Thick ash poured from Iceland's Eyjafjallaj�kull volcano when the MODIS on NASA�s Aqua satellite acquired this image on April 17, 2010. The ash in this image is at two different altitudes. A concentrated plume rises over a more diffuse cloud of ash, casting a dark shadow on the ash below.

The volcano had been emitting ash in puffs that reached between 16,000 and 24,000 feet, according to the Icelandic Met Office. The higher plume seen here is likely from a more explosive event.

This explosive phase of eruption began on April 14, according to a summary from the Nordic Volcanological Center. Unlike the initital activity, these eruptions occurred at vents that opened under the ice at the summit caldera. As the heat from the magma melts the ice, pulsing floods have escaped from beneath the ice cap, carrying rocks and mud. As of April 19, the ash plumes were reported to be getting smaller, but they were still creating havoc with air travel in Europe.

Image Facts

Satellite: Aqua

Date Acquired: 04/17/2010

Resolutions: , ,

Bands Used: 1,4,3

Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz,