Ashplume Of The Eruption Of The Eyjafjallajökull Volcano In Iceland Stock Image

An eruption column or eruption plume is a cloud of super-heated ash and tephra suspended in gases emitted during an explosive volcanic eruption. The volcanic materials form a vertical column or plume that may rise many kilometers into the air above the vent of the volcano. In the most explosive eruptions, the eruption column may rise over 40 km 25 mi, penetrating the stratosphere. Stratospheric injection of aerosols by volcanoes is a major cause of short-term climate change.