In the spring of 2010, the whole world watched the powerful eruption of an Icelandic volcano with the unusual and fabulous name Eyjafjallajokull. 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 is often called the ice kingdom; it is located between Greenland and Norway in close proximity to the Arctic Circle. The bulk of Iceland lies 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 throughout the world. Every year thousands of tourists come to these harsh lands to get acquainted with the unique nature and, of course, see the most famous volcano in Iceland - Eyjafjallajokull. After 2010, the flow of people wishing to witness this wonder of the world with their own eyes has increased noticeably.

Historical reference

Iceland is located at the junction of two continental plates, the Eurasian and North American, and is considered the country with the largest number of geothermal springs, lava fields, ice and volcanoes. There are more than a hundred of them, and twenty-five are active. The most popular volcanoes among tourists are Laki and Hekla; they have almost a hundred craters and present a unique spectacle.

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 was not so popular in the media mass media, if not for the problems with air travel that arose in most of Europe.

Eyjafjallajökull is a stratovolcano whose cone is formed by layers of hardened lava and rock left behind after numerous eruptions. Officially, this is not a volcano, but a glacier, the sixth largest on the island, 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 Eyjafjallajokull volcano occurred 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 tremors of 1-2 magnitude. They continued for several months, and even a shift of the cortex of 3 cm was recorded.

The activity of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano worried the authorities in the region, they took the necessary measures to resettle local residents, and the nearest airport was closed. People were primarily afraid of flooding, since the glacier could begin to melt under the influence of the earth's heat.

Scientists have been monitoring activity in this area for a long time, so casualties were avoided. In total, more than 800 people left the disaster zone. After the investigation, the possibility of flooding was ruled out and some residents returned to their homes.

Chronicle of events

On March 20, 2010, in the late evening, the Eyjafjallajökull volcano began to erupt. Smoke and ash poured out from a fissure that appeared in the glacier; the first emissions were small and did not reach a height of more than one kilometer. After five days, activity had decreased significantly. The reason was that melted water poured into the crater and partially extinguished the fire.

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 Eyjafjallajokull was once again shaken by 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 the fifteenth and sixteenth of April, this figure was already 15 km, and volcanic ash reached the stratosphere, from where the substances are already spreading over long distances.

Closure of air traffic in Europe

The Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull will go down in 21st century history thanks to the massive consequences of its eruption. Due to its activity, air traffic in dozens of countries was suspended. Companies suffered losses, thousands of passengers huddled in air terminals and in the homes of caring people.

Events in Iceland had a major impact on the revision of some laws and regulations governing air travel in such situations. Many companies said that the computer program that calculates the risks of flying in the ash zone is questionable, and they also accused the heads of European countries of deliberately exaggerating the problem and being helpless when making important decisions.

Consequences

In addition to economic damage, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland has caused serious environmental damage. In the first three days, about 140 million cubic meters of dust were released into the atmosphere. During an eruption, ash is thrown into the air along with particles of earth rocks. great amount suspended particles or aerosols. The danger of such a substance is that it quickly spreads over long distances 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 Eyjafjallajökull was not so powerful that the emissions could somehow lead to climate change, or at most affect the weather. Thus, long and thick clouds were observed many thousands of kilometers from the island, even in Russia.

Ash Spread

The progress of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption was recorded from space, and daily meteorological services forecast the movement of the dust cloud. In mid-April 2010, ash covered more than half of Europe and some regions of Russia. Officially, Roshydrometcenter has not confirmed the assumption that particles of dust and volcanic matter have reached the territory of our country. True, eyewitnesses claim that the ashes could be easily detected with a sheet of paper placed on the windowsill.

The ejected dust consisted of fine-grained, volatile tephra, some of which settled near the vent and on the glacier, but the bulk of which 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 events began, the media of all countries reported that the Eyjafjallajokull volcano had finally ceased its activity. The 2010 eruption was remembered primarily not for its uniqueness, because similar things happen on earth all the time, but for the increased attention to this event in the news and newspapers.

The Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland, whose photos appeared on the covers of many publications seven years ago, has a special history. Such a complex name comes from combining three words at once, meaning mountain, glacier and island. And in fact, the name belongs to the glacier, under which the volcano was located 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 exact value words.

After the hype surrounding the Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption subsided, the scientific world started talking about another possible problem, which can lead to much 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 Eyjafjallajokull preceded the eruption of the much more powerful and destructive volcano Katla. Therefore, scientists have suggested that the events of seven years ago may turn out to be the beginning of a more grandiose catastrophe in the future.

