Iceland volcano. Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull eruption
In 2010, an event occurred that changed the plans of millions of people around the world. Eyjafjallajökull, a volcano in Iceland, has declared itself. Immediately, this country attracted the attention of millions of tourists, because everyone wants to look at the consequences of the eruption, get a dose of adrenaline, rising to the giant crater. It is worth noting that this is not the only active volcano in Iceland. The country has a unique geographical position, making it a real fiery island, enclosed in ice.
Iceland - an icy country with a fiery heart
Iceland is a country with an area of just over 103 square kilometers, which is located between Norway and Greenland. It consists of big island and small satellite islands around. Iceland is washed by the Atlantic Ocean.
In translation, the name of the state means "Ice Country". Most of it is covered with ice, but the entire landscape is streaked with hot springs, geysers and active volcanoes. Iceland is spread out on a large tectonic plateau, rising almost 2,000 kilometers above sea level.
It is this fact that explains the violent volcanic activity and landscape of the country. There are lava fields, and lakes located in the craters of volcanoes, and ice caps of the mountains. The coast of the ocean is indented by deep fjords.
It is noteworthy that the population of the country is concentrated in the southwest. In the depths of the island, only small villages are noted, because central part not suitable for life due to too high tectonic activity. Blame the lithospheric plates, the interaction of which awakens volcanoes. On this moment over a hundred active.
What are volcanoes
A volcano is a formation in the earth's crust, where the products of the volcano's activity come to the surface through a special channel (vent): combustible lava, gases, ash and caustic vapors. It is generally accepted that this is necessarily a high or not very cone-shaped mountain with a crater. However, a volcano can form simply at the junction of two plates. Then he does not have a crater, but there is a fault large sizes through which magma comes to the surface. Such, for example, a volcano in Iceland - Lucky.
In addition to the structure, volcanoes differ from each other in their status. Allocate active, extinct and dormant formations. The first are those that erupted at least once in the last 12 thousand years. It should be noted that the activity extinct volcanoes practically impossible. But dormant formations can come back to life at any moment. However, such a division of geological formations is very arbitrary, because it is not completely known when the last time the volcano was active, and whether it will show it at the present time.
It is interesting that volcanoes are not randomly scattered over the surface of the earth: everything is subject to certain patterns. There are several volcanic belts. The territory of Iceland belongs to the third of them. It stretches along the Atlantic coast. There are practically no extinct volcanoes among these volcanoes, all are in a state of activity or are sleeping and waiting in the wings.
Eyjafjallajokull volcano
The hero of recent news releases is the volcano in Iceland - Eyyafyadlayekudl. His photo is below. With its eruption, for almost a week, it paralyzed the work of airports not only in Iceland, but also in continental Europe. The ash spread even to the shores of North America.
It is noteworthy that the geological formation itself does not have a name. Volcano in Iceland - Eyjafjallajökull translation is very complex. It consists of the name of the area, the glacier and, in fact, the designation of the mountain on which it is located. The longest name of a volcano in Iceland, in the pronunciation of which there are even competitions, is actually a toponym denoting
The distance from the capital of Iceland to the Eyjafjallajökull volcano is only 125 kilometers. The mountain itself has a height of 1666 meters above sea level. There is a volcano under the glacier of the same name. The geological formation crater is impressive: the largest recorded figure is 4 kilometers.
The volcano slept after its last eruption lasting almost a year at the end of the 19th century. The environmentalists found out that the mountain would soon wake up, thereby avoiding casualties. About 1000 people were evacuated from the area adjacent to the glacier. At the moment, researchers have again recorded the activity of the volcano Eyyafyadlayekyudl.
Volcano Hekla - "Gates to Hell"
What is the most famous volcano in Iceland? Of course, Hekla. Even during the Middle Ages, not only the inhabitants of the country, but also the neighboring states knew about it. It was dubbed the "Gate to Hell" along with Vesuvius. According to legend, the souls of sinners pass through the mouth of the mountain to the underworld, and witches arrange a sabbath there. The priests, in order to rein in the people, said that the eruption of the mountain was a punishment for committed sins.
Literally, Hekla translates as "Cloak with a hood." Indeed, the top of the volcano under the shadow of clouds is somewhat reminiscent of monastic clothes.
Hekla is a volcano in Iceland, to which the interest of tourists does not stop. Located on a mountain range, 40 kilometers high, it rises almost 1,500 meters. This is truly an impressive sight!
The interest of volcanologists in this object does not weaken either. Just think: over the past 6 thousand years, Hekla has erupted about 20 times. Moreover, it is impossible to guess what intensity the subsequent activity will be, because in his history there were awakenings for several days, which were repeated for more than a year. And those that took place in the II-I centuries BC, with their five-point force, threw out volcanic rocks for 7.5 km. A few years after that, a volcanic winter reigned in Europe.
