Scientists have solved a 200-year-old mystery by locating the volcano responsible for a massive eruption that caused global cooling and devastating famines in the 19th century. The 1831 eruption of the Zavaritskii volcano on the remote island of Simushir, disputed between Russia and Japan, spewed large amounts of sunlight-reflecting gases into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight and making the sun appear blue.
The study found that the volcanic ash in ice core records from the 1831 event matched those collected from the Zavaritskii volcano. By analyzing the chemistry of the ice at high temporal resolution, researchers pinpointed the precise timing of the eruption to spring-summer 1831 and confirmed its explosive nature.
The findings reveal that the island’s location is a poorly studied yet extremely productive volcanic region, highlighting the need to identify sources of similar mystery eruptions from the past. The Zavaritskii volcano’s impact was significant globally, with severe consequences for human populations, underscoring the difficulty in predicting future large-magnitude eruptions and the need for an international response.
The discovery has far-reaching implications for understanding climate patterns and developing strategies to mitigate the effects of volcanic eruptions on global climate.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/volcano-eruption-mystery-sun-blue-b2674857.html