Vatnaöldur (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈvahtnaˌœltʏr̥]) is the name of a series of craters in the Suðurland region of Iceland. They are located in the Highlands of Iceland, north–west of the Veiðivötn and north–east of Landmannalaugar, within the municipality of Rangárþing ytra. It is part of the Eastern volcanic zone (EVZ).
| Vatnaöldur | |
|---|---|
 Vatnaöldur fissure associated features are in the far distance over the river in this picture from Bláhnúkur towards the north-east | |
| Volcano | Bárðarbunga |
| Date | 877 ± 2[1] |
| Type | Fissure vents |
| Location | 64°10′52″N 18°45′09″W / 64.18111°N 18.75250°W |
| VEI | 4[2] |
 Selected geological features near Vatnaöldur (red marker). Other shading shows: calderas, central volcanoes and fissure swarms, subglacial terrain above 1,100 m (3,600 ft), and seismically active areas. Clicking on the image enlarges to full window and enables mouse-over with more detail. | |
The craters were formed during a series of eruptions associated with a basaltic dyke intrusion from the volcanic system of Bárðarbunga around the year 877.[a] These eruptions, like those of the neighbouring Veiðivötn, were from about 65 kilometres (40 mi) (or 42 kilometres (26 mi)[5]) long volcanic fissures within the area of a lake. The mainly explosive eruptions emitted 5–10 km3 (1.2–2.4 cu mi) of tholeiite basalt.[6][5] There was an associated rhyolite eruption near Torfajökull triggered by the intrusion.[7]: 388 The associated tephra layer is called the Settlement layer,[1] and covers more than half of Iceland’s land surface.[8]
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Gabriel, I.; Plunkett, G.; Abbott, P.M.; Behrens, M.; Burke, A.; Chellman, N.; Cook, E.; Fleitmann, D.; Hörhold, M.; Hutchison, W.; McConnell, J.R. (2024). "Decadal-to-centennial increases of volcanic aerosols from Iceland challenge the concept of a Medieval Quiet Period". Communications Earth & Environment. 5 (1): 194. Bibcode:2024ComEE...5..194G. doi:10.1038/s43247-024-01350-6.
- ^ "Bárðarbunga". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
- ^ Gudmundsdóttir, E.R.; Larsen, G.; Björck, S.; Ingólfsson, Ó.; Striberger, J. (2016). "A new high-resolution Holocene tephra stratigraphy in eastern Iceland: Improving the Icelandic and North Atlantic tephrochronology". Quaternary Science Reviews. 150: 234–249. Bibcode:2016QSRv..150..234G. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.08.011. ISSN 0277-3791.
- ^ Büntgen, U.; Eggertsson, Ó.; Wacker, L.; Sigl, M.; Ljungqvist, F.C.; Di Cosmo, N.; Plunkett; Krusic, P.J.; Newfield, T.P.; Esper, J.; Lane, C. (2017). "Multi-proxy dating of Iceland's major pre-settlement Katla eruption to 822–823 CE". Geology. 45 (9): 783–786. Bibcode:2017Geo....45..783B. doi:10.1130/G39269.1.
- ^ a b Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program - Vatnaöldur
- ^ G. Larsen, Thor Thordarson: Phreatomagmatism in the Eastern Volcanic Zone; 25 July 2010
- ^ Zellmer, G.F.; Rubin, K.H.; Grönvold, K.; Jurado-Chichay, Z. (2008). "On the recent bimodal magmatic processes and their rates in the Torfajökull–Veidivötn area, Iceland". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 269 (3–4): 387–397. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.02.026.
- ^ Valdimarsdóttir, Iðunn Kara (June 2023). Origin, extent, and emplacement conditions of newly exposed pillow lavas and hyaloclastites in the Kverkfjöll region, Iceland. M.S. thesis (PDF) (Thesis). University of Iceland. pp. 1–120. Retrieved 31 August 2024.: 20, 35
Sources
edit- G. Larsen, Thor Thordarson: Phreatomagmatism in the Eastern Volcanic Zone; Retrieved July 25, 2010
- Commentary by volcanologist Haraldur Sigurðsson on Bárðarbunga and Vatnaöldur eruptions (Icelandic)
- Vatnaöldur. The Global Volcanism Program of the Smithsonian Institution
- Vulkanology by Haraldur Sigurðsson on Bárðarbunga and Vatnaöldur Eruptions (Isländish)
- Faculty of Earth Sciences - University of Iceland 2013. Gravity studies of the structure of the Vatnaöldur and Veiðivötn crater rows, South Central Iceland. Jeanne M. Giniaux