Insidious Lucky
Another popular volcano in Iceland, whose name is Lucky, has a very impressive size. It is a huge crack. Numerous low (about 80 meters) small craters are formed in it. Laki is just a part of the volcanic system formed among the Mýrdalsjokull and Vatnajökull glaciers.
The eruption of this object always brings numerous problems not only to the inhabitants of Iceland, but to the whole world. The last largest activity at the end of the 18th century not only created the effect of a volcanic winter in the northern hemisphere, it is responsible for the death of people and animals poisoned by poisonous gases. Suffered from the dry summer Japan, North Africa, India. Due to the effects of this eruption, North America experienced the coldest winter on record. Glaciers brought great destruction: when they melted, they created floods.
Askja - a handsome man among the volcanoes of Iceland
Askja Volcano is located in the heart of Iceland. The area here is uninhabited, because the landscape is dotted with lava fields, glaciers, erupting geothermal springs, and fumes are in the air. A real apocalyptic scene! It is not for nothing that astronauts were trained in the foothills of Askya.
The volcano is also extraordinarily beautiful, especially ideal round lake located in its crater. Tourists who are not afraid to take a look at Askew need to follow the narrow path that circles the crater. Swimming in the cloudy blue water is possible, but undesirable. This threatens with loss of consciousness from the inhaled gases that exude the volcano.
There were Mystic stories associated with Askya: scientists who studied this area disappeared without a trace.
The last eruption of this volcano was relatively recent, in 1961. However, now the activity of Askya is alarming scientists, this is dictated by the fact that the ice in crater lake completely melts by summer (usually part of it remains even in July). This is partly because Askew was affected by Eyjafjallajökull, an erupting volcano in Iceland in 2010.
Grimsvotn
The Grímsvotn volcano is located under a huge glacier in the South of Iceland. "Gloomy waters" - this is how its name is translated. It reveals the essence of the eruption, when huge volumes of ash, gases and igneous rocks are thrown into the environment.
Grimsvotn - mysterious volcano. Its height is not known for certain: According to scientists, it varies from 900 to almost 1800 meters. The glacier under which this geological object is located interferes with obtaining accurate data.
Grimsvotn erupts regularly, the period is a maximum of 10 years. Each time this phenomenon is accompanied by ash emissions and the absence of abundant lava flows. Last time the volcano erupted in 2011.
Katla - the giant of Iceland
Katla is the most big volcano Iceland. Its height is slightly more than one and a half thousand meters. This giant has been worrying scientists for a long time. After all, it erupts with a frequency of 40-80 years, and Last Activity observed in 1918. Then the consequences were catastrophic: a severe flood, formed from the melt waters of the glacier, carried several icebergs into the Atlantic.
Katla owes its increased activity to the recently awakened volcano Eyyafyadlayekyudl, with which it is in close geological connection.
Consequences of the eruption
Iceland's volcanoes are not only beautiful natural objects but also very dangerous. IN different centuries their eruptions caused irreversible consequences not only for the inhabitants of Iceland, but for the entire hemisphere. The failure of airports is only a small part. After all, ash, accumulating in the atmosphere, provokes a decrease in temperature (the so-called volcanic winter).
Volcanoes, erupting, cause severe floods. This is due to the melting of the glaciers that cover these geological features of Iceland. The strongest currents in a matter of hours will flood everything that stands in the way.
Iceland is an ice state. The country received this second name due to its geographical location, Iceland was lost in the Atlantic between Greenland and Norway, a little short of the Arctic Circle. Much of Iceland is a volcanic plateau rising no higher than 2,000 meters above sea level. Due to this, the island is filled with active volcanoes, geothermal springs, lava and ice.
The entire central part of the island is occupied by volcanoes, deserts and is not suitable for life. Only one quarter of the entire territory of the country (Iceland ranks 18th in terms of area in the world among the islands - 103 thousand square kilometers) is inhabited by people. Mainly coastal zones valleys.
Iceland is located at the junction of two lithospheric plates: the Eurasian and the North American. The island has one of the highest volcanic activity in the entire world. There are more than a hundred volcanoes in Iceland, and 25 of them have been active in the past thousand years. The most popular Icelandic volcanoes are Laki and Hekla, which have almost a hundred craters.
In this article, we will tell you about the most popular volcanoes in Iceland. In addition to the volcanoes listed below, there are many others worthy of attention. But these, in our opinion, are the most interesting and significant.
Hekla Volcano is the most famous and most active volcano in Iceland, its significance for Iceland is the same as for Japan the importance of the famous Fujiyama. In the Middle Ages, the inhabitants of Iceland called it none other than the “Gate to Hell”. It has been active for the past 6600 years, which was found out during the study of the volcano and its ash deposits. The last eruption was recorded in 2000.
