosive eruptions is for column collapse to occur. In this case, the eruption column is too dense to be lifted high into the air by air convection, and instead falls down the flanks of the volcano to form a pyroclastic flow or surge.

For more information about Eruption column, read the full article at Wikipedia.
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News tagged with ash plume

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Scientists lower Alaska volcano threat level

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

Jul 01, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(AP) -- Alaskans can put away their dust masks and spare air filters, for now, because Mount Redoubt seems to have cooled off since its last major eruption nearly three months ago.

Ash falls on Anchorage as volcano keeps spewing

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

Mar 29, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(AP) -- Alaska's Mount Redoubt continued to erupt Saturday, sending plumes of ash tens of thousands of feet into the air that rained down on at least one Alaska town

2 small eruptions occur at Alaska volcano

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

Mar 25, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

(AP) -- Alaska's Mount Redoubt erupted at least twice Wednesday as officials from a pipeline company assessed conditions at a nearby oil storage facility to determine whether to remove its contents.

New tremors at Alaska volcano spewing ash into sky

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

Mar 24, 2009 | 4 / 5 (1) | 0

(AP) -- New tremors at Alaska's Mount Redoubt are prompting speculation that the volcano could be in a phase that will lead to more instability. The 10,200-foot volcano erupted six times Sunday and Monday, ...

Alaska volcano Mount Redoubt erupts 5 times

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

Mar 23, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

(AP) -- Alaska's Mount Redoubt volcano erupted five times overnight, sending an ash plume more than 9 miles into the air in the volcano's first emissions in nearly 20 years.