Kverkfjoll

Geography & Climate

Kverkfjoll is located in Iceland, within the Iceland Neovolcanic Rift Volcanic Province of the broader Atlantic Ocean Volcanic Regions. Situated at 64.65° N, 16.65° W in the Northern Hemisphere, the volcano lies within a subarctic climate zone. With a summit elevation of 1,930 meters above sea level, Kverkfjoll 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

Kverkfjoll 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 Kverkfjoll 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

Kverkfjoll has 8 recorded eruptions in the geological database, spanning from 7050 BCE to 1968 CE. The most powerful recorded event was a gentle, effusive event in 1959 CE, reaching VEI 1 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index. This eruption frequency indicates a moderately active volcanic system with periodic reawakenings. The most recent eruption in 1968 CE places this volcano within the modern era of volcanological observation.

Significance

With 8 recorded eruptions on file, Kverkfjoll has enough documented activity to help scientists identify patterns in its eruptive behavior. Given its recent activity, Kverkfjoll is closely monitored by geological survey organizations to provide early warning of future unrest.

GVP Reference Summary

Kverkfjöll is a large subglacial volcano at the NE end of the Vatnajökull icecap. Two elliptical ice-filled calderas, each about 8 x 5 km in size, have been identified. An associated fissure swarm can be traced 60 km to the NE. A half dozen ridges of subglacially erupted pillow lavas are now exposed and extend beyond the glacial icecap to the NE. Subglacial historical eruptions have been recorded since the mid-17th century. Several other historical eruptions once attributed to Kverkfjöll are now thought to have originated from Bárdarbunga volcano to the west.

— Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program