A 200-year-old mystery surrounding global cooling in the Northern Hemisphere has been solved by scientists, who discovered that a massive 1831 eruption from Zavaritski volcano on Simushir Island triggered the phenomenon. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that ash from the eruption was found in polar ice cores and matched the age of the volcano.
The discovery sheds light on a period known for its unusual climate patterns, with temperatures cooling by nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 degrees Celsius) in the Northern Hemisphere. The team used satellite imaging to locate Simushir Island and confirmed that Zavaritski volcano was responsible for the global cooling event.
Simushir Island is part of the remote Kuril Islands chain and has been shrouded in secrecy due to its use as a secret nuclear submarine base by the Soviets from 1954 to 1994. The island’s unique landform, featuring four volcanic peaks, was formed when the volcano ash settled on the surrounding landscape.
The finding highlights the significant impact of volcanic eruptions on climate patterns and underscores the importance of studying historical events in understanding current global changes.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/cataclysmic-1831-eruption-traced-to-quadruple-volcano-on-abandoned-soviet-island-2000608193