Imagine a year when summer never comes and the whole world remains covered by a snow blanket and the sun seems to vanish! No, that is not any frictional event, it actually happened in 1816. The year 1816 is remembered as “The Year without a Summer.” The reason? Well, the reason lies thousands of miles away in Indonesia, where Mount Tambora erupted and its volcanic eruption disrupted the global weather patterns reminding humanity of the sheer power of nature’s fury.
Mouth Tambora’s volcanic eruption created history
One catastrophic event in global climate history was recorded in Indonesia in 1815 when a volcanic eruption occurred on Mount Tambora. The volcanic eruption was so immense that the ash and gases were spread into the atmosphere. Instantly, around 10 thousand people died because of flows, ashes and starvation.
On April 5, 1815, the Indonesian people heard the rumble of Mount Tambora and found some activities there. Well, over four months, they were exposed to the largest volcanic eruptions and the people who were close to the volcano lost their lives during the explosion. Around 35,00 homes get destroyed.
Mount Tambora is 13,000 feet high. When it exploded drastically it rejected 36 cubic miles of ashes and gases in the atmosphere. The ashes and gases covered the sky and the sky turned black. The incandescent ash rivers swept down the mountain. The grasslands and forests burned. As the grounds felt a huge shock, tsunamis raced across the Java Sea. The particles of ash and aerosols block the sunlight causing a drop in temperature by 3°C. Henceforth, it is known as “Year Without Summer” and “Eighteen Hundred and Froze to Death.”
Global impact of the volcanic eruption
Not only domestically, the volcanic eruption also impacted the international level. North America and Europe also felt the shook causing crop failure. Frost and lack of sunlight destroyed the crops and the countries faced food shortages and the inflammation was high.
In Ireland, the torrential rains caused agriculture failure alike the US and Europe and compounded the food crisis. Even the event indirectly triggered a health crisis in India. The disease cholera rapidly spread due to poor sanitation and water crisis causing economic strain and hunger issues. Henceforth, this year is also called “Poverty Year.”
The historical and social changes occurred after the explosion
The volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora brings several societal and historical changes. First of all, it disrupts the normal weather events that cause many changes. The ashes blocked the sunlight and the cold temperature disrupted the crops in the US, Ireland and Europe. Due to the food shortage, the grains and oats prices in Europe increased up to 200% disrupting the spending power and living habits of the customers and the farmers. In Ireland, the mortality rate increased by 25% in certain rural areas due to the food crisis.
A migration crisis also appeared in rural areas of Indonesia and other countries due to the volcanic eruption. The people were soughting better living conditions and they were moving to other regions within their countries and even shifting in abroad. By the year 1820, many people migrated to different places like Canada, Ohio, Michigan and others where stable weather conditions were found.
The current state of Mount Tambora
Mount Tambora is located on the northern coast of Sumbawa Island in Indonesia. It remains an active stratovolcano. Before the eruption, the volcano was 4,300 metres high and when the eruption stopped the caldera spanning around 6 km across remained. Now it is 2,851 metres high.
However, after 1815, the volcano again erupted in 1880 and 1967. Some seismic activities have been recorded in 2011, 2012 and 2013. However, currently, the Indonesian government closely monitors every activity of the volcano and the large caldera formed around the volcano attracts tourists for hiking and landscape viewing.
Other active volcanos
Alike Mount Tambora, there are also some active volcanos all around the world, that have a chance of erupting in future and might create a condition like 1815. Currently, around 1350 active volcanos have been found globally that have the chance of eruption in future.
Mount Etna in Europe:
Mount Etna is located on Sicily Island in Europe and is considered an active volcano. Around 19237 hectares of areas around the volcano are uninhabited. It has a history of eruption before 500,000 years. Around 2,700 years of volcanic activities have been documented.
Kilauea in the Pacific Islands:
Kilauea is located on the southern parts of Hawaii island in the Hawaii state of the US. One of the most active volcanos is Kilauea because it has been erupting continuously for decades. The lava flows of this volcano have created new lands.
Erebus in Antarctica:
Erebus is located in the western half of Ross Island on the coast of Antarctica in the Ross Sea. The summit of the volcano is 12,448 feet above sea level and it is the second tallest volcano in Antarctica after Mount Sidley. It consists of a lava lake in its summit and the continuous activities of this volcano make it a notable active volcano.