Hekla is a very unpredictable volcano. Its eruptions be the most varied. Therefore, it is very difficult for volcanologists to predict new bursts of its activity. Each new eruption of the Hekla volcano is not like the previous one, one can last only a few weeks or only ten days, and the other can stretch for months and even years (for example, the eruption that began on March 29, 1947 ended only in April 1948). What is clear is that the longer Hekla remains calm, the stronger his eruption will be.
If we touch on the prehistoric Hekla, then the strongest of them were in 1159 AD and in 950 AD. These were very powerful eruptions ejected volcanic rocks scattered for 7.3 km, according to the scale of activity, eruptions were assigned 5-point levels of difficulty. The power of these eruptions was enough to create the effect of a volcanic winter with a decrease in the temperature of the hemisphere by several degrees for several years. To date, information has appeared in the Department of Population Protection in Iceland about the possible awakening of Hekla. This was evidenced by the movement of air masses recorded in the southern part of the country. So far, the situation does not cause much concern. But local residents and tourists are strongly discouraged from approaching the awakening volcano.
Hekla volcano is one of the highest in Iceland. Its height is 1488 meters.
Another famous volcano Iceland - Lucky. Laki is a shield volcano, as are most volcanoes in Iceland. This is a gigantic, twenty-five kilometer fissure and a volcanic field with many craters. To date, scientists have more than 110 - 115 craters.
The Laki volcano is located in the natural Skaftafell, which has joined the Vatnajökull National Park since 2008. On average, the height of numerous craters is no more than 80 - 90 meters above the level of the basalt surface, but there are also 800 meter volcanic cones. Lucky - included major system volcanoes spread within the Mirdalsjokull and Vatnajokull glaciers.
Volcano Laki is a typical representative of Iceland's restless volcanoes. Its last eruption caused many disasters not only in Iceland, but throughout the world. The destructive eruption of the Laki volcano was recorded in 1783-1784. Then the laki volcano erupted with neighboring volcanoes for 8 months. During this time, lava flows spread over more than 130 kilometers, forming lava behind them. The eruption was classified as a six-point eruption.
As a result of the Laki volcano eruption, masses of poisonous gases were thrown into the air. Which destroyed half of the livestock in Iceland and almost a quarter of its population. Iceland's climate has undergone significant changes with melting glaciers and floods. The volcanic winter effect caused by Icelandic eruption volcano led to severe droughts in Japan and India, and North America survived the coldest winter in its history. Just as severe were the consequences of the Laki Volcano Eruption in North Africa.
Ash from the Icelandic eruption was in the air over almost half of Eurasia. According to experts, due to the eruption, a total of about 6 million people died.
Here is another not calm representative of Icelandic volcanoes. It is located in the southern part of Iceland and is 1725 meters high. The crater of the volcano changes its size depending on the power of the eruption. So, for example, in 1989, the length was approximately 200 meters, and during the eruption of the year it was more than 500 meters.
Volcano Grimsvotn erupts every 3-10 years. Over the past century, about 20 major volcanic eruptions have been recorded. In the recent past, major eruptions were in 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2011. Erupted in ice in 1996, resulting in extensive melting and flooding. The melt flow had a water flow rate of approximately 200,000 to 300,000 cubic meters per second. For comparison, I will say that the water consumption in the Amazon is the most deep river in the world is equal to 220,000 cubic meters per second.
Grimsvotn last announced himself on May 21, 2011. Then clubs of ash, smoke and steam were thrown into the air, while rising almost 20 kilometers. The result of this eruption was a temporary cessation of air communication with Iceland, and after that - partially with Great Britain and Germany. Some flights have been canceled in Norway and Denmark.
Volcano Askja
The center of Iceland is almost uninhabited, there are no roads and trails. The entire surface there is covered with lava, glaciers, black sands and geothermal springs escaping to the surface. When visiting this region, you have to rely solely on own forces and navigator. Because of this, this land of ice and fire is rarely visited by tourists, but in vain!
Since it is in this place that another fire-breathing dragon is located ice land Askja Volcano. You can find the volcano on the lava Oudaudahrein. Two lakes formed in the caldera of the volcano, one of them is Öskjuvatn, the largest in Iceland. It never freezes completely. Only from the west it is covered with ice. Descent to blue waters volcanic lake possible only from the east side, where you can swim. The second lake is Viti, small. Its diameter is only 100 meters. And it smells of sulfur.
Certainly, best time for a trip to the Askja volcano and the pearl of the Icelandic lakes - Joskjuvatn, summer, because the path to the volcano is not close.
Askja Volcano is one of the most beautiful volcanoes in Iceland. Its height is 1510 meters. The volcano is still active. The lake located in its crater is getting deeper. The last full-fledged eruption was recorded in 1961.
The walk around the largest of the lakes, located in the crater of the Askja volcano, is very long. The trail is very narrow, it surrounds the perfectly round shapes of the lake. Its length is approximately 8 kilometers. It will be useful for tourists to remember that you should not walk along the trail if there is even the slightest wind at the top. Since the path is very narrow and the edges of the crater are steep.