There are still many places in this region where nature can bring surprises. So, a few hundred kilometers away is the only active volcano in Norway. Eyjafjallajökull and Berenberg (translated as “Bear Mountain”) are similar in structure and physical characteristics. The northernmost volcano in the world was also considered extinct for a long time, but in 1985 a strong eruption was recorded.

Reflection in culture

Today, the story of seven years ago on the distant island of Iceland has been somewhat forgotten, but at the time this event made a strong impression on many, because not every day in live you can see a real volcano erupting. Society reacted differently to the event. Videos appeared on the Internet in which people tried to pronounce the unusual name, and people wrote 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 Passions” and some episodes of the American-made film “The Walter Mitty Story”.

Perhaps the sweetest note to the craze for the Icelandic natural phenomenon was brought by a native of this country, singer Elisa Geirsdottir Newman. She composed a playful song about Eyjafjallajökull, which helps people learn how to pronounce the exotic name correctly.

For many people, the concept of “volcano” is associated with a high mountain, from the top of which a fountain of gas, ash and flame bursts into the sky, and the slopes are filled with hot lava. Irish volcanoes bear little resemblance to classical ones. The vast majority of them are not impressive in height. Only a few have “stepped over” the 2 km mark, the rest stay within 1-1.5 km, and many even less. For example, Hverfjall, Eldfell, Surtsey barely reach a few hundred meters in height, more reminiscent of ordinary hills. But these seemingly peaceful and safe creations of Mother Nature can in reality bring no less trouble than the famous Etna or Vesuvius. We invite you to get to know them better, and let's start with their homeland.

Harsh Island

Nature loves to give surprises. For example, she created the island of Iceland by raising part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge above the ocean, precisely at the site of a huge tectonic suture. One of which is the foundation of Eurasia, and the second - North America, are still gradually diverging, thereby prompting Icelandic volcanoes to become active. Small and large eruptions occur here approximately every 4-6 years.

The climate of Iceland, given its proximity to the Arctic Circle, can be called mild. However, there are no warm summers here. But severe winters are also rare, but there is a lot of precipitation. It would seem that these are unusually favorable conditions for various types of vegetation, which should flourish here with fantastic force. But in reality, 3/4 of the island’s territory is a rocky plateau, here and there covered with mosses and rare herbs. In addition, of the 103,000 square km, about 12,000 are occupied by glaciers. This is the natural landscape that surrounds Icelandic volcanoes and adorns their slopes. In addition to those visible to the eye, there are many volcanoes around the island, hidden by a layer of icy ocean waters. All together there are almost one and a half hundred of them, among which 26 are active.

Geological features

The overwhelming majority of Icelandic volcanoes are shield volcanoes in shape. They are formed by liquid lava, repeatedly poured onto the surface from the bowels of the Earth. Such mountain formations have the appearance of a convex shield with fairly gentle slopes. Their peaks are crowned by craters, and more often by so-called calderas, which are huge basins with a more or less flat bottom and steep walls. The diameter of the calderas is measured in kilometers, and the height of the walls is measured in hundreds of meters. Shield volcanoes tend to overlap due to lava pouring out of them. As a result, an extensive volcanic shield is formed, as is observed on the island of Iceland. They are composed mainly of basalt rocks, which in a molten state spread like water.

In addition to shield volcanoes, Iceland has stratovolcanoes. These have the shape of a cone with steeper slopes, since the lava erupting from them is viscous and hardens quickly, without having time to spread over many kilometers. A striking example of this type of formation is the famous volcano of Iceland Hekla or, for example, Askja.

Based on their location, they distinguish between terrestrial, underwater and subglacial mountain formations, and based on their “life activity” they distinguish between dormant and active ones. In addition, there are many small mud volcanoes that erupt not lava, but gases and mud.

"Gateway to Hell"

This is the name given to a volcano in the south of Iceland called Hekla. It is considered one of the most active, as eruptions occur here almost every 50 years. The last time this happened was at the end of February 2000. Hekla looks like a majestic white cone reaching into the sky. In shape it is a stratovolcano, and by its nature it is part of a mountain range that stretches for 40 km. It is all restless, but shows the highest activity in the area of ​​the Heklugya fissure, 5500 m long, belonging to Hekla. From Icelandic this word can be translated as “hood and cloak.” This was due to the fact that its top is often covered with clouds. Now the slopes of Hekla are practically lifeless, but once upon a time trees and shrubs grew on them, and grasses grew wild. Not long ago, the country began work to restore fauna on this volcano, mainly willows and birches.

