To the editor:

Volcanoes are planetary high blood pressure. Building silently ’till … Boom!

In the last 768 years, there have been 14 eruptions around the globe that had a VEI (Volcano Explosive Index) of 6 or higher: about one every 52 years. Many factors determine the global negative impact of large volcanoes. The amount of sulfur (which cools the air and the ground, the opposite of CO2), ash composition, if ejecta is pushed into the stratosphere, latitude of the eruption, blast angle (Mt. St. Helens), if underwater, etc., are all factors. But VEI is a good rule of thumb.

At VEI 6 or higher, the temperature on the surface of the Earth can drop significantly. VEI 7 volcanoes caused a disastrous multi-year darkening of the skies and thus reduced crop yields globally. The Roman Empire, weakened by a 536 eruption (possibly in Iceland), eventually fell to Islam a century later.

Tambora (1815) and a “mystery” eruption (1808 / 1809) in Java (Today’s Indonesia) directly caused the Irish and other Potato Famines decades later (The potato came to Ireland from Peru around 1595). Tambora was also the driving force for the “Westward Ho!” migration of desperate American farmers (Atlantic Seaboard States) into the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase … and the resulting conflict with Native Americans there.

VEI 7 historically caused regional starvation across the Earth. Are we due for an eruption with a VEI of 7?

Perhaps this possibility should be explored.

Just a thought.

Ira Weinberg

Saranac Lake