Located in the southern part of Iceland a little higher than the Askja volcano, its height is somewhere around 1512 meters. The Katla caldera is 10 meters in diameter. And you the volcano lies under southeastern edge Myrdalsjokull glacier.
The frequency of activity of Katla is from 40 to 80 years. The previous powerful surge of its activity dates back to 1918, which gives cause for concern to many scientists.
Since the 10th century, Katla has erupted on a large scale once. Moreover, during its eruptions, intense melting, as a result of which powerful streams were formed. For example, the eruption of the year to the formation of a powerful stream with a water consumption of 200,000 - 400,000 cubic meters per second and melt water flooded the surrounding areas.
Today Katla is activated again. The level of the magma layer in Katla is growing. And besides, the last major eruption is already almost a century ago, and if we take into account the frequency of eruptions (no more than 80 years), the increasing activity of the volcano becomes clear. According to scientists, the consequences of a possible eruption will be very large: melting glaciers and floods in Iceland, as well as termination of communication with the country by means of air lines.
The eruptions are associated with periods of activity, located 20 kilometers from the volcano Eyyafyadlayokyudl. For more than 1000 years, the eruptions of the volcano Eyjafjallajökull have been the impetus for the eruption. The first such connection was revealed during the eruption in 920. Further, a similar mechanism launched Katlu in 1612 and 1821-1823.
EyyafjallajokullEyyafyadlayokyudl - this is the name of one of the Icelandic glaciers, located in the southern part of the country, 125 kilometers from the capital of Iceland - Reykjavik. The Eyjafjallajokull glacier is adjacent to the Myrdalsjokull glacier. Beneath these glaciers is a cone-shaped, shield volcano without its own name. Therefore, it is often called by the name of the Eyjafjallajokull glacier.
The Eyjafjallajökull volcano is one of the most recently erupted volcanoes in Iceland. The height of the Eyyafjallajökull volcano is 1666 meters. The size of its crater is 3 kilometers. Until 2010, the last volcanic eruption, the crater was covered with an ice cap.
The history of eruptions contains information about a major volcanic eruption in 1821 - 1823. Then, for more than 12 months (from December 19, 1821 to January 1, 1823, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted. Together with the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, the nearest neighbor, Katla, erupted. The eruption was assigned a two-point level on the activity scale.
After that, he slept for almost two hundred years. And woke up quite recently - March 20, 2010. In April 2010, due to the increasing rate of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption, airspace was blocked over part of Europe from April 16 to 20. Also, partially the restriction on flights was partially maintained in May. This eruption was awarded four balls.
In April 2013, the volcano, which had caused many Europeans to panic for three years, again gave an alarm signal about its awakening.
Eyjafjallajokull in April 2013
In the spring of 2010, the whole world watched the strongest eruption Icelandic volcano with an unusual and fabulous name Eyyafyatlayokudl. It has become one of the most powerful in the modern history of mankind, scientists are still discussing the consequences of this natural phenomenon.
Iceland
This Island state often call ice kingdom, it is located between Greenland and Norway in the immediate vicinity of the Arctic Circle. The main part of Iceland is located on a volcanic plateau, so earthquakes and eruptions are common here. Despite the geographical position, the climate in the region is by no means arctic, but moderately cool, with strong winds and high humidity.
Despite the harsh nature, very positive and friendly people live here. Icelandic hospitality is known all over the world. Every year, thousands of tourists come to these harsh lands to get acquainted with unique nature and, of course, see the most famous volcano in Iceland - Eyjafjallajokull. After 2010, the flow of those wishing to observe this wonder of the world with their own eyes has increased markedly.
Historical reference
Iceland is located at the junction of two continental plates, the Eurasian and North American, and is considered the country with the most big amount geothermal sources, lava fields, ice and volcanoes. There are more than a hundred of them, and twenty-five are active. Tourists have the most popular volcanoes- Lucky and Hekla, they have almost a hundred craters and are a unique sight.
But in 2010, the whole world learned about another attraction of Iceland - the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. Photos of lava erupting from under the glacier spread all over the world's news feeds, perhaps this event would not have had such popularity in the media if it were not for the problems with air travel that arose in most of Europe.
Eyjafjallajokull is a stratovolcano whose cone is formed by layers of hardened lava and rock left there after numerous eruptions. Officially, this is not a volcano, but a glacier, the sixth largest on the island, it is located 125 kilometers from the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. The height of the peak is 1666 m, the area of the volcanic crater is 3-4 km, until 2010 it was hidden under a thick layer of ice. The previous eruption of the Eyjafyatlayokudl volcano took place from 1821 to 1823, and for two hundred years it was considered dormant.
