Volcanic winter of 536

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/volcanic-winter-of-536

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the event?Volcanic winter of 536 AD
2. What is the associated climatic period?Initiated the Late Antique Little Ice Age (536-660 AD)
3. What caused the volcanic winter of 536?A huge volcano, or maybe several volcanoes, erupted and sent ash and sulfur into the sky, blocking sunlight.
4. How did the volcanic winter affect the weather?The sky stayed dim and cold for years, and summer temperatures in Europe dropped by about 2.5 °C.

Sulfate Aerosols: Microscopic particles of sulfur compounds suspended in the atmosphere, capable of reflecting solar radiation and causing cooling.
Stratospheric Aerosol Injection: The process by which volcanic eruptions propel aerosols into the stratosphere, where they can persist for extended periods.
Paleoclimatology: The scientific study of past climates, often using proxy data such as ice cores and tree rings.
Solar Irradiance: The amount of solar energy that reaches a given area on Earth's surface.