Iceland has suffered more than once from seismic activity in this area. The Hekla volcano (according to scientists) has been actively spitting lava onto the surface of the Earth for 6,600 years. Studying volcanic layers, seismologists found that the strongest eruption here occurred between 950 and 1150. BC. Based on the amount of ash emitted into the atmosphere at that time, it was given 5 points out of 7 possible. The power of the eruption was such that the air temperature in the entire Northern Hemisphere of the Earth dropped for several years. The oldest documented eruption on Hekla occurred in 1104, and the longest - in 1947. It lasted for more than a year. In general, all eruptions on Hekla are unique, and all are different. There is only one pattern here - the longer this volcano sleeps, the more violent it becomes later.

Askja

This volcano, located in the eastern part of the island, in national park Vatnajökull, named after the huge glacier (the largest in Iceland and the third largest in the world). Askja is located at its northern edge and is not covered with ice. It rises 1510 meters above the plateau and is famous for its lakes - large Eskjuvati and small Viti, which appeared in the caldera thanks to the Askja eruption in 1875. With a depth of about 220 meters, Eskewatee is considered the deepest lake in the country. Viti is much shallower - only up to 7 meters deep. It attracts hundreds of tourists with the unusual milky blue color of the water and the fact that its temperature can rise to +60 degrees Celsius and never drops below +20 degrees. The Viti mirror is almost perfectly round, and the banks are very high (from 50 m) and steep. The angle of their slopes exceeds 45 degrees. Translated from Icelandic, “Viti” means “hell”, which is facilitated by the constantly present smell of sulfur. The Icelandic volcano Askja last erupted in 1961, and since then it has been dormant, although it is considered active. This does not frighten tourists at all, who visit Askew so actively that they even laid 2 tourist routes here, and a campsite was built 8 km from the caldera dish.

Bourdarbunga

The name of the Icelandic volcano Bárðarbunga is often shortened to Bárðarbunga. It arose from the name Baurdur. This was the name of one of the ancient settlers of the island, who apparently lived in these places, since in translation from Icelandic “Baurdarbunga” means “hill of Baurdur”. Now it is deserted and deserted, only hunters and tourists wander here, and even then only in the summer. The volcano is Askja's neighbor, but is located a little further south, just under the edge of the Vatnajökull glacier. This is a relatively high (2009 meters) stratovolcano, periodically “delighting” with its eruptions. One of the largest, receiving 6 points, happened in 1477.

The latest “outburst” of the Icelandic volcano Bárðarbunga has frayed the nerves of the island’s residents, especially airline workers. In 1910 there was an eruption here, but not particularly strong, after which the mountain became quiet. And now, almost a hundred years later, namely in 2007, seismologists again noticed its activity, which was gradually increasing. The maximum was expected to be reached any minute.

Eruption

At the beginning of the summer of 2014, instruments recorded significant movements of magma in the Bardarbunga chamber. On August 17, tremors with a magnitude of 3.8 occurred in the area where the volcano is located, and on the 18th their magnitude increased to 4.5. An urgent evacuation of residents of nearby villages and tourists was carried out, some roads were blocked, and a code yellow was announced for airlines. The Icelandic volcano Bárdarbunga began to erupt on the 23rd. The color of the code was immediately changed to red, and all flights over this area were banned. Although tremors with a magnitude of 4.9-5.5 continued, there was no particular danger for airliners, and by evening the code color was changed to orange. On the 29th magma appeared. It splashed out of the crater of the volcano and spread in the direction of Askya, going beyond the glacier. The color code was raised back to red, stopping all flights over the volcano, making it much more difficult for airlines to operate. Since the magma spread quite peacefully, by the evening of the 29th the color code was again reduced to orange. And on August 31, at 7 a.m., magma burst out with renewed vigor from a previously formed fault. The width of its stream reached 1 km, and the length - 3 km. The code turned red again, and in the evening it dropped back to orange. In this spirit, the eruption lasted until the end of February 2015, after which the volcano began to fall asleep. After 16 days, tourists poured here again.

