Question

In 1991, Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted. The accompanying photo shows the ash and debris that the volcano propelled high into the atmosphere. What meteorological impact could these aerosols have on the global weather and climate?

Answer 1

Decrease in Global Temperature.

Increase in clouds and fog.

Step-by-step explanation:

In 1991, when Mount Pinatubo erupted, it erupted so high that it released the fumes and aerosol into the stratosphere. The Stratosphere layer extends up to 10-50 km. These aerosol contained sulfur dioxide.

These aerosol affected the Global Temperature. There was a decrease in temperature about 1 degree F. And increase in the formation of clouds and fog. These happened because the influx of aerosol remained in the stratosphere for years. And these aerosol can only be filtered by the atmospheric circulation.

So, the correct answer to the question is that these aerosol could decrease the Global temperature and increase in cloud and fog because of ash and smoke.

Answer 2

The release of pyroclastic materials, smokes, blocks, and ashes affected the atmosphere by increasing the number of clouds and fog formation and also the earth had undergone a cooling period for a couple of year.

Explanation:

The volcano of Mt. Pinatubo was erupted in the year 1991, releasing a large number of volcanic materials, such as ashes, pyroclastic materials, and smokes, where the plume of this volcano had risen so high that it penetrated into the layer of the stratosphere.

The ashes and smoke released in this eruption got mixed up with the air in the atmosphere, causing significant air pollution. It also led to the occurrence of extensive clouds and an increasing amount of fog.

These aerosol particles were eventually distributed on earth as the stratospheric wind forced it to spread in all directions. This had a global cooling effect as the presence of aerosol particles in the atmosphere can help in reducing the amount of incoming solar radiation. Thus, the earth's global temperature relatively decreased and experienced a cooling period of almost two years.