Final answer:
Volcanic activity can cause rapid cooling of the Earth's climate due to increasing albedo (option E) , as volcanic particles reflect sunlight away from the Earth's surface, exemplified by the haze-effect cooling following the 1783 Icelandic eruptions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Volcanic activity can lead to rapid cooling of Earth's climate because of increasing albedo. Albedo refers to the reflectivity of Earth's surface. When a volcano erupts, it emits particles such as dust, ash, and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere which can increase the Earth's albedo by reflecting more sunlight back into space, therefore reducing the amount of solar energy absorbed by the planet.
This phenomenon, known as haze-effect cooling, can lead to a decrease in global temperatures. An example of this took place in 1783 when volcanic eruptions in Iceland increased the albedo and led to some of the lowest winter temperatures on record in Europe and North America due to haze-effect cooling, which blocked out sunlight and triggered lower global temperatures.