Preceding circumstances
Almost a year before the main events, the glacier was already showing signs of high activity. In 2009, at a depth of seven kilometers, scientists noticed seismological shocks of 1-2 points. They continued for several months, and even a shift of the cortex by 3 cm was recorded.
The activity of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano worried the authorities of the region, they took the necessary measures to resettle local residents, and the nearest airport was also closed. First of all, people were afraid of flooding, since the glacier could begin to melt under the influence of the earth's heat.
Scientists have long observed activity in this area, so the victims were avoided. In total, more than 800 people left the disaster zone. After the research, the possibility of flooding was ruled out and some residents returned to their homes.
Chronicle of events
On March 20, 2010, the Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano erupted late in the evening. From the fault that appeared in the glacier, smoke and ash poured out, the first emissions were small and did not reach a height of more than one kilometer. After five days, the activity dropped significantly. The reason was that melted water poured into the vent and partially extinguished the hearth.
But on March 31, a new crack formed, and for several days lava flowed abundantly from two holes at once. As it turned out, this was just the beginning. On April 13, the Icelandic volcano Eyjafyatlayokudl once again shook from tremors, as a result of which a new crack appeared at a distance of 2 km, and a column of smoke rose to a height of eight kilometers. On April 15 and 16, this figure was already 15 km, and volcanic ash reached the stratosphere, from where substances are already spreading over long distances.
Shutdown of flights in Europe
The Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull will go down in history in the 21st century thanks to the large-scale consequences of its eruption. Due to his activity, air traffic was suspended in dozens of countries. Companies suffered losses, thousands of passengers huddled in airport terminals and in the homes of caring people.
The events in Iceland big influence to review certain laws and regulations governing air travel in such situations. Many companies have stated that computer program, which calculates the risks from flying in the ash spread zone, is doubtful, besides, they blamed the heads European countries in deliberately inflating the problem and helplessness in making important decisions.
Consequences
In addition to economic damage, the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland has caused serious damage to the environment. In the first three days, about 140 million cubic meters of dust were released into the atmosphere. During the eruption, together with particles of earth rocks, ash, a huge amount of suspended particles or aerosols are thrown into the air. The danger of such a substance is that it quickly spreads over a long distance and has a detrimental effect on the composition of the atmosphere, absorbing part of the solar radiation.
Although geophysicists and meteorologists did not support the general panic that flared up on the pages of some newspapers. According to scientists, the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull was not so powerful that emissions could somehow cause climate change, at most - affect the weather. So, long and thick clouds were observed many thousands of kilometers from the island, even in Russia.
Ash spread
The course of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption was recorded from space, and daily meteorological services made a forecast of the movement of the dust cloud. In mid-April 2010, ash covered more than half of Europe and some regions of Russia. Officially Rosgidromettsentr did not confirm the assumption that particles of dust and volcanic matter reached the territory of our country. True, eyewitnesses claim that the ashes could be easily detected using a sheet of paper placed on the windowsill.
The ejected dust was a fine-grained flying tephra, part of which settled near the vent and on the glacier, but the main mass rose into the air. However, experts assured the public that the gases released into the atmosphere do not pose a serious threat to humans.
Only almost a month after the start of the events, the media of all countries reported that the Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano had finally ceased its activity. The eruption of 2010 was remembered primarily not for its uniqueness, because this happens all the time on earth, but for the increased attention to this event in the news and newspapers.
The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland, whose photo appeared on the covers of many publications seven years ago, has a special history. Such a complex name comes from the combination of three words at once, denoting a mountain, a glacier and an island. And in fact, the name belongs to the glacier, under which there was a volcano for a long time. In connection with the events of 2010, linguists from different countries became interested in the origin and meaning of the toponym, trying to determine the exact meaning of the word.
After the hype around the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in scientific world talking about another possible problem that could lead to far greater consequences. We are talking about Mount Katla, which is located just 12 km from the epicenter of the underground explosion in 2010. Research by geophysicists confirms that each previous activity of Eyyafyatlayokudl preceded the eruption of the much more powerful and destructive Katla volcano. Therefore, scientists have suggested that the events of seven years ago may be the beginning of a more grandiose catastrophe in the future.
There are many more places in this region where nature can surprise you. So, a few hundred kilometers away is the only active volcano in Norway. Eyyafyatlayokudl and Berenberg (translated - “ Bear mountain”) are similar in structure and physical data. Most northern volcano in the world, too, for a long time considered extinct, but in 1985 a strong eruption was recorded.
Reflection in culture
Today, the story of seven years ago on the distant island of Iceland is somewhat forgotten, but at the same time this event made a strong impression on many, because not every day in live you can see how a real volcano erupts. Society reacted differently to the event. Videos appeared on the Internet in which people tried to pronounce an unusual name, and the people composed jokes on this topic.
National Geographic Channel filmed documentary, which tells about the events of the spring of 2010, and the plots of some feature films are connected with the Icelandic volcano, for example, the French film "Volcano of Passion" and some episodes of the American film "The Walter Mitty Story".
