COOL SUMMERS

Waipa Post, Volume 38, Issue 2270, 19 February 1929, Page 3

COOL SUMMERS

EFFECT OF VOLCANOES. The relationship, if any, between volcanic outbursts and the weather is a subject of perennal discussion and theorising, but neither scientists nor laymen are at all agreed that there is anything in the theory that volcanoes affect the weather. On this subject Science Service's Daily Science News Bulletin says that weather men are watching with heightened interest the series of volcanic eruptions which have been taking place this summer, culminating with the explosion of Rokatinda, which is reported to have killed a thousand natives on the island of Paloweh. It is suggested that if the recent eruption was severe enough, or if it is followed by an even greater outburst, there is a chance that the following summer may be abnormally cool. Professor W. J. Humphreys, of the United States Weather Bureau, has made a study of the weather reports following periods of intense volcanic action for the past three centuries, and finds that each great explosive eruption has been followed by one or more cool, cloudy summers. The famous 'y ear without a summer,' 1816, followed upon the heels of a terrific eruption of Tomboro volcano, in the East Indies, during 1815. This correlation between volcanic eruption and weather is believed to be due to the loading of the upper atmosphere with clouds of extremely fine dust, which stays aloft for months, and is carried all over the world. Volcanic eruptions of the explosive type show a tendency towards grouping. Two or more will occur close together within a couple of years, and then there will be a period of relative quiet until the next group outburst. Thus one of the earliest group entries on Professor Humphrey's list shows the eruption of 1766 of Hecla in Iceland and May on in the Philippines; the latter volcano is in eruption again at present. Between 1783 and 1785 occurred the eruptions of Asama in Japan Skapta Jokull in Iceland, and Vesuvius in Italy. In 1799 there was an isolated volcanic explosion on Tierra del Fuego off the tip of South America, which may have been responsible for a cool summer following.

From 1808 until 1815 there was a long succession of great outbursts; St. George in the Azores, Etna in Sicily, Soufriere on the Island of St. Vincent, Mayon in the Philippines, culminating in the terrific eruption of Tomboro, which destroyed 56,000 lives. The year without a summer followed' in 1816, but during this period there were several years of abnormally low temperature. Fifteen years later, in 1831, a new series began, with explosions in the Babuyan Islands, Mount Coseguina, in Nicaragua, and Awatska in Kamtchatka. There followed a long period of relative freedom from great explosions, ending in 1872 with an eruption of Vesuvius, followed by Morapi in Java and Vatna Jokull in Iceland. This series ended in 1875. In 1883 came the most terrific eruption in the memory of living man, when the great Eeatern volcano Krakatoa shattered the whole island on which it stood, and wiped out 36,000 Malay lives. This eruption was followed berore 1886 by outbursts of St. Augustine in Alaska and Tarawera in New Zealand. The low temperature period following this group was second only to that of 1816. The next period was between 1890 and 1392, with explosions of Bugoslav in Alaska, Awoe in the East Indies, and Bandaisan in Japan. Ten years later came the disastrous eruption of Pele on the Island of Martinique, and the outburst of Santa Maria volcano in Gautemala and Cdlima in Mexico. The most recent group of eruptions started in 1912, when Katmai in Alaska blew off its top, followed in 1913 by another eruption of Colima, and in 1915 by Sakurashima, in Jap-

The present year has been marked by four volcanic outbreaks. Omatepe on an island in Lake Nicaragua, erupted in January. There have been reports of explosions at Krakatoa, quiescent since its great eruption in 1883. Mayon, in the Philippines, has been driving the inhabitants of its neighbourhood away from their homes and finally has come the destructive explosion of Rokatinda. None of these has been comparable with the great explosions, such as those of Krakatoa and Asama, or even with the eruption of Katmai, but there is no telling whether they may not be merely the preliminary bouts of a really huge outburst, which may again bring us a year without a summer .