SLN Geography Forum

Impressive - pretty much everything you would want to know about volcanoes with oodles of great links.

Usual problem though - not enough hours in the day......

Just managed to get on to the new website for the first time. You can view the OS maps but then it gives an 'overloaded' message if you try and do anything else...

http://opendata.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/

This pdf 'Help File' gives some good information on what is available:
http://opendata.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/docs/help.pdf

In reality, you will now be able to order for free, all the digital map data on DVDs to use in school.
Will be interesting to see if this gives a real boost to GIS in schools.  

Not sure how Memory Map, Anquet, et al feel about free digital maps!! It is no wonder, Anquet spent all of February trying to sell their digital maps at half price.

I've dug around the Google cache and found bits of the thread.....the first 14 posts which includes Ian's accounts and replies 45-46. I have done a rough copy below for reference (sorry if it's a bit of a mess):

Author Topic: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland 
Andrew Stacey
Global Moderator
Member

Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « on: March 21, 2010, 09:18:35 AM » 

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For all iceland-watchers!  I've even been there, camping in Thorsmork!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8578576.stm

Andrew

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ValVannet
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Full Member

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #1 on: March 21, 2010, 09:34:10 AM » 

The evacuated area is where Rayburn locates many of its tours!  Ian Hardie, their field study tutor, is there right now and I know he has been excited recently about the possibility of this happening. when I spoke to him about ten days ago he was keen to get back to Iceland so as not to miss anything!   I have just emailed him telling him to keep safe (though if he's evacuated I doubt he'll pick it up) but reminding him to take pics!

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fiona f
Member
Posts: 16

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #2 on: March 21, 2010, 09:41:14 AM » 

Bit too close for comfort for those of us taking school parties to Iceland this week!

http://www.almannavarnir.is/upload/files/almv_baekl_EN_vef.pdf

http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-volcanism/earthquakes/#view=map

Good hazard management documents here
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Judith R
Established Member
Posts: 348

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #3 on: March 21, 2010, 09:49:35 AM » 

More here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article7070117.ece

When I commented to my husband about the cancelled flights mentioned in the article I flippantly said "I don't know what that's got to do with the price of fish" and have just been subjected to a treatise on the possible effects of disruptions to flights on the price of fish. A closet geographer I feel!

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ValVannet
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Posts: 107

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #4 on: March 21, 2010, 09:51:01 AM » 


http://grapevine.is/Home/ReadArticle/Volcanic-Eruption-Eyjafjallajokull-Fimmvorduhals-All-Is-Well

And TV coverage http://dagskra.ruv.is/streymi  (in Icelandic!)

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Judith R
Established Member
Posts: 348

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #5 on: March 21, 2010, 10:02:33 AM » 

Val - it reminds me of the lovely time we had there last summer. Lets hope everyone stays safe.
 
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ValVannet
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Posts: 107

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #6 on: March 21, 2010, 07:58:06 PM » 

I have just had a couple of emails from Ian  Hardie in response to one from me this morning - reassuring to know he is OK and absolutely fascinating to hear first hand of the experiences of an evacuee.  He said he was happy for me to share

Hello Val,
         Blimey, this is for real. I was walking on the lower flanks of
the volcano yesterday afternoon, hours before it started. I had
gone to bed at about 23.00 or so; I had taken a walk on my deck
to view the stars and moon just before and there was, a hint ...
of something, unknown at the time. I was then deep asleep and I
awoke just after midnight; I thought this odd as I usually sleep
like a log! It was windy so I put it down to that. Then my
´phone went off; very strange indeed - it also seemed to "play
its tune" at twice the normal speed. "Ian, have you heard; evacuate now, the volcano has
blown; be very quick". It then became rather unreal; what do you
pack in such a situation, am I ever to be back; just how quickly
should I leave? I dashed around the house, gathered wallet,
phones, chargers, laptops and the like and my Passport and
various important bits of documentation. I remembered to dress
too; what to wear, what to take; just what was the end game of
this to be.

    As I looked east, there it was, a rich red/orange glow, emanating
from the mountains and above it hovered a red cloud reflecting this.
It was way up the valley, in the area of Thorsmork. The valley was
alive with lights; people were evacuating very quickly. Would it be
an ash fall? Lava bombs? A lava flow?
I had more calls …….come on, are you OK, get
out. I then drove to Hvolsvollur, to the school to register. All was
bright, warm and calm there; everyone was anxious but all was quiet.
Seemingly everyone is now accounted for and evacuated (400 - 500
persons); it is very strange to think of this. A road block was set
up to stop sightseers coming in to the valley. However, as I drove to
Selfoss to get a bed in a friend’s house, the number of
cars driving east, towards the volcano was incredible; I have hardly
seen as many cars on a July afternoon. Most cars seemed to be saloon
cars so I am guessing that many youths, out on a Saturday night,
heard about the eruption and set out to see it. Fortunately, as I
drove in to Selfoss, another police road block was being established
to stop this.

    I am now homeless, a refugee; this is very odd. My wee hus! Now it is
big news of course; everyone is waiting to see what the authorities
say. The Press conference at 11.00 gave no real update, only that the
situation is being watched and nature is in control. Farmers are
being allowed in just to feed animals and then come back out again;
this is a real live volcanic emergency and, actually, it´s not fun at
all, it is quite something to think that here is an other episode of
Iceland´s formation going on as I type. But when people, property,
livestock, livelihoods are at risk, I am afraid that the whole event
is somewhat surreal; just what is going to happen. Mind you, if all
this dies down, guess where I´ll be hiking this summer - you bet!