Perhaps the sweetest note in the craze for the Icelandic natural phenomenon was made by a native of this country, singer Elisa Geirsdottir Newman. She composed a provocative song about Eyjafyatlayokudl, which helps to learn how to pronounce the exotic name correctly.
In the spring of 2010, a volcano erupted in Iceland. A huge cloud of ash was thrown into the atmosphere, as a result of which the airspace of most of the continent was closed, and many flights were canceled. Photos of the grandiose spectacle circulated in large numbers on the Internet, and the name of the volcano - Eyjafjallajokull (Eyjafjallajokull, translated - "Island of mountain glaciers") gave rise to many anecdotes (though, mostly in printed form, it's not so easy to pronounce this word).
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Photo spectacle
People all over the world admire the extraordinary spectacle - some live, some in the photo.
1. Lava erupts from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano against the backdrop of lightning on April 17th. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)
2. A volcano near the southern Eyjafjallajokull glacier sends ash into the air at sunset on April 16. Thick puffs of volcanic ash enveloped parts of the Icelandic countryside, and an invisible plume of sand and dust covered Europe, clearing the skies of planes and forcing hundreds of thousands of people to rush to search for hotel rooms, train tickets and hire a taxi. (AP Photo/Brynjar Gauti)
3. A car drives along a volcanic ash-strewn road near Kirkjubaeyarklaustur. (AP Photo/Omar Oskarsson)
4. Chunks of ice from a glacier lie against the backdrop of an erupting volcano near Eyjafjallajoku on April 17. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)
5. An airplane flies past a pillar of smoke and ash from the Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano on April 17. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)
6. Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano in all its splendor. (AP Photo/Brynjar Gauti)
8. Ashes and a column of dust and dirt erupt from the crater of the Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano. (AP Photo/Arnar Thorisson/Helicopter.is)
9. An ash plume stretches south from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano over northern part Atlantic Ocean. The picture was taken from a satellite on April 17. A volcano in Iceland erupted another portion of ash and smoke on April 19, but the ash cloud that plunged airlines and tour operators across Europe into chaos fell to a height of 2 km. (REUTERS/NERC Satellite Receiving Station, Dundee University, Scotland)
10. Lava and lightning illuminate the crater of the Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)
11. The first of three photographs taken by Olivier Vandeginste 25 km from the crater of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano on April 18. The picture was taken with a 15 second exposure. (Olivier Vandeginste)
12. The second photo of Olivier Vandeginste, taken 25 km from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. In this 168-second exposure, the pillars of ash are illuminated from within by numerous lightning bolts. (Olivier Vandeginste)
13. Third photograph by Olivier Vandeguinste. Lightning and hot lava illuminate parts of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. The picture was taken with a 30 second exposure. (Olivier Vandeginste)
14. Lava fountains and flows, a volcanic plume and steam from evaporating snow are visible in this natural-color satellite image. The picture was taken on March 24 by the ALI instrument aboard the Earth Observing-1 satellite. Lava fountains (orange-red) are practically invisible through the lens of the device with a resolution of 10 meters. The cinder cone surrounding the fissure is black, as is the lava flow flowing to the northeast. White volcanic gases and lava rise from the fissure, and where lava meets snow, steam rises into the air. (The bright green stripe along the edge of the lava flow is sensor distortion.) (NASA's Earth Observatory/Robert Simmon)
15. Tourists gathered to watch the Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano spewing lava on March 27. On the morning of April 14, more than 800 people were evacuated in the area of the awakened volcano. (HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images)
16. People gathered to look at the lava flow of the Eyjafyatlayokudl volcano on March 27. (HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images)
18. Steam and hot gases rise above the lava from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano on April 3. (Ulrich Latzenhofer / CC BY-SA)
19. A farmer photographed the volcano shortly after it erupted. (Zuma Press).
20. Since many volcanoes in Iceland are covered with glaciers, they often flood them from below. The tongues of the glaciers break away from their places, releasing millions of tons of water and ice, which demolish everything in its path.
21. A picture of the volcano Eyyafyatlayokudl from space. It has three craters, ranging in size from 200 to 500 meters in diameter.
A few more photos.
Jokes and anecdotes
Written in a mixture of Icelandic and Norwegian. “Put 30 billion Euros in a dumpster outside the Icelandic embassy tonight, then we will turn off the volcano! Don't call the police."
Mystery of the name
In response to the actions of Iceland, Greenland begins to push into the ocean
icebergs.
New expletive: "Eyafjallajokull to you all over Europe!"
“Did you hear that Eyjafjallajokull came to life?
“Are you sure it’s not Hvannadalsnukur?”
- Of course, Hvannadalsnukur is near Kaulvafellsstadur itself, and Eyjafjallajokull is closer to Vestmannaeyjar if you go towards Snaefellsjokull.
