Volcanologist, US Geological Survey
Volcanologist with the US Geological Survey, based at the Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Washington
PROFILE
John Ewert
Guest
FROM John Ewert
Which Way, L.A.?
Are We Prepared for Volcanic Disruption? Air travel in Europe is almost back to normal, although shifting winds have sent plumes of volcanic ash over Scotland and Scandinavia, forcing some airports to close again. Even as Iceland's volcano calms down, damages from this week's eruption continue to mount and so do complaints about the way it's been handled. We hear about volcanoes -- past, present and future -- and learn how to prepare for volcanic disruptions.
To the Point
Are We Prepared for Volcanic Disruption? Airports in Europe are back in business, although shifting winds have sent plumes of volcanic ash over Scotland and Scandinavia, forcing some airports to close again. Even as Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano calms down, the total damages from this week's eruption continue to mount, as do complaints about the way it's been handled. The airline industry says regulators failed to coordinate and over-reacted. Others suggest that scientists who monitor volcanoes should have predicted the eruption and its likely impact on air travel. Why did they rely on computer models rather than real planes to test the ash cloud? How much do they really know? What about the 57 active volcanoes here in the US and hundreds of others worldwide? Is civilization prepared to deal with a global calamity?
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