The Volcano That Shrouded the Earth and Gave Birth to a Monster

Nautilus ^ | December 31,2015 | GIllen D'Arcy Wood

[C19fan]

Two hundred years ago, the greatest eruption in Earth’s recorded history took place. Mount Tambora—located on Sumbawa Island in the East Indies—blew itself up with apocalyptic force in April 1815.


After perhaps 1,000 years’ dormancy, the devastating evacuation and collapse required only a few days. It was the concentrated energy of this event that was to have the greatest human impact. By shooting its contents into the stratosphere with biblical force, Tambora ensured its volcanic gases reached sufficient height to disable the seasonal rhythms of the global climate system, throwing human communities worldwide into chaos. The sun-dimming stratospheric aerosols produced by Tambora’s eruption in 1815 spawned the most devastating, sustained period of extreme weather seen on our planet in perhaps thousands of years.

[JoeProBono]

[arthurus]

The cLimate freaks are trying mightily to recreate those conditions permanently for the world.

[oldplayer]

Again, it was an interesting read, other than the gratuitous sex.

Also, it lost some credibility in that it wholly failed to mention that war, including the War of 1812 had been raging to and fro across Europe for the same decade. That had more than a little to do with the hunger, loss of crops, starvation and other disruptions in the daily life of Europeans, peasants and burghers alike.

[TXnMA]

That was a genuine climate changer -- and, probably a major contributor to the atmosphere's current 400 ppm of CO₂.

~~~~~~~~~~~

And, now, the "Gorebull Wahrumists" are in a panic over a few ppm of CO₂ and a fraction of a degree of (dubiously-measured) temperature change...

[Mmogamer]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccan_Traps

[PIF]

Whaaa? I never said any of that. Wrong thread of wrong party, seems like.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Krakatoa was just as bad.

[Larry Lucido]

They taught us this in grade school.

It happened when I was in grade school.

We blamed it on sport utility buggies.

[Larry Lucido]

Just about when we “solve” global warming, this will happen again and we’ll be crying for global warming.

[zot]

Thanks for the ping to this excellent article.

[Larry Lucido]

You would think all that accumulated snow would snuff out the volcano. :-)

[elcid1970]

We must investigate the Pennsylvania Dutch for equine methane emissions affecting rising global temperatures!

;^)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks C19fan.

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[gleeaikin]

Even in human history, there appears to have been something that happened a little over 4,000 years ago that was equally devastating. The Egyptians had the First Intermediate Period, as recorded by Ipuwer, and many great powers of the Mediterranean and Middle East disappeared and were replaced by new powers. SC has reported on the large crater about 4,000 years old found in the drained Iraq marsh country. But there are signs there were other potential hits around that time period too.

Here is a link for many images of Toba and a few other volcanoes thrown in as well. The Toba caldera is about 18 by 65 miles, with a large newer (than 74kya) elongated island in it. It is considered a highly beautiful tourist destination. One of the graphs at this link says that Toba produced 2800 kilometers cubed of ash, Yellowstone (Huckleberry Ridge Tuff, I think that was the first and largest one over 2 mya) 2500 Km3, Tambora 80 Km3, and Krakatoa 18 Km3. So Tambora was a monster compared to Krakatoa.

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+toba+crater&num=50&newwindow=1&safe=off&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjur7_hyIzKAhWJOD4KHZCEAtAQsAQIHA#imgrc=6exVq3m28RY15M%3A

Regarding effects in Europe, Europe had already suffered a significant hunger event after the 1783 Laki Fissure event in Iceland which may have established the conditions of extreme poverty that led to the French Revolution. There was also an interesting period after the death of Charlemagne. Over a hundred year period there were around 30 starvation events some lasting 2 and 3 years throughout Europe. One was caused by Ergot of rye (north), and by wheat stem rust (south) caused by introduction of barberry plants by the Arabs in Spain. This also attacks oats and barley and is staging a comeback after 70 years of USDA eradication efforts. This may be more predictably dangerous than volcanoes and meteors.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=9749
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_rust

The Wiki article points out that wheat rust caused by unusually rainy weather may have facilitated the death of the Roman Empire. The 536 event described by Cassiodorus is probably what is referred to here. There is also mention of wheat failure in many areas in 1816, the year following the 1815 Tambora eruption.

[blam]

"The following year, 1816, was known as “eighteen hundred and froze to death” and “the year of two winters” when there was snow in June in North America, and killing frosts in July and August."

Posted here 12 years ago:

Eighteen Hundred And Froze To Death (The Infamous 'Year Without Summer')

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

Tambora might be the most powerful and destructive volcanic event of the past 2 millennia.

Thought Thera was bigger?

[gleeaikin]

Thera was closer to 3 1/2 millennia ago. Suspect more like Krakatoa in size. Also the 535 event(s) may have been greater. For 535 ad his link suggests Ilopongo in Central America among other interesting ideas including Krakatoa.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_weather_events_of_535%E2%80%93536

[blam]

"Thera was closer to 3 1/2 millennia ago. Suspect more like Krakatoa in size. "

Santorini Eruption Much larger Than Originally Believed

[rmlew]

Weesa gonna die?

But seriously, I don’t like thinking about things like Yellowstone erupting or even the less damaging prospect of an Atlantic megatsunami caused by the eventual collapse of Cumbre Vieja. I figue I’d die of asthma from Yellowstone. I live in Manhattan meaning I’m SOL on Cumbre Vieja.