There is also Merapi in Asia, Reventador in South America, Mount Rainier in North America, Mount Popocatépetl in Mexico and Nyamuragira in Africa which also comes under the list of active volcanos. However, different volcanic activities in these volcanos, require consistent monitoring and preparedness.
The volcanic monitoring techniques of modern-day
The volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora became able to impact the weather patterns globally because the government might not be able to take considerable steps faster. During 1815, volcanic monitoring techniques were not that developed through which efficient prediction and mitigation might have been adopted by the scientists.
However, since the volcanic eruption, the volcanic monitoring techniques have transformed. Satellite imaging is considered one of the advanced techniques that allow scientists to monitor volcanic activities from space. Through satellite imaging, scientists can track different changes like a volcano’s shape, gas emission, temperature, any unusual activities and so on so that the right prediction can be made to adopt measure steps.
Thermal infrared imaging is another technique famous for tracking volcanic activities. It is highly beneficial in tracking the real-time temperature in and around volcanos. Even it is also helpful to detect the increased activities of a volcano before eruptions.
Seismic sensors are an advanced volcano monitoring technique used by modern scientists. Through seismic monitoring, scientists can monitor continuous data of volcanic activities and also the high-sample-rate data on the internal state of the volcano. The seismic sensors are typically deployed around volcanos to detect the ground vibrations that happen due to magma movements beneath the surface.
FAQ
What caused the “Year Without a Summer” in 1816?
The reason? Well, the reason lies thousands of miles away in Indonesia, where Mount Tambora erupted and its volcanic eruption disrupted the global weather patterns reminding humanity of the sheer power of nature’s fury.
How did the eruption of Mount Tambora impact global weather patterns?
The particles of ash and aerosols block the sunlight causing a drop in temperature by 3°C. Henceforth, it is known as “Year Without Summer” and “Eighteen Hundred and Froze to Death.”
How many people died due to the eruption of Mount Tambora?
Instantly, around 10 thousand people died because of flows, ashes and starvation.
What were the major global consequences of Mount Tambora’s eruption?
North America and Europe also felt the shook causing crop failure. Frost and lack of sunlight destroyed the crops and the countries faced food shortages and the inflammation was high. In Ireland, the torrential rains caused agriculture failure alike the US and Europe and compounded the food crisis. Even the event indirectly triggered a health crisis in India. The disease cholera rapidly spread due to poor sanitation and water crisis causing economic strain and hunger issues.
Why is Mount Tambora still an active volcano today?
Mount Tambora is located on the northern coast of Sumbawa Island in Indonesia. It remains an active stratovolcano. Before the eruption, the volcano was 4,300 metres high and when the eruption stopped the caldera spanning around 6 km across remained. Now it is 2,851 metres high. However, after 1815, the volcano again erupted in 1880 and 1967. Some seismic activities have been recorded in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
What other active volcanoes around the world could potentially cause a global impact similar to Mount Tambora’s eruption?
Currently, around 1350 active volcanos have been found globally that have the chance of eruption in future. Mount Etna in Europe, Kilauea in the Pacific Islands, Erebus in Antarctica, Merapi in Asia, Reventador in South America, Mount Rainier in North America, Mount Popocatépetl in Mexico and Nyamuragira in Africa.
How did the eruption of Mount Tambora influence migration patterns in the 19th century?
A migration crisis also appeared in rural areas of Indonesia and other countries due to the volcanic eruption. The people were soughting better living conditions and they were moving to other regions within their countries and even shifting in abroad. By the year 1820, many people migrated to different places like Canada, Ohio, Michigan and others where stable weather conditions were found.
What is the current height of Mount Tambora?
Mount Tambora is located on the northern coast of Sumbawa Island in Indonesia. It remains an active stratovolcano. Before the eruption, the volcano was 4,300 metres high and when the eruption stopped the caldera spanning around 6 km across remained. Now it is 2,851 metres high.
How did Mount Tambora’s eruption affect the economy in Europe?
Due to the food shortage, the grains and oats prices in Europe increased up to 200% disrupting the spending power and living habits of the customers and the farmers. In Ireland, the mortality rate increased by 25% in certain rural areas due to the food crisis.
