Eyjafjallajökull 11 May

The volcanic eruption at Eyjafjallajökull, seen from farming region Fljótshlíð, some 20 km to the northwest of the volcano. The eruption continues unabated for its 28th day, the ash cloud reaches some 5 km up in the air. Previous known eruptions from this volcano were in the years 1612 and 1821-3, when it erupted on and off for over a year. This is an explosive eruption beneath a glacier. The ash is fluorine rich, of intermediate silica content and the particles are very fine. The fluorine is dangerous to livestock and the fine ash can also effect human health. The greatest height that the ash plume has reached is 33,000 ft (about 11 km) on the first eruption day. On average, it is probably under 10,000 feet (3 km). The plume has been detected over the British Isles and further east, in Norway and in Finland.