Ash from the ongoing Gr\u00edmsv\u00f6tn eruption is predicted to arrive over the UK from Wednesday morning.\u00a0 At the moment it is hard to tell what it will be like.\u00a0 Certainly, it will not be like the scenes in Iceland where it has blanketed the ground like sandy grey snow.\u00a0 Perhaps it will just make the rain a bit dirty.\u00a0 During last year’s Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull eruption, people across the UK reported ash grains in the air or grey dust spoiling their newly-cleaned cars.<\/p>\n
It would be amazing if we could make a map of all the places in the UK where people see ash falling.\u00a0 The results would be extremely useful to help test the predictions of ash dispersion made by computer models.\u00a0 Also, ash layers from past eruptions are found in lakes and peat bogs across Europe and are used by archaeologists to correlate the ages of ancient settlements and remains.\u00a0 If we can measure how the ash falls in a current eruption, it will help us understand how layers from past eruptions have formed.<\/p>\n
The British Geological Survey<\/a> are coordinating a nationwide collection of ash during the current Gr\u00edmsv\u00f6tn eruption.\u00a0 If ash falls where you live, then they want a sample!<\/p>\n A simple procedure has been put together to help you to collect a useful sample.\u00a0 You can read more about it on the BGS Gr\u00edmsv\u00f6tn Ash Collection website<\/a>.\u00a0 It is very quick and easy.\u00a0 If you see ash falling, then get out your sellotape and see if you can get a sample.\u00a0 The following video demonstrates the method:<\/p>\n