- Thank God, otherwise I have relatives in Brunholskirkja!
If you read this dialogue aloud without hesitation, then you are an Icelander.
Patter: "Eyafyadlaekudl ejaculated, ejaculated, but did not ejaculate."
According to Mayan predictions, until all Europeans learn the word "Eyyafyaldaeküll", the volcano will not stop erupting. If it's hard for you to pronounce it, I suggest remembering the phrase: "Hey, I'm drunk, and forge with him."
We sat with you by the window, eating apple strudel. Both of us can't sleep anymore because Eyafjadlajokull.
"Eyyafyatlayokudl" - whatever you call a boat, that's how it will float.
News anchors are in quiet horror: according to rumors,
the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in the near future may be added and
pyroclastic flows from the Mexican mountain Popocatepetl.
Even brave travelers who have seen a lot have something to be surprised at in a small but beautiful Iceland! This the only island, located in the ocean on a volcanic mountain range, where the forces of nature so expressively manifest themselves!
Unexpectedly bursting into human life, volcanoes bring death to all living things, huge destruction and fires. Many people remember the case with the famous Icelandic Eyjafjallajökull, when the activity of the volcano caused the cancellation and delay of flights. It seems that a person has nothing to love volcanoes for. But every year the number of those who climb to the top of an active or dormant volcano increases - The best way have fun and relax during a tourist trip.
More than 140 different volcanoes (shield, crater series, stratovolcanoes, subglacial, underwater, mud volcanoes, etc.) have been identified in Iceland, of which 26 are active. The main part of the volcanoes is located in the middle of the country in a strip stretching from the southwest to the northeast. Powerful fissure eruptions are the most common. There are flat shield volcanoes. For example, Kollota dingya, trella dingya, formed by lava sheets with cinder cones on the surface and voids inside. At the top is a large round crater with steep walls.
About 30 km from Reykjavik, there is a volcano on the territory of the Blaufell nature reserve. Trihnukayigur – Three Peaks(Thrihnukagigur). He became popular interesting place For hiking trips, since it is a dormant and safe volcano, allowing you to travel inward and conduct research there.
Typically, during a volcanic eruption, the magma chamber fills with lava, which then cools and hardens, blocking the entrance. But there are suggestions that in Trihnyukaigyur, lava flowed back into the bowels of the earth. The magma chamber remained intact, and the volcano became unique place for excursions.
Arnie B. Stefansson, a great cave enthusiast from Reykjavik, proposed to open the volcano for visitors. He has been studying Iceland since 1954 and was the first to descend into the crater in 1974.
Three Peaks Volcano does not fall into the category of strong volcanic eruptions. The last time he was active about 4000 years ago. After that, there was an entrance 4 x 4 m in diameter, going to the volcanic storage, shaped like a bottle. Icelandic experienced tour operator and instructor ensures the safety of visitors during the exploration ancient volcano from within.
A special elevator, accommodating 5-6 people, in an open platform-basket will lower those who wish to visit the crater mouth down the steel cables. The descent to a depth of 120 meters takes about eight minutes. Inside the volcano, visitors will stay for about an hour, seeing the beautiful shades of the rock surface and appreciating the size of the interior space.
Most recently, the crater was visited by scientists studying underground depths. A year after that, excursions became available for everyone. Experts assure that the exotic walk does not pose a threat to human life.
The tour is open only in summer, the average temperature in the crater is always 6 C. Tourists are advised to buy warm clothes and special trekking shoes, take a camera and water with them.
Eyyafjallajokull(which means "island, mountain, glacier") - a glacier located 125 km from Reykjavik. Below it is a conical volcano with the same name. Glacier area up to 100 sq. km, peak height - 1666 m. Until 2010, the volcanic crater with a diameter of 3-4 km was covered with glaciers. The volcano belongs to the thyroid.
Near the southern end of the glacier is the nearest village of Skogar. The Skougau River begins here, on which the Skogafoss waterfall forms.
Recently, the unpronounceable name of the volcano has become a household name. Eyyafjallajokull, before it disrupted air traffic in 2010, did not stand out among other fire-breathing peaks of Iceland with something special and was known to a narrow circle of volcanologists. But for the state, which had a hard time surviving the crisis in the economy, the unexpected glory of the volcano turned out to be the way. Since December 2010, excursions in small groups have been allowed to Eyjafjallajokull.
For about two hundred years, the volcano was considered dormant. The eruption, which lasted almost a year, occurred in 1821-22, which caused the glacier to melt. The last eruption began in March 2010 with the formation of a 500-meter fault with a small emission of ash. The intensification of the eruption and the release of a large volume of volcanic ash continued in mid-April 2010. This led to the closure of some part of the European airspace for a few days.
When choosing a tour, please note that the best time to visit is from May to September. Many travel agencies are limited to excursions only to the foot of the volcano in jeeps. Only a few organize a classic walking ascent to the top.
