Volcano in Greenland. Icelandic volcano paralyzes air traffic

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. Most 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.

All central part The islands are occupied by volcanoes, deserts and are not habitable. 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. noteworthy. But these, in our opinion, are the most interesting and significant.

Hekla volcano is the most famous and most active volcano in Iceland, its meaning for Iceland is the same as for Japan the meaning 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 difficulty levels. 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 since 2008 National park Vatnajokull. 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 overhead 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 Katla in 1612 and 1821-1823.

Eyyafjallajokull

Eyyafyadlayokyudl - 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

Today Office civil aviation Britain was ordered to close the country's airspace due to the active Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland. The volcano erupts for the second time in less than a month, melting the ice, releasing smoke and steam into the air and forcing hundreds of people to flee their homes. Volcanic ash has led to the cancellation of many flights in northern Europe. Collected in this issue are photographs of recent eruptions. (Look )

(Total 23 photos)

1. Clouds of smoke rise from an erupting volcano on April 14 near Reykjavik. All flights at London airports, including the famous Heathrow, were canceled today from noon due to volcanic ash, which has already caused the delay of almost 300 flights in Iceland. (AFP/Getty Images)

2. A picture taken from a helicopter by the Icelandic Coast Guard shows the flooding caused by the Eyjafjalla glacier on April 14th. On Wednesday, the glacier melted due to a volcanic eruption, causing massive flooding that threatened to wash away roads and bridges and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes. (REUTERS/Icelandic Coast Guard/Arni Saeberg)

3. Melting ice of the Eyjafjalla glacier in southern Iceland. (REUTERS/Icelandic Coast Guard/Arni Saeberg)

4. Glacial river Markarfljot to the west of the Eyjafjalla glacier. During the second eruption Icelandic volcano In less than a month, part of the glacier melted, causing a major flood. As a result, 800 people had to be evacuated and flights over Norway were cancelled. (HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images)

5. Flooding caused by a volcanic eruption in Iceland on April 14. (REUTERS/Icelandic Coast Guard/Arni Saeberg)

6. A man photographs a road washed out by flooding after the melting of the Eyjafjalla glacier, near Reykjavik. (HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images)

7. Smoke and steam rise from the volcano, which is erupting for the second time in less than a month. (AP Photo/Icelandic Coastguard)

8. Fountains and , 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)

9. This image, taken on March 27, shows lava erupting from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano about 125 km east of Reykjavik. A small Icelandic volcano that has forced hundreds of people from their homes has caused a "tourist explosion" as people flock to Iceland to watch the spectacle. (HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images)

10. Tourists gathered to watch the Eyjafjallajokull 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)

11. People gathered to watch the lava flow of the volcano Eyyafyatlayokudl on March 27. (HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images)

16. The volcano erupts lava fountains in Holsjodlyur on March 21. (Fior Kjartansson/AFP/Getty Images)

17. Steam and hot gases rise above the lava from the Eyjafyatlayokudl volcano on April 3. (Ulrich Latzenhofer / CC BY-SA)

18. In this photo taken by the NEODASS satellite station at the University of Dundee, an ash plume can be seen stretching from Iceland (top left) towards the UK. (AP Photo/NEODAAS/University of Dundee)

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. Thanks to this, the island is filled with active volcanoes, geothermal springs, lava fields 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. These are mainly coastal zones and valleys.

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”. Hekla has been active for the past 6,600 years, as revealed by studying the volcano and its ash deposits. The last eruption of Hekla was recorded in 2000.

Hekla is a very unpredictable volcano. Its eruptions can be very diverse. 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, while the other can stretch for months and even years (for example, the Hekla eruption that began on March 29, 1947 and 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 eruptions of Hekla, then the strongest of them were in 1159 BC and in 950 BC. These were very powerful eruptions, volcanic rocks thrown out by Hekla, scattered for 7.3 km, on a scale volcanic activity eruptions were assigned 5-point difficulty levels. The power of these eruptions was quite enough to create the effect of a volcanic winter with a decrease in the temperature of the northern 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 in Iceland is Lucky. Laki is a shield volcano, as are most volcanoes in Iceland. This is a giant, twenty-five-kilometer crack and a volcanic field with many craters (today, scientists have more than 110 - 115 craters).

