What would happen if one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recent history would produce today? A new study suggests that a similar eruption which devastated Iceland in 1780 would release toxic gases that kill tens of thousands of people in Europe.In a modern world, dependent on air travel and international trade, economic activity in most of Europe, including production and import of food, could collapse, according to wired.com.From June 1783 to February 1784, the Laki volcano erupted in southern Iceland. Although the explosion did not produce large amounts of volcanic ash into the air were thrown 122 billion pounds of sulfur dioxide, a volume slightly larger than industrial activity produced in a year, said Anja Schmidt, a researcher at the University Leeds in the UK.After two years of the Laki eruption, about 10,000 Icelanders died, about one fifth of the population, and nearly three-quarters of wild animals in Iceland.Residents of the Netherlands, Sweden and Italy have reported episodes in which the weakened, had breathing difficulties, moreover, increased mortality associated with the eruption in Iceland. Another study, about 23,000 British died following exposure to aerosols released from the eruption.To estimate how could affect the present, the population of Europe a similar eruption in Iceland, Anja Schmidt and her colleagues did a computer simulation. Researchers have attempted to establish the route of sulfur dioxide emissions and how many people will die from toxic gas.Three months after the hypothetical eruption, aerosol concentrations over Europe will increase by 120%. Moreover, the number of days after the eruption the aerosol concentration is very high will reach 74 to 38 days, to a lesser eruption. Not surprisingly, the air will be clogged by particles hazardous areas such as Iceland and northern Europe.One year from hypothetical eruption due to air pollution will increase dramatically the number of people will develop heart and lung diseases, diseases that kill nearly 142,000 people.In the last 1,150 years in Iceland, Laki volcano the size of four volcanoes erupted, said Schmidt and her colleagues. So researchers new data are cause for concern.A volcano in Iceland closed air traffic in Europe more than a week in April 2010 and for several days, in May 2010. But that is a minor eruption volcano Laki in addition to power, which could cripple airports for more than six months, said Alan Robock, a researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey.Such an eruption would have a huge impact on crops and for water and air traffic will be seriously affected, the Europeans will not be able to import food. Also, people's daily lives will be seriously affected. "If Europe will be above the clouds with carbon dioxide, people with respiratory problems will have to stay closed in the house," said Alan Robock.
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