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List of volcanic eruptions in Iceland

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This is an incomplete list of volcanic eruptions in Iceland.

Iceland Mid-Atlantic Ridge map
Volcanic systems in Iceland
Katla 1918
Askja caldera in 1984
Krafla, 1984
Bárðarbunga, Nornahraun-Holuhraun 2014
People on the slopes of Fagradalsfjall, watching the Geldingadalir eruption 2021.
Keilir with the smaller Keilirbörn hills in winter
Snæfellsjökull in the morning
Landmannalaugar

Prehistoric eruptions

Dates are approximate.

  • 16,000,000 years ago - the oldest known rock in Iceland was formed in a lava eruption. The age of the basaltic strata from west to east is 16–10 million years.[1][2] (See Geology of Iceland - Origins)
  • Circa 3,200,000-1,800,000 years ago (Plio-Pleistocene) - Esjan (Esja) - The western part is about 3.2 million years and the eastern part is about 1.8 million years. The movements of the plate boundaries are continually moving the strata to the west and away from the active volcanic zone.[3] Two volcanoes were active in the Reykjavík region, Viðey volcano and Stardals volcano.[citation needed] They partially formed Esja (Esjan); the smaller mountains near Reykjavík; plus the islands and small peninsulas like Viðey and Kjalarnes.[3][4] (Part of the Reykjanes volcanic zone (RVZ))
  • 42,000-12,400 years ago - Sveifluháls, volcanic melting of glacier ice induced the formation of one or more subglacial meltwater lakes. Dropping overburden pressures lead to the eruption of vitric phreatomagmatic tuff.[10]
  • Circa 10,600 years ago - Katla. It is thought that Katla is the source of more than 6 to 7 cubic kilometers (1.4 to 1.7 cu mi) of tephra[11][12][13][14] 'Vedde Ash' found at a number of sites including Vedde in Norway, Denmark, Scotland and North Atlantic cores.[15]
  • Circa 5,800 BC - Hveravellir? The Kjalhraun (hraun means "lava field") lava field is about 7,800 years old.[22]
  • 5000 BC - Hekla (H5). The first acidic eruption in Hekla. The ash layer H5 is found in soil in the central highlands and in many parts of the North. (Part of the East volcanic zone (EVZ))
  • 5000 BP - (or circa 3,000 BC - unsourced, see below) - Helgafell formed from a secondary eruption on the Stórhöfði peninsula.[24][23]
  • 3500 BC - Grímsnes, VEI 3. The Grímsneshraun lava-fields in the area cover a total of 54 km2 (21 sq mi). The total volume of lava produced in the lava flows of Grímsnes has been estimated at 1.2 cubic kilometres (0.29 cu mi). (Part of the South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ))
  • 1200 BC - Veiðivatnasvæði, Búrfellshraun flowed from a series of craters near Veiðivötn (is:Veiðivötn), on the one hand to Þórisós and on the other hand down with Tungná and Þjórsá all the way down to Landsveit
  • 300 BC Mývatn, large fissure eruption pouring out basaltic lava. The lava flowed down the valley Laxárdalur to the lowland plain of Aðaldalur where it entered the Arctic Ocean about 50 km (31 mi) away from Mývatn. The crater row that was formed on top of the eruptive fissure is called Þrengslaborgir (or Lúdentarborgir). (Part of the North volcanic zone (NVZ))

9th century

Dates are approximate. (Note: First Norse settlers arrived in 870/874.)

10th century

11th century

12th century

13th century

14th century

15th century

16th century

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

21st century

Summary

(For a detail description of the volcanic zones, see : Geological deformation of Iceland)

Volcanic zones and systems

Volcanism in Iceland. The Volcanic zones and the dotted circle approximating to the hotspot.
Topographic map showing the Iceland Plateau (light blue oval area) encircling Iceland in the Atlantic Ocean.

Iceland has several major volcanic zones surrounding the Iceland hotspot:

East volcanic zone (EVZ)

The East Volcanic Zone (EVZ), the central volcanoes Vonarskarð and Hágöngur, belong to the same volcanic system.[72]

Includes: Bárðarbunga, Bláhnjúkur, Brennisteinsalda, Eldgjá, Eyjafjallajökull, Gjálp, Grímsvötn, central volcano Hágöngur (is: Hágöngur), Hekla, Katla (volcano), Laki, Þjórsá Lava, Þórólfsfell, Surtsey, Thordarhyrna (Þórðarhyrna), Tindfjallajökull, Torfajökull, Vatnafjöll, Vatnajökull, Vatnaöldur, Vestmannaeyjar, central volcano Vonarskarð (is: Vonarskarð), Westman Islands,

Mid-Iceland Belt (MIB)

The Mid-Iceland Belt (MIB) connects the East, West and North volcanic zones, across central Iceland.