Volcano Laki is located in natural park Skaftafell, which has joined Vatnajökull National Park since 2008. On average, the height of numerous Laki craters is no more than 80-90 meters above the level of the basalt surface, but there are also 800-meter volcanic cones. Lucky - is part of a large system of volcanoes, spread within the glaciers Mirdalsjokull and Vatnajokull.

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 together with neighboring volcanoes for 8 months. During this time, the lava flows spread over more than 130 kilometers, forming lava fields behind them. The eruption was classified as a six-point eruption.

As a result of the Laki volcano eruption, huge masses of poisonous gases were thrown into the air. Which destroyed half of the livestock in Iceland and almost a quarter of its population. The climate of Iceland has undergone significant changes, glaciers have melted and floods have occurred. The volcanic winter effect caused by the Icelandic volcanic eruption led to severe droughts in Japan and India, and North America experienced the coldest winter in its history. Just as severe were the consequences of the Laki Volcano Eruption in North Africa.

Ash from an eruption in Iceland was in the air over almost half of Eurasia. According to experts, due to the eruption of Laki, 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 its length was approximately 200 meters, and during the 1998 eruption it was more than 500 meters.

The Grimsvotn volcano erupts every 3-10 years. Over the past century, about 20 major eruptions of this volcano have been recorded. In the recent past, major eruptions of Grimsvotn were in 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2011. In 1996, the volcano erupted under the ice, resulting in extensive glacier melt and flooding. The flow from the melting of the glacier had a flow of water of approximately 200.000 - 300.000 cubic meters per second. For comparison, I will say that the flow of water in the Amazon - the most full-flowing river in the world, is 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 the 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 heaps, glaciers, black sands and geothermal sources escaping to the surface. When visiting this region, you have to rely solely on your own strength 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 of the icy land is located - the Askja volcano. You can find the volcano on the lava plateau of Oudaudahroin. 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 the bluish waters of the volcanic lake is possible only from the eastern side, where you can swim. The second lake is Viti, small. Its diameter is only 100 meters. And it smells of sulfur.

Of course, the best time to travel to the Askja volcano and the pearl of the Icelandic lakes is Joskjuvatn, summer, because the path to the volcano is not close.

Volcano Askja is one of the the most beautiful volcanoes 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 of Askya was recorded in 1961.

Katla volcano, located in the southern part of Iceland, a little higher than the Askja volcano, its height is about 1512 meters. The Katla caldera is 10 meters in diameter. And for you, the volcano lies under the southeastern edge of the 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 14 times. Moreover, during its eruptions, intense melting of the glacier occurred, as a result of which powerful streams of water were formed. For example, the eruption of 1755 led to the formation of a powerful flow of water with a flow rate of 200,000 - 400,000 cubic meters per second and melt water flooded nearby areas.

Today Katla is activated again. The level of the magma layer in Katla is growing. And besides, the last major eruption was already almost a century ago, and if we take into account the frequency of Katla eruptions (no more than 80 years), then the increasing activity of the volcano becomes clear. According to scientists, the consequences of a possible eruption could be very large: the melting of glaciers and floods in Iceland, as well as the termination of communication with the country by means of overhead lines.

Katla's eruptions are associated with periods of activity, located 20 kilometers away from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. For more than 1,000 years, the eruptions of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano have been the impetus for the Katla eruption. The first such connection was revealed during the eruption of Katla in 920. Further, a similar mechanism launched Katlu in 1612 and 1821-1823.

Eyjafjallajokull volcano

Eyjafjallajökull 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 3-4 kilometers. Until 2010 - the last volcanic eruption, its crater was covered with a glacier cap.

Eyjafjallajökull's 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. Eyjafjallajökull erupted along with its nearest neighbor, Katla. The eruption was assigned a two-point level on the scale of volcanic activity.

After, almost two hundred years, the volcano slept. And I 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 formidable volcano, which caused many Europeans to panic three years ago, again gave an alarm signal about its awakening.

Volcanoes are frightening and attract a person to them. For centuries they can sleep. An example is the recent history of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. People cultivate fields on the slopes of fiery mountains, conquer their peaks, build houses. But sooner or later, the fire-breathing mountain will wake up, bringing destruction and misfortune.

