Eyjafjallajokull

Geography & Climate

Eyjafjallajokull is located in Iceland, within the Iceland Neovolcanic Rift Volcanic Province of the broader Atlantic Ocean Volcanic Regions. Situated at 63.63° N, 19.63° W in the Northern Hemisphere, the volcano lies within a subarctic climate zone. With a summit elevation of 1,651 meters above sea level, Eyjafjallajokull is a moderately sized peak that remains accessible to hikers and researchers for much of the year. The volcanic landform is characterized as a composite, which describes the physical shape and structure of the volcanic edifice as observed from the surface.

Geological Context

Eyjafjallajokull is situated along a rift zone, where tectonic plates are pulling apart. As the crust thins and fractures, magma rises to fill the gap, creating volcanic activity. Rift volcanism typically produces more fluid lava flows rather than explosive blasts, which means communities near Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland generally face slower-moving hazards like lava flows and ground fissures rather than sudden pyroclastic events. However, rift volcanoes can still generate significant ash emissions and gas releases that affect local air quality. The dominant rock type is basalt / picro-basalt, a dark, fine-grained volcanic rock that forms from rapidly cooling, low-viscosity lava. Basaltic eruptions tend to be less explosive and produce fluid lava flows that can travel long distances. While less immediately dangerous than explosive eruptions, basaltic lava flows can destroy structures and infrastructure in their path, and volcanic gases released during these eruptions can affect air quality over a wide area.

Eruption History Summary

Eyjafjallajokull has 5 recorded eruptions in the geological database, spanning from 550 CE to 2010 CE. The most powerful recorded event was a cataclysmic eruption with ash columns reaching the stratosphere in 2010 CE, reaching VEI 4 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index. Notable eruptions include 2010 CE (VEI 4), 920 CE (VEI 3). This eruption frequency indicates a moderately active volcanic system with periodic reawakenings. With eruptive activity as recently as 2010 CE, Eyjafjallajokull remains an actively monitored volcano.

Significance

With a maximum recorded VEI of 4, Eyjafjallajokull has demonstrated the capacity for significant explosive eruptions that can impact regional aviation, agriculture, and communities tens of kilometers from the summit. VEI 4 eruptions produce ash columns reaching 15-25 kilometers into the atmosphere. With 5 recorded eruptions on file, Eyjafjallajokull has enough documented activity to help scientists identify patterns in its eruptive behavior. Given its recent activity, Eyjafjallajokull is closely monitored by geological survey organizations to provide early warning of future unrest.

GVP Reference Summary

Eyjafjallajökull (also known as Eyjafjöll) is located west of Katla volcano. It consists of an elongated ice-covered stratovolcano with a 2.5-km-wide summit caldera. Fissure-fed lava flows occur on both the E and W flanks, but are more prominent on the western side. Although the volcano has erupted during historical time, it has been less active than other volcanoes of Iceland's eastern volcanic zone, and relatively few Holocene lava flows are known. An intrusion beneath the S flank from July-December 1999 was accompanied by increased seismic activity. The last historical activity prior to an eruption in 2010 produced intermediate-to-silicic tephra from the central caldera during December 1821 to January 1823.

— Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program