Eyjafjallaj?kull volcanic activity....

[kevin wooldridge]

I have an idea that the volcanic eruption at Eyjafjallaj?kull must in someway affect archaeology in the UK. I can see that the dust/ash settlement could leave an identifier in soil/sediment deposits and I suppose there is an outside chance that it might affect economic conditions in such a way as to delay projects and its effect on weather patterns could make for a dismal spring and summer...

But what about sites that might be open at the moment? Does volcanic 'dust' affect samples, distort dating, have any geophysical consequences, is it corrosive to buildings/artefacts (friends in Norway tell me that the dust cloud comes with a strong smell of sulphur suggesting that it might result in 'acid rain'), is volcanic dust worth sampling in its own right....Wikipedia says that a previous eruption at Eyjafjallaj?kull glacier was particularly heavy in flourine causing poisoning of animals and presumably of soils...would that affect ongoing MEA sampling...Are there potential H&S issues...

I genuinely don't know but would like to find out if anyone out there has the background to be able to answer any of those questions or pose new ones...

[Dinosaur]

It's certainly saved me from having to be on holiday, getting in an extra day in the office! :p

[Jack]

Don't think there will be much ash deposited on us. Not sure, but don't think it'll effect many dating techniques or environmental samples. Not even sure if the cloud will cause acid rain. And lets hope construction sites don't make us wear breathing apparatus just in case!

[Dinosaur]

Being a member of the Strontium 90 generation (we'll be forever-more identifiable in the burial population), has anyone ever done any work on seeing whether spikes in 'exotics' from volcanic eruptions can be spotted as markers in eg. bone assemblages? Dunno how the biochemistry of flourine works, although one might think from the stuff put out by toothepaste manufacturers that flourine spikes should show up in dental enamel?

Jack - aren't you embarrased by the couple of square cm of naked flesh they've left you exposed when in PPE? Might as well have a pallid white face below the helmet line and around the goggles and earplugs as well

[Jack]

You know fine well that I am a PPE freedom fighter! As soon as they've got their back turned I strip off as much as is decent!

[Dinosaur]

Judging by the complaints there may be varying points of view as to what's decent....if you got tattooed PPE yellow all over it would solve many problems (?), you could just apply the reflective tape as and when needed? Plus it would give people something to take the p*** out of when they're bored on site, so double the value :face-approve:

[Jack]

Hmm,
tatooed PPE would not be advisable when attacked by a cloud of storm bugs (oo itchy), or angry wasps (ow stingy)

[GnomeKing]

hmmm....

possibility for archaeological preservation and recovery of traces (eg microsherds/tefra or 'exotic' elements) very dependent on sedimentary context, strength of pedogenesis + bioturbation, and diagenesis of materials in question over time - in short, yes in 'nicley accumulating' minerogenic/biogenic sediements, but not in active soils for any length of time - buried + well sealed soils may present different possibilities. Many other relevant factors (eg hydrological and meterological) may also apply. Taphonomy and event/sedimentation lag also a potential problem

In bone: - not really as bone mass turn over too high.
In teeth: possible - but would need strong local input with high residence time - but would also depend on identification of 'exotic' elements (not of conceivable local geological origin) - in some areas (eg those with strongly volcanic surface geologies) this would not be possible - - -.........

traces will detecable on surfaces after this event and with variable residence periods in different materials and situations - they may not be good for plant and animal life, dependent on initial concentrations, as modified by 'geological' concentration and food chain concentration. However for teh reasons given above 'exotic' materials will occur as a pulse before being either 'sealed' (eg in undisturbed sediment) or widely distributed/diluted (eg to 'normal levels). Because of this there will be minimal impact on archaeological material (which has already under gone similar 'dust showers' in the past), unless significant particulates (eg a visible layer of dust) actually settle over onging samples/sites etc - this is not likely to happen, and even then only elemental analysis is likely to be distorted....

[med]

:face-rain:Quick note: Having lived in an area of volcanic activity for a number of years, i can say that acid rain is an issue and that personal health issues that may arise are asthma, recurring headaches, throat and eye irritation, etc. Particularly in those areas of volcanic gas and damp or fog, the pyroclastic particles can travel farther, linger longer, threaten plants, effect uv and sunlight in terms of photosynthesis and other processes, it can be a serious matter should it last for long periods.

In terms of material culture and architecture this type of pollution can exacerbate degradation dependent upon material class. One of the issues is that objects have found an equilibrium in their environment and this sudden and acidic change will have some effect and will need to be considered in special analyses.

It is by no means an optimum situation to work or live in so I hope that the volcano dies back for the sake of many who live in the sweep of the plumes.

[kevin wooldridge]

One of the things I wondered about is isotope analysis from teeth and bones (which I notice is increasingly being touted by archaeologists as an indicator of the origins of various skeletal remains).... Is it possible that volcanic activity at different times in the past could affect this analysis i.e we might be getting 'false' readings based on the origins of isotopes released through volcanic activity rather than the geographic location of the person...and likewise for archaeological spatial hypotheses based on multi-element analysis (MEA) ......just a thought.