North volcanic zone (NVZ)

North of Iceland, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is called Kolbeinsey Ridge (KR) and is connected to the North Volcanic Zone via the Tjörnes Fracture Zone (TFZ).

Includes: Askja, Dettifoss, Dimmuborgir, Fremrinámur, Grjótagjá, Herðubreið, Hverfjall, Jökulsá á Fjöllum, Kollóttadyngja, Krafla, Kverkfjöll, Mývatn, Öskjuvatn, Rauðhólar, Theistareykjarbunga, Trölladyngja

Öræfajökull volcanic belt (ÖVB)

The Öræfajökull volcanic belt (ÖVB) is an intraplate volcanic belt, connected to the Eurasian plate.[73][74]

Includes: Knappafellsjökull, Öræfasveit, Öræfajökull

Reykjanes volcanic zone (RVZ)

The Reykjanes volcanic zone (RVZ) is one of two major and active transform faults zones striking west-northwest in northern and southern Iceland. Two large fracture zones, associated with the transform faults, namely Tjörnes and Reykjanes Fracture Zones are found striking about 75°N to 80°W.[75][76]

  • the Reykjanes Ridge (RR) (the Mid-Atlantic Ridge south of Iceland)
  • the Reykjanes Volcanic Belt (RVB) (on the main island)

Includes: Bláfjöll, Brennisteinsfjöll, Búrfell (Hafnarfjörður), Eldborg í Bláfjöllum, Fagradalsfjall, Heiðin há, Helgafell (Hafnarfjörður), Hengill, Keilir, Krýsuvík (volcanic system), Krýsuvík fires, Leitin, Rauðhólar (Reykjavík), Stóra-Eldborg undir Geitahlíð, Svartsengi Power Station, Sveifluháls, Vífilsfell, Þorbjörn (mountain)

Snæfellsnes volcanic belt (SVB)

The Snæfellsnes volcanic belt (SVB) is an intraplate volcanic belt, connected to the North American plate.[73]

It is proposed that the east-west line from the Grímsvötn volcano in the Mid-Iceland Belt (MIB) to the SVB shows the movement of the North American Plate over the Iceland hotspot.[77]

Includes: Arnarstapi, Djúpalónssandur, Grundarfjörður, Hellnar, Ljósufjöll, Lóndrangar, Snæfellsjökull

South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ)

The South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) is a fracture zone, which connects the East and West Volcanic Zones. It contains its own volcanic systems, smaller than those in the Mid-Iceland Belt.

Includes: Grímsnes, Ingólfsfjall, Kerið, Reynisdrangar, Selfoss (town)

Tjörnes Fracture Zone (TFZ)

The Tjörnes Fracture Zone (TFZ) connects the North Volcanic Zone to the Kolbeinsey Ridge (KR), which is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It contains its own volcanic systems, which are smaller than those in the Mid-Iceland Belt.

It is one of two major and active transform faults zones striking west-northwest in northern and southern Iceland.[75] The Tjörnes and Reykjanes Fracture Zones are found striking about 75°N to 80°W.[76]

West volcanic zone (WVZ)

Includes: Barnafossar, Geitlandsjökull, Geysir, Hengill, Hlöðufell, Hraunfossar, Hveravellir, Kjölur, Langjökull, Ok (volcano), Prestahnúkur, Skjaldbreiður, Stóra-Björnsfell, Surtshellir, Víðgelmir, Þórisjökull, plus Skríðufell, Fjallkirkja, Þursaborg, and Péturshorn.[78]

Eruptive activity

Grímsvötn, including the Skaftá eruption of 1783, is probably the most eruptive volcano system. The Lakagígar lava field alone is estimated to have produced about 15 cubic kilometres (3.6 cu mi) of lava. Grímsvötn has probably had more than 30 eruptions in the last 400 years, and produced around 55 cubic kilometres (13 cu mi) over the last 10,000 years.[79] (Part of the East volcanic zone (EVZ))

Katla has erupted 17 times in historical times, and Eldgjá seems to be part of the same system. The total volume of volcanic eruptions from Katla over the last 10,000 years is very similar to Grímsvötn.[79] (Part of the East volcanic zone (EVZ))

Hekla has erupted at least 17 times in historical times, with total volume about 7 cubic kilometres (1.7 cu mi), but around 42 cubic kilometres (10 cu mi) since the last ice age.[79] (Part of the East volcanic zone (EVZ))

See also

References

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