VOLCANIC DUST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 134, 8 June 1932, Page 6

VOLCANIC DUST.

Bust from -volcanoes shows its presence at immense distances from its point of origin (says a correspondent in "The Times," apropos recent outbursts in the Andes). The sunsets due to the eruption of Krakatoa were seen all over the globe, and the dust from Katmai in 1012 caused a marked paleness of the blue of the sky over a large part, ifl not the whole, of the Northern Hemisphere, but the magnificent sunsets of 1883 were not repeated. Possibly differences in the size of the dust particles and in. the heights to which they are projected cause differences in the optical effects. It will be interesting to trace the optical effects due to the present eruptions; they are pretty sure to be widespread, but probably the dust has not been projected as high as was the case at Krakatoa, for the accounts at present received do not seem to show that the explosions in the Andes have been of anything like the violence of those at Krakatoa in 1883, when the sounds were heard over 2000, and in one case nearly 3000, miles away. Those interested in the currents of the upper atmosphere will watch with some keenness to see how far the optical effects will spread. It is quite possible that they will be seen in this country.