 And a later up-date…….OK, everyone from the valley is in total limbo. All fights into/out
of Iceland are stopped at the moment. It is all just a matter of
waiting and seeing. The authorities are "still out" on what´s going on/what´s happening.
Go to www.mbl.is (English version) for stories, pics, video.
Also try www.vedur.is

Yikes, crikes and help ma bob!   (as Oor Wullie would say!)
Skal, Ian

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Judith R
Established Member
Posts: 348

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #7 on: March 21, 2010, 08:03:56 PM » 

Thanks for sharing this Val. Knowing Ian makes it even more fascinating. I've been thinking of him all day wondering what's happening. Pass on all our best wishes if you're in touch.
 
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meg
Member
Posts: 30

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #8 on: March 21, 2010, 08:13:34 PM » 

Goodness me that does bring it home to you. Thinking of Ian and all at Husid too.
 
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Alan Parkinson
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Established Member
Posts: 430



Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #9 on: March 21, 2010, 10:43:54 PM » 

Thanks for sharing Val... "Living Geography"... 
 
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Judith R
Established Member
Posts: 348

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #10 on: March 21, 2010, 11:40:47 PM » 

Detailed report on recent historic seismicity in the area:
http://www.vedur.is/media/vedurstofan/utgafa/skyrslur/2009/VI_2009_013.pdf
 
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Plene
Full Member
Posts: 196

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #11 on: March 22, 2010, 12:34:11 AM » 

Please send Ian my best wishes - I had a great time in Iceland last year - hope he and his house stay safe.

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ValVannet
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Full Member
Posts: 107

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #12 on: March 22, 2010, 11:28:49 PM » 

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Update from our 'Iceland correspondent' ... 

All is still pretty alarming. The eruption is getting bigger but it does
seems to be "contained" (famous last words!). The
scientists have had a good chance to monitor it (and take some amazing
photos) and we are allowed to sleep in our homes in the valley if we wish
tonight. I am back home after 2 nights in Selfoss - SO good to be home -
but many homes are dark as people are frightened (or just plain wise).

There are 2 cones growing; it is classic, a fissure eruption, with several
points of main ejecta but two main cones forming at the moment. I am
sitting at my big table, looking east and waiting, ever hopefully, for the
evening glow to appear (as it did on
Saturday night - jings, that was an experience ... I'll have heaps of
stories for our Rayburn Tours groups in the future ("I was there"!); a 
surcharge will of course apply!. It is very cloudy tonight (Monday) though
so maybe no "glowings" tonight.

I am taking photos off the TV - some good images and good graphics. Got
quite a good "live" one today as I drove from Selfoss; Wow, I've just
looked out again - the valley is VERY dark.

Police have blocked the road far up the valley (where there will be great
viewpoint); I ventured there today but no luck. A few
helicopters have been flying around.

So, just a small update. I'll now go and try to send an image.

Godan nott, Ian
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Judith R
Established Member
Posts: 348

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #13 on: March 23, 2010, 12:09:12 AM » 

Thanks Val - I was thinking about them this evening wondering what was happening. In true British news fashion it seems to have disappeared with no updates.
 
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Judith R
Established Member
Posts: 348

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #14 on: March 23, 2010, 12:12:36 AM » 


There's something about seeing the road sign in the foreground that makes it all seem so real.
 
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Victoria
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Established Member
Posts: 422

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #45 on: March 30, 2010, 09:22:39 PM » 

Just downloading Ian's account now, and looking forward to reading - thank you!

Glad to see the webcam is back (although Yr9 enjoyed car spotting on the "alternative view" that it was displaying yesterday).  There was a man in a hi-viz jacket there earlier but he didn't hang around long after a quick look at the camera and taking a photo or two.

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vickitoria
New Member
Posts: 4

Re: Volcano erupts near Eyjafjallajoekull in south Iceland « Reply #46 on: March 30, 2010, 09:59:09 PM » 

Just got back from Iceland yesterday (my first field trip with a group of year 10 pupils!) and it was really exciting watching the smoke from the volcano, unfortunately couldn't get close enough to see the lava but the pupils were enthralled by the web cams every night.

A great experience being over there during this eruption.

Vicki
 
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What an absolutely brilliant (but simple) idea!! 

Why aren't we spending more time, effort and money on getting clever people to come up with hundreds more ideas like this - all the clever 'techno-science' people seem to be tied up with producing products that kill, cause damage, watch people and/or make lots of money for companies/shareholders that already have lots of money. The world could be a better place, if only....all very sad. 

Thanks for all suggestions thus far - an interesting range of ideas. Any more?

You may be a fan of textbooks or you may currently shun them BUT given a totally free choice what would go in to your dream KS3 textbook?
I can barely remember life before Waugh but then there came Geog dot and Earthworks - a real breath of fresh air in the books marketplace. Since then publishers have held back, merely 'updating' the same old textbooks. Maybe it is now time for some next generation textbooks fit for education in the 21st century?

So, assuming for convenience sake, publishers stick to a 'double page spread' format, how would you ideally lay it out and what would it contain? What is missing from current textbooks that would make how you now teach easier and more effective?

Publishers have also tried to embrace CDs and the internet with varying success - is there a new formula that you think would tie together a traditional textbook and flexible learning resources using these or other media?

Actual content is tricky for publishers now with the flexibility and less prescribed content in the New Secondary Curriculum statutory documents - so again, what is missing from existing textbooks in terms of the content that you would like to see made available.

Any ideas that you put forward in terms of layout, content and linked resources, I will pass on - you never know, you might see your ideal textbook for sale this time next year.

Ideally, this is not a thread designed to give you an opportunity to 'put down' textbooks but to share ideas on how they might be 'improved'.....so positive suggestions welcomed please. 

The world has gone mad - ring the bells, ring the bells!!!!! 

Sorry RickD, could you just run the advantages of this new system for the Geography Department by me one more time? (I couldn't seem to tease them out of your original post).