Eyjafjallajökull

Only 0.005% of earthlings can correctly pronounce this name of the Icelandic volcano. Eyjafjallajökull is something close to the “true” in the Russian version. Although this volcano is located in the south of the island (125 km from Reykjavik), it was entirely covered by a glacier, which was given the same complex name. The glacier's area is more than 100 square km. At its top is the source of the Skogau River, and just below the waterfalls Skógafoss and Kvernyvoss, attractive to tourists, fall. A more or less significant eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull occurred in 1821. And although it lasted almost 13 months, it did not cause any problems other than the melting of the glacier, since its intensity did not exceed 2 points. This volcano was considered so reliable that the village of Skougar was even founded on its southern tip. And suddenly, in March 2010, Eyjafjallajökull woke up again. A 500-meter fault appeared in its eastern part, from which clouds of ash rose into the air. It was all over by the beginning of May. This time the intensity of the eruption reached 4 points. Now the slopes of the volcano are covered not with ice, but with green vegetation. Many people are interested in which Icelandic city is closest to the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. Here we should mention the village of Skógar, which has as many as 25 inhabitants. Next comes the village of Holt, then Hvolsvulur and the town of Selfoss, located about 50 km from the mountain.

Katla

This volcano is located just 20 km from Eyjafjallajökull and is more restless. Its height is 1512 meters, and the frequency of eruptions is from 40 years. Since Katla is partly covered by the Myrdalsjökull glacier, its activity is fraught with melting ice and floods, which happened in 1755, and in 1918, and in 2011. Moreover, the last time it was so large-scale that it demolished the bridge on the Mulakvisl River and destroyed the highway. Scientists have absolutely established that the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull every time is an impetus for the activity of Katla. In any case, this pattern has been observed since 920.

Surtsey

The active volcanoes in Iceland are extremely beneficial for Icelanders. They help enrich the country, and the geysers located in their area are used to heat houses, greenhouses, and swimming pools. But that's not all. Volcanoes in Iceland increase the country's territory! The last time this happened was in November 1963. Then, after the eruption of underwater volcanoes, a new piece of land appeared off the southwestern coast of the island, called Surtsey. It has become a unique reserve where scientists track the emergence of life. At first completely lifeless, Surtsey now boasts not only mosses and lichens, but even flowers and bushes in which birds have begun to nest. Nowadays gulls, swans, auks, petrels, puffins and others are observed here. The height of Surtsey is 154 meters, the area is 1.5 square meters. km, and it is still growing. It is part of the Vestmannaeyjar chain of underwater volcanoes.

Esya

This extinct volcano is famous for the fact that the capital of the state, Reykjavik, is located at its foot. It’s hard to say when the Icelandic volcano Esja last erupted, and no one cares. The volcano, the top of which is visible from almost anywhere in the city, is loved by all its residents and extremely popular among tourists, climbers and all connoisseurs of the harsh beauties of nature. The mountain range of which Esja is part begins at the fjord above the capital and extends to Thingvellir National Park. The height of the volcano is about 900 meters, and its slopes, covered with bushes and flowers, are unusually picturesque.

Lucky

This shield volcano is the highlight of the Skaftafell National Park. It is located near a town with the simple name Kirkjubeyarklaustur. Laki is part of a 25 km long chain of Icelandic volcanoes consisting of 115 craters. The volcanoes Katla and Grímsvötn are also links in this chain. The height of their craters is generally small, about 800-900 meters. The Laki crater is located somewhere in the middle between the glaciers - the huge Vatnajökull and the relatively small Mýrdalsjökull. It is considered functional, but has not caused problems for over 200 years.

Grimsvotn

This volcano is the top of the chain that includes Laki. Nobody knows its exact height. Some believe it is only 970 meters, others call the figure 1725 meters. The dimensions of the crater are also difficult to determine, since after each eruption they increase significantly. The word "Grimsvotn" means "dark waters" in Icelandic. It probably arose because after volcanic eruptions, some part of the Vatnajökull glacier that covers it melts. Grimsvotn is considered almost the most active on the peninsula, as it becomes active every 3-10 years. The last time this happened was in 2011, on May 21. Smoke and ash erupting from its crater then rose 20 km into the sky. Many flights were canceled not only in Iceland, but also in Britain, Norway, Denmark, Scotland and even Germany.