It is the sixth largest glacier in Iceland, located in the south, 125 km east of Reykjavik. Under it and partly under the neighboring Myrdalsjökull glacier, a conical volcano hides.

The height of the top of the glacier is 1666 meters, its area is about 100 km². The volcanic crater reaches a diameter of 4 km. Five years ago its slopes were covered with glaciers. Nearest locality- the village of Skougar, located in the south of the glacier. This is where the Skougau River starts. famous waterfall Skogafoss.

Eyyafyatlayokudl - the origin of the name

The name of the volcano comes from three Icelandic words that mean island, glacier and mountain. Perhaps that is why it is so difficult to pronounce and hard to remember. According to linguists, only a small part of the inhabitants of the Earth can pronounce this name correctly - Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano. Translation from Icelandic sounds literally like "island of mountain glaciers."

Volcano without a name

As such, the phrase "volcano Eyyafyatlayokudl" entered the world lexicon in 2010. This is funny, considering that in fact, a fire-breathing mountain with that name does not exist in nature. Iceland has many glaciers and volcanoes. There are about thirty of the latter on the island. At 125 kilometers from Reykjavik, in the south of Iceland, there is a pretty large glacier. It was he who shared his name with the volcano Eyyafyatlayokudl.

It is under it that there is a volcano, which for many centuries has not come up with a name. He is unnamed. In April 2010, he alarmed the whole of Europe, for some time becoming a world newsmaker. In order not to name it in the media, it was proposed to name it by the name of the glacier - Eyyafyatlayokudl. In order not to confuse our readers, we will call it the same.

Description

Eyjafjallajokull is a typical stratovolcano. In other words, its cone is formed by numerous layers of solidified mixture of lava, ash, stones, etc.

Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano has been active for 700,000 years, but since 1823 it has been categorized as dormant. This suggests that no eruptions have been recorded since the beginning of the 19th century. The state of the Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano did not cause particular cause for concern for scientists. They found that it had erupted several times over the past millennium. True, these manifestations of activity could be classified as calm - they did not pose a danger to people. As evidenced by the documents, the latest eruptions were not distinguished by large emissions of volcanic ash, lava and hot gases.

Irish volcano Eyyafyatlayokudl - the story of one eruption

As already mentioned, after the eruption in 1823, the volcano was recognized as dormant. At the end of 2009, seismic activity intensified in it. Until March 2010, there were about a thousand tremors with a force of 1-2 points. This disturbance occurred at a depth of about 10 km.

In February 2010, employees of the Icelandic Meteorological Institute, using GPS measurements, recorded a displacement of the earth's crust by 3 cm to the southeast in the region of the glacier. Activity continued to grow and reached its maximum by March 3-5. At this time, up to three thousand shocks per day were recorded.

Waiting for the eruption

From the danger zone around the volcano, the authorities decided to evacuate 500 local residents, fearing flooding of the area, which could cause an intense covering of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano. Closed as a precaution international Airport Keflavik.

Since March 19, the tremors have moved to the east of the northern crater. They were tapped at a depth of 4 - 7 km. Gradually, the activity spread further to the east, and shaking began to occur closer to the surface.

At 23:00 on April 13, Icelandic scientists recorded seismic activity in the central part of the volcano, west of the two cracks that had formed. An hour later, a new eruption began in the south of the central caldera. A column of hot ash rose 8 km.

Another crack appeared, more than 2 kilometers long. The glacier began to melt actively, and its waters flowed both to the north and to the south, into populated areas. 700 people were urgently evacuated. During the day, melt water flooded highway, the first destruction occurred. Volcanic ash has been recorded in southern Iceland.

By April 16, the ash column had reached 13 kilometers. This caused alarm among scientists. When the ash rises above 11 kilometers above sea level, it enters the stratosphere and can be carried over long distances. Spreading ashes in eastbound contributed to a powerful anticyclone over the North Atlantic.

Last eruption

This happened on March 20, 2010. On this day it began last eruption volcano in Iceland. Eyjafjallajokull finally woke up at 23:30 GMT. A fault formed in the east of the glacier, the length of which was about 500 meters.