Eyyafyadlayekudl is located 12 km from the ice volcano Katla, which is more active. In the past, Eyjafjallajökull erupted before the Katla eruption. Icelandic geophysicists have an assumption that the 2010 eruption could be the trigger for the Katla eruption.
Due to the volcanic eruption in spring 2011 Grimsvotn located nearby, climbs to Eyjafjallajokull were temporarily stopped. At this time, the situation remains calm, true lovers of extreme hiking can enjoy the ascent.
In the south of Iceland, in the region of Nordurland-Eistra, there is a subglacial volcano. Baurdarbunga. It includes volcanic faults, stratovolcanoes, craters, volcanic ridges. A major eruption occurred in 1477, the last was observed in 1910. A new eruption of Bardarbunga began in August 2014.
Height - 2009 meters, an under-ice stratovolcano, located in a caldera 700 meters deep. Volcanic faults coming from Bardarbunga are connected with Torvajokull and Askja volcanoes. Around the volcano settlements absent, in summer these places are visited by hunters and tourists.
The volcano was named after an Old Norse settler. Literally, it translates as "Baurdur's dome" or "Baurdur's plateau". Since 2007, there has been an increase in activity.
In the summer of 2014, studies showed the movement of magma in the volcano's chamber. In August, a series of tremors was noted. At the same time, the Icelandic authorities announced the danger code “yellow” for airlines flying over the island, several roads were also blocked, since after the eruption a cloud of volcanic ash could form and flooding occurred. The movement of magma 3-7 km below the surface created a high probability of a breakthrough of magma in the near future.
People were urgently evacuated from the area of the volcano (including 200 tourists from houses in Vatnajökull National Park). On August 20, the volcano erupted. The Civil Aviation Service, having declared the danger code "red", banned all flights in this zone. Magma came to the surface on August 29 from a fault outside the glacier. There was no significant emission of ash into the atmosphere. On the morning of August 31, the eruption continued.
In autumn 2014, seismic activity in the area of the volcano remained high, earthquakes were recorded.
An active stratovolcano is located in the center of the Icelandic plateau. Askya. The height is 1510 meters. As a result of volcanic activity, geological mountains formed around Askya. The last eruption was in 1961.
When the volcano erupted in March 1875, a 45 sq. km appeared two big lakes A. The deepest lake in Iceland Escuwatn occupies an area of 11 sq. km and has a depth of 220 m. Immediately after its appearance, it was warm, now it is more covered with ice. During the eruption in 1926, a small island was formed in the southern part of the lake.
close north coast Lake Eskjuvatn is a geothermal lake Viti. Its diameter is 100 meters, depth is 7 meters. The temperature of the milky-blue water can vary from 20 C to 27 C. Near the lake, there is a sharp smell of sulfur, which gave the lake its name.
As a result of the crater eruptions, in addition to these two large lakes, there are several smaller ones.
The tourist route to the Askew volcano depends on the location of the starting point: in the north or in the south. You can go on a trip only on a frame car with high or increased off-road cross-country ability.
Not far (8 km) from the caldera of the volcano there is a permanent tourist camp, where you can make a stop for rest. Two houses are intended for tourists. In one there is a shared small kitchen, shower, etc., in the other there are places to sleep.
There is a volcano in the south of the country. Hekla. In the Middle Ages locals it was called the "Gate to Hell". The researchers, studying the deposits of volcanic ash, concluded that the volcano had been active for 6600 years. The last eruption took place in 2011.
In 1104, an eruption was recorded, since that time there have been another 20-30 strong actions. Each volcanic eruption is different from each other, which makes it impossible to predict them. Some are short: 7-10 days, others last for months or even years. A feature was noticed: the longer Hekla sleeps, the more dangerous the eruption will be.
Traces of two eruptions: 950 BC and 1159 BC. e. have been found in Ireland and Scottish peat bogs. The force of the eruptions was enough for the temperature to drop in the northern hemisphere of the Earth for several years.
The word "Hekla" is translated as a short cloak with a hood, this name was given to the volcano because of the constant cloud cover at the top. The area around Hekla used to be covered with trees. Forests and tall plants are less sensitive to ash than low plants, but repeated exposure to the volcano and the effects of human habitation have made the plant surface susceptible to erosion. The state has launched a project to restore the forest, in particular some species of willow and birch, which began on the slopes of Hekla with fertilizing the soil and sowing various herbs. The result of the project should be the stabilization of volcanic ash areas, the reduction of weathering, and the increase in biodiversity.
For inexperienced tourists, tours to the country of centuries-old glaciers and active volcanoes seem uninteresting and unattractive. Before the imagination rises cold stone ash-ice harsh land in which it is impossible to spend an interesting vacation. It's not like that at all. The Russians, choosing an excursion group or individual tour to Iceland, will return home not only with positive emotions but also good memories!