Fatal eruption

Lucky is quiet and calm at the moment. He rages rarely, but, as they say, accurately. In 1783, the once again awakened volcano in Iceland - Laki - united the devilish force with its neighbor Grimsvotn and a boiling stream of lava fell on the surrounding area. The length exceeded 130 km. It, sweeping away everything in its path, spilled over an area of ​​565 km 2 . At the same time, poisonous fumes of fluorine and sulfur swirled in the air, like in hell. As a result, thousands of animals died, almost all the birds and fish in the area. From high temperatures The ice began to melt, their waters flooded everything that had not burned. killed 1/5 of the country's inhabitants, and the luminous fog, which was observed all summer even in America, lowered the temperature throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere of the planet, causing famine in many countries. This eruption is considered the most destructive in the 1000-year history of the Earth.

Erayvajökull

These are the Icelandic volcanoes. I would like to finish our story with a story about Eraivajökull, the largest on the island. It is on it that the highest point in Iceland is located - the peak of Hvannadalshnukur. The volcano is located in the Skaftafell nature reserve. The height of this giant is 2119 meters, its caldera is not round, like most other similar formations, but rectangular with sides of 4 and 5 km. Erayvajökull is considered active, but its last eruption ended in May 1828, and it no longer bothers anyone - it stands covered in ice and delights with its harsh beauty.

Even brave travelers who have seen a lot have something to be surprised by in small but beautiful Iceland! This is the only island located in the ocean on a volcanic mountain ridge, where the forces of nature manifest themselves so expressively!

Suddenly bursting into human life, volcanoes bring the death of all living things, enormous destruction and fires. Many remember the case of the famous Icelandic Eyjafjallajokull, when volcanic activity caused cancellations and delays of flights. It seems that there is no reason for a person to love volcanoes. But every year the number of those who want to 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 have been identified in Iceland (shield, crater series, stratovolcanoes, subglacial, underwater, mud, etc.), of which 26 are active. The main part of the volcanoes is located in the middle of the country in a strip stretching from southwest to northeast. The most common are powerful fissure eruptions. There are flat shield-shaped volcanoes. For example, Collota-dingya, Trella-dingya, formed by lava covers with cinder cones on the surface and voids inside. At the top there is a large round crater with steep walls.

About 30 km from Reykjavik, in the Blaufell nature reserve, there is a volcano Trikhnyukayigur – Three Peaks(Thrihnukagigur). He became popular interesting place for hiking trips, since it is an inactive and safe volcano, allowing you to travel inside and conduct research there.

Typically, during a volcanic eruption, the magma chamber is filled with lava, which then cools and hardens, blocking the entrance. But there are suggestions that in Thrihnukayigur the lava flowed back into the bowels of the earth. The magma chamber has remained intact, and the volcano has become a unique place for excursions.

Arni B. Stefansson, a great cave enthusiast from Reykjavik, suggested opening the volcano to 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 was about 4,000 years ago. After which there was an entrance 4 x 4 m in diameter, leading to a volcanic storage facility shaped like a bottle. An experienced Icelandic tour operator and instructor ensures the safety of visitors as they explore the inside of an ancient volcano.

A special elevator, accommodating 5-6 people, in an open platform-basket will lower those wishing to visit the mouth of the crater down the steel cables. The descent to a depth of 120 meters takes about eight minutes. Visitors will spend about an hour inside the volcano, seeing the beautiful shades of the rock surface and appreciating the size of the interior space.

More recently, the crater was visited by scientists studying underground depths. A year after this, excursions became available to everyone. Experts assure that the exotic walk does not pose a threat to people's lives.

The tour is open only in summer; the average temperature in the crater is always 6 C. Tourists are advised to purchase warm clothes and special trekking shoes, and take a camera and water with them.

Eyjafjallajökull(which means “island, mountain, glacier”) is a glacier located 125 km from Reykjavik. Below it is a conical volcano with the same name. The glacier area is up to 100 square meters. km, the height of the peak is 1666 m. Until 2010, the volcanic crater with a diameter of 3-4 km was covered with glaciers. Vulcan belongs to the thyroid.

Near the southern end of the glacier is the nearest village of Skougar. The Skogau River begins here, where the Skógafoss waterfall forms.

Recently, the unpronounceable name of the volcano has become a household name. Before it disrupted air traffic in 2010, Eyjafjallajökull did not stand out as anything special among the other fire-breathing peaks of Iceland and was known to a narrow circle of volcanologists. But for a state that had a hard time surviving the economic crisis, the unexpected fame of the volcano came in handy. Since December 2010, excursions in small groups have been allowed to Eyjafjallajokull.

