A volcano in Iceland erupted yesterday, spewing a gigantic cloud of dust in the air, and with the wind blowing from the northwest, it brought air traffic in the northern parts of Europe to a halt. Jet engines can be severely damaged by the glassy silicate in that volcanic dust, leading authorities to close airports and airspace in Britain, France, and most of northern Europe. Such clouds can flame out jet engines, because those silicates have a melting point of between 600 and 800°C, while jet engine temperatures in flight are higher than 1,000°C. The tiny particles melt when they encounter [...]

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