At this time, no large ash emissions were recorded. On April 14, the eruption intensified. It was then that powerful emissions of gigantic volumes of volcanic ash appeared. In this regard, the airspace over part of Europe was closed until April 20, 2010. Occasionally, flights were limited in May 2010. Experts estimated the intensity of the eruption on the VEI scale at 4 points.

Dangerous Ash

It should be noted that there was nothing outstanding in the behavior of the Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano. After seismic activity that lasted several months, a rather calm volcanic eruption began in the region of the glacier on the night of March 20-21. It was not even mentioned in the press. Everything changed only on the night of April 13-14, when the eruption began to be accompanied by the release of a gigantic volume of volcanic ash, and its column reached a great height.

What caused the air transport collapse?

It is worth recalling that since March 20, 2010, over the Old World hung air transport collapse. It was associated with a volcanic cloud, which was created by the suddenly awakened Eyyafyatlayokudl volcano. It is not known where this mountain, silent since the 19th century, gained strength, but gradually a huge cloud of ash, which began to form on April 14, covered Europe.

After closing airspace more than 300 airports across Europe were paralyzed. The volcanic ash also caused a lot of anxiety to Russian specialists. Hundreds of flights have been delayed or completely canceled in our country. Thousands of people, including Russians, were waiting for an improvement in the situation at airports around the world.

And the cloud of volcanic ash seemed to play with people, changing the direction of movement daily and completely “did not listen” to the opinions of experts who reassured desperate people that the eruption would not last long.

Geophysicists from the Icelandic weather service told RIA Novosti on April 18 that they were unable to predict the duration of the eruption. Mankind prepared for a protracted "battle" with the volcano and began to count considerable losses.

Oddly enough, but for Iceland itself, the awakening of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano did not have any serious consequences, except, perhaps, for the evacuation of the population and the temporary closure of one airport.

And for continental Europe, a huge column of volcanic ash has become a real disaster, of course, in the transport aspect. This was due to the fact that volcanic ash has such physical properties that are extremely dangerous for aviation. When it enters the aircraft turbine, it is able to stop the engine, which will undoubtedly lead to a terrible disaster.

The risk to aviation is greatly increased due to the large accumulation of volcanic ash in the air, which significantly reduces visibility. This is especially dangerous when landing. Volcanic ash can cause malfunctions in the operation of on-board electronics and radio equipment, on which flight safety largely depends.

Losses

The Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption caused damage to Europe travel companies. They claim that their losses exceeded $ 2.3 billion, and the damage that hit the pocket every day was approximately $ 400 million.

Airlines' losses were officially estimated at $1.7 billion. Awakening fiery mountain affected 29% of world aviation. Every day more than a million passengers became hostages of the eruption.

The Russian Aeroflot also suffered. During the closure of air lines over Europe, the company did not perform 362 flights on time. Her losses were in the millions of dollars.

Expert opinions

Experts say that the volcanic cloud really poses a serious danger to aircraft. When an aircraft hits it, the crew notes very poor visibility. On-board electronics work with big interruptions.

The resulting glassy "shirts" on the engine rotor blades, clogging of the holes that are used to supply air to the engine and other parts of the aircraft, can cause their failure. The captains of the airships agree with this.

Volcano Katla

After the fading of the activity of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, many scientists predicted even more powerful eruption Another Icelandic fiery mountain is Katla. It is much larger and more powerful than Eyyafyatlayokudl.

For the last two millennia, when man watched the eruptions of Eyyafyatlayokudl, Katla also exploded after them at intervals of six months.

These volcanoes are located in the south of Iceland, at a distance of eighteen kilometers from each other. They are connected by a common underground system of magma channels. The Katla crater is located under the Myrdalsjokull glacier. Its area is 700 sq. km, thickness - 500 meters. Scientists are sure that during its eruption, ash will fall into the atmosphere ten times more than in 2010. But fortunately, despite the menacing forecasts of scientists, Katla has not yet shown signs of life.

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 modern history humanity, 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 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 in these harsh edges thousands of tourists come to see 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 news feeds, perhaps this event did not have such popularity in the media mass media, were it not for the problems with air travel that have arisen 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 area. 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 similar 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, Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano caused serious damage 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 became interested in the origin and meaning of the toponym different countries 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.