For about two hundred years the volcano was considered dormant. An eruption that lasted almost a year occurred in 1821-22, which caused the melting of the glacier. The last eruption began in March 2010 with the formation of a 500-meter rift with a small release of ash. The intensification of the eruption and the release of large volumes of volcanic ash continued in mid-April 2010. This led to the closure of some part of European airspace for several days.

When choosing a tour, please note that best time for visiting from May to September. Many travel agencies limit themselves to excursions only to the foot of the volcano by jeep. Only a few organize a classic walking climb to the top.

Eyjafjallajokull is 12 km from the subglacial volcano Katla, which is more active. In the past, Eyjafjallajökull eruptions occurred before the Katla eruption. Icelandic geophysicists have an assumption that the 2010 eruption could be the trigger for the Katla eruption.

Due to the spring 2011 eruption of the volcano Grimsvotn, located nearby, climbs to Eyjafjallajokull were temporarily suspended. 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-Eystra there is a subglacial volcano Bourdarbunga. It includes volcanic faults, stratovolcanoes, craters, and volcanic ridges. A major eruption occurred in 1477, and the last one was observed in 1910. A new eruption of Bárdarbunga began in August 2014.

Height – 2009 meters, subglacial stratovolcano, located in a caldera 700 meters deep. The volcanic faults coming from Bárðarbunga are connected with the volcanoes Torvajökull and Askja. There are no populated areas in the vicinity of the volcano; in the summer these places are visited by hunters and tourists.

The volcano was named after an ancient Icelandic settler. It literally translates as “Baurdur dome” or “Baurdur plateau”. Since 2007, an increase in activity has been noticed.

In the summer of 2014, studies showed the movement of magma in the volcano chamber. A series of tremors were noted in August. At the same time, the Icelandic authorities announced a “yellow” danger code for airlines flying over the island; several roads were also blocked, since after the eruption a cloud of volcanic ash could form and flooding could occur. The movement of magma 3-7 km below the surface created a high probability of magma breaking out in the near future.

People were urgently evacuated from the volcano area (including 200 tourists from houses in Vatnajökull National Park). On August 20, the volcano began to erupt. The Civil Aviation Service, announcing the danger code “red”, banned all flights in this area. Magma came to the surface on August 29 from a fault outside the glacier. There was no significant release of ash into the atmosphere. On the morning of August 31, the eruption continued.

In the fall of 2014, seismic activity in the area of ​​the volcano remained high, and earthquakes were recorded.

There is an active stratovolcano in the center of the Icelandic plateau. Askja. The height is 1510 meters. As a result of volcanic activity around Askja, geological mountains were formed. The last eruption was in 1961.

When the volcano erupted in March 1875, in a caldera with an area of ​​45 square meters. km two large lakes appeared. Iceland's deepest lake Eskjuvatn occupies an area of ​​11 square meters. 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.

There is a geothermal lake near the northern shore of Lake Eskjuvatn 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 strong smell of sulfur, which gave the lake its name.

As a result of the eruption of the craters, in addition to these two large lakes, there are several smaller ones.

The tourist route to Askew Volcano depends on the location of the departure point: in the north or south. You can go on a trip only in a frame vehicle with high or increased off-road capability.

Not far (8 km) from the volcano’s caldera there is a permanent tourist camp where you can stop for a rest. Two houses are intended for tourists. In one there is a common small kitchen, shower, etc., in the other there is accommodation for the night.

There is a volcano in the south of the country Hekla. In the Middle Ages, local residents called it “The Gate to Hell.” Researchers studying volcanic ash deposits concluded that the volcano had been active for 6,600 years. The last eruption occurred in 2011.

An eruption was recorded in 1104, and since then there have been another 20-30 strong events. 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 peculiarity 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 discovered in Ireland and Scottish peat bogs. The force of the eruptions was enough to lower the temperature in the northern hemisphere of the Earth for several years.

The word "Hekla" translates as a short cloak with a hood, the name of the volcano was given 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 short plants, but repeated exposure to the volcano and the effects of human habitation have made the plant surface susceptible to erosion. The state has begun a project to restore forests, 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 areas of volcanic ash, reduction of weathering, and increase in biodiversity.

To inexperienced tourists, tours to the country of centuries-old glaciers and active volcanoes seem uninteresting and unattractive. The imagination sees a cold, stone, ash-and-ice, harsh land in which it is impossible to spend an interesting vacation. Things are not like that at all. Russians who choose a group or individual tour to Iceland will return home not only with positive emotions, but also with good memories!

