Iceland volcano: Gigantic plume of toxic gas from latest eruption is moving across Europe, satellite data shows

Scientists are tracking a massive plume of toxic gas moving across northern Europe that was spat out by the ongoing volcanic eruption in Iceland. The gas cloud is unlikely to cause any serious Health problems. However, it could impact the ozone hole above the Arctic, experts warn.

On March 16, an underground volcano in Icealnd's Reykjanes Peninsula blew its top for the fourth time in as many months, opening up the largest fissure of the current eruption cycle and unleashing a massive lava flow that narrowly missed the evacuated town of Grindavík. There were initially fears that the lava flow could reach the sea and unleash a plume of hydrochloric acid, which would have been "life-threatening" to anyone close to the coastline, Live Science previously reported. However, the lava never reached the shore. 

But the eruption did release sulfur dioxide — a colorless, toxic gas that can be extremely dangerous in high concentrations.  

On March 17, the volcano was spitting out around 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of sulfur dioxide every second, according to a translated statement from the Icelandic Met Office. Workers at the nearby Svartsengi power plant were evacuated from the facility due to high levels of the gas, Icelandic news site RÚV reported, and locals were temporarily warned to stay inside, according to Iceland's Civil Protection.   

Sulfur dioxide emissions have diminished significantly since March 18, but new data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) — part of the European Union's Copernicus program, which tracks weather and climate changes using satellite data — shows that the initial outpouring of gas formed a 3-mile-tall (5 kilometers) concentrated column that has since blown toward other countries in northern Europe.

Related: Heat bursts from Iceland's recent eruptions in eerie NASA satellite image

The gas plume has already passed above the U.K. and is currently approaching Scandinavia, where it will begin to dissipate before entering Russia.