In 2010, an event occurred that changed the plans of millions of people around the world. Eyjafjallajökull, a volcano in Iceland, has made its presence known. This country immediately attracted the attention of millions of tourists, because everyone wants to look at the consequences of the eruption and get a dose of adrenaline by climbing 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 island of fire, encased 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 a large island and small satellite islands located around. Iceland is washed by the Atlantic Ocean.

Translated, the name of the state means “Ice Country”. Most of it is covered with ice, but the entire landscape is dotted with hot springs, geysers and active volcanoes. Iceland lies 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, lakes located in volcanic craters, and mountain ice caps. The ocean coast is indented by deep fjords.

It is noteworthy that the country's population is concentrated in the southwest. In the interior of the island there are only small settlements, because the central part is not suitable for life due to too high tectonic activity. The fault lies with lithospheric plates, the interaction of which awakens volcanoes. There are currently more than a hundred active ones.

What types of volcanoes are there?

A volcano is a formation in the earth’s crust where the products of a volcano’s activity emerge to the surface through a special channel (vent): flammable lavas, gases, ash and caustic vapors. It is generally accepted that this is necessarily a high or not very high cone-shaped mountain with a crater. However, a volcano can form simply at the junction of two plates. Then it does not have a crater, but there is a large fracture through which magma comes to the surface. Such, for example, is the volcano in Iceland - Laki.

In addition to their structure, volcanoes differ from each other in their status. Active, extinct and dormant formations are distinguished. The first are those that have erupted at least once in the last 12 thousand years. It should be noted that the activity of extinct volcanoes is practically impossible. But dormant formations can come back to life at any moment. However, this division of geological formations is very arbitrary, because it is not completely known when the last time the volcano showed activity, and whether it will show it now.

It is interesting that volcanoes are not randomly scattered across 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. Among these volcanoes there are practically no extinct ones; all are in a state of activity or asleep and waiting in the wings.

Eyjafjallajökull Volcano

The hero of recent news releases is the volcano in Iceland - Eyjafjallajökull. His photo is below. With its eruption, it paralyzed the work of airports not only in Iceland, but also in continental Europe for almost a week. The ash even spread to the shores of North America.

It is noteworthy that the geological formation itself does not have a name. The volcano in Iceland - Eyjafjallajökull - has a very difficult translation. 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, the pronunciation of which is even contested, is actually a toponym meaning

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. The volcano is located under the glacier of the same name. The crater geological formation is impressive: the largest recorded figure is 4 kilometers.

The volcano was dormant after its last eruption, which lasted almost a year. late XIX century. Ecologists found out that the mountain would soon wake up, thereby avoiding casualties. About 1,000 people were evacuated from the area adjacent to the glacier. At the moment, researchers have again recorded the activity of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano.

Hekla Volcano - “Gateway to Hell”

What is the most famous volcano in Iceland? Of course, Hekla. Even during the Middle Ages, not only residents of the country, but also neighboring states knew about it. It was dubbed the “Gateway to Hell” along with Vesuvius. According to legends, the souls of sinners pass through the mouth of the mountain into the underworld, and witches hold a Sabbath there. The priests, in order to restrain the people, said that the eruption of the mountain was punishment for committed sins.

Literally, Hekla is translated as “Cloak with a Hood.” Indeed, the top of the volcano under the canopy of clouds somewhat resembles monastic robes.

Hekla is a volcano in Iceland, which continues to attract tourists. Located on a mountain ridge 40 kilometers high, it rises almost 1,500 meters. This is truly an impressive sight!

The interest of volcanologists in this object continues unabated. Just think: over the past 6 thousand years, Hekla has erupted about 20 times. Moreover, it is impossible to guess what the intensity of 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 occurred in the 2nd-1st centuries BC, with their five-point force, ejected volcanic rocks over 7.5 km. For several years after this, a volcanic winter reigned in Europe.

Insidious Lucky

Another popular volcano in Iceland, whose name is Laki, has a very impressive size. It is a huge crack. Numerous low (about 80 meters) small craters are formed in it. Laki is just part of a volcanic system formed among the glaciers of Mýrdalsjökull and Vatnajökull.

The eruption of this object always causes numerous problems not only for the residents of Iceland, but also for the whole world. The last major activity at the end of the 18th century not only created the effect of a volcanic winter in the northern hemisphere, it was responsible for the death of people and animals poisoned by poisonous gases. Japan, North Africa, and India suffered from the dry summer. Due to the consequences of this eruption, the most recorded in North America Cold winter throughout history. The glaciers caused great destruction: when they melted, they created floods.

Askja - a beauty among the volcanoes of Iceland

In the heart of Iceland is full of secrets Askja volcano. The area here is uninhabited because the landscape is dotted with lava fields, glaciers, erupting geothermal springs, and vapors are in the air. A real apocalyptic picture! It is not for nothing that astronauts were trained in the foothills of Askja.

The volcano is also extraordinarily beautiful, especially the perfectly round lake located in its crater. Tourists who are not afraid to look at Askew need to walk along a narrow path that encircles the crater. Swimming in cloudy blue water is possible, but not advisable. This threatens loss of consciousness from the inhaled gases that the volcano emits.

There have been 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 Askya’s activity is alarming scientists, this is dictated by the fact that the ice in the crater lake completely melts by summer (usually some of it remains even in July). This is partly because Askew was influenced by Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that erupted in Iceland in 2010.

Grimsvotn

The Grímsvötn volcano is located under a huge glacier in the south of Iceland. “Dark waters” - this is how its name is translated. It reveals the essence of the eruption when they are thrown into environment huge volumes of ash, gases and igneous rocks.

Grimsvotn is a 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 makes it difficult to obtain accurate data.

Grímsvötn 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. The last time the volcano erupted was in 2011.

Katla - the giant of Iceland

Katla is the largest volcano in Iceland. Its height is a little more than one and a half thousand meters. This giant has been causing concern among scientists for a long time. After all, it erupts with a periodicity of 40-80 years, and the last activity was observed in 1918. Then the consequences were catastrophic: a severe flood formed from the melted waters of the glacier carried several icebergs into the Atlantic.

Katla owes its increased activity to the recently awakened volcano Eyjafjallajökull, 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 also for the entire hemisphere. Airport disruptions are just a small part. After all, ash, accumulating in the atmosphere, provokes a drop in temperature (the so-called volcanic winter).

Volcanoes erupt and cause severe floods. This is due to the melting of glaciers that cover these geological features of Iceland. The strongest flows will flood everything that stands in the way in a matter of hours.

Eyjafjallajökull is a volcano in Iceland, located under the glacier of the same name, the name of which only 0.005 percent of the world's population can pronounce. In 2010, the small northern country of Iceland decided to remind Europeans of its existence. And she did it in such a way that the message was impossible to ignore.

The excessive activity of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano and the powerful release of ash into the atmosphere led to the cancellation of tens of thousands of flights. This eruption can rightfully be considered one of the most remarkable events of the past year.

For two hundred years now, Eyjafjallajökull has been considered fast asleep. Its previous eruption was recorded between 1821 and 1823. – in two years the volcano caused enormous damage to the nearby territory. However, Icelanders are accustomed to such disasters. There are several active volcanoes on the island, which periodically remind of their existence. So the Eyjafjallajökull eruption did not throw the local population into panic; on the contrary, it provoked a real tourism boom. People from all over the world came to admire the impressive spectacle.

In fact, the volcano that attracted so much attention from tourists to Iceland did not even have its own name. Previously, the Eyjafjallajökull glacier was known, located 125 km from Reykjavik and hiding a conical volcano underneath it. For simplicity, they began to call him by the same name. Eyjafjallajökull translated into Russian literally means “glacier of the island mountains.” The height of the peak is 1666 meters, and the diameter of the crater, which was hidden under ice for many years, is 4 km.

Naturally, scientists monitored Eyjafjallajökull, but could not predict the full scale of the upcoming eruption. The volcano located 12 km to the east, Katla, has always attracted much more attention from scientists. In the 20th century it was particularly active. Consequently, it was popular among tourists visiting the island.

All types of travel are available to exotic lovers in Iceland: car, walking, and helicopter excursions by air. Only from above can one fully appreciate the power of volcanoes. In addition to evidence of the Earth's fiery breath, Iceland is famous for its rivers, waterfalls and geysers. Getting to know them is included in the mandatory tourist program. At the foot of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier is the village of Skógar and the most visited waterfall in the country, Skógafoss on the Skógau River. Famous tourist routes pass by it, leading to the Fimmvurduhauls pass between the Eyjafjallajökull and Myrdalsjökull glaciers.

Photo of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland.