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78-684: Kleifarvatn ( Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈkʰleiːvarˌvahtn̥] ) is the largest lake on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland , situated in the southern part of the peninsula. It is located on the fissure zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge . The lake has no visible water coming in or going out as most of its water comes and leaves underground. The lake can be reached via a track, and there are two areas with high temperature that can be found not far from it: Seltún/ Krýsuvík and another to

156-578: A branch or a secondary part of the Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcanic system on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland, but scientists now consider Fagradalsfjall to be a separate volcanic system from Krýsuvík and it is regarded as such in some publications. It is in a zone of active rifting at the divergent boundary between the Eurasian and North American plates . Plate spreading at

234-457: A depth of 17–20 kilometres (11–12 mi) from the Earth's mantle , and may be of a more primitive kind than those previously observed. The channel widened in the first six weeks leading to increased lava flow. The eruption may create a new shield volcano if it continues for long enough. The formation of such volcano has not been studied before in real time, and this eruption can offer insights into

312-466: A large lava pond that traveled NW of the breached vent and occasionally, lava breakouts would be noted along the ponded lava. Each day during 12-16 August the primary eruptive cone continued to grow, evolving to a perched lava pond that fed the lava flows to the NW of it. The lava flow decreased around 17 August and stopped on 21 August 2022. An estimated 12 million cubic meters of lava had erupted. The lava near

390-567: A lesser extent Keflavík , Keflavík International Airport and the Greater Reykjavík Area , Iceland's Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management has created protocols for evacuation plans of nearby settlements and in case of gas pollution and/or lava flows. The large number of tourists visiting the eruption sites is also a concern to authorities, especially under-equipped tourists and those who do not heed official closures during inclement weather or new lava flows. As of

468-517: A new fissure , variously estimated to be between about 100 and 500 metres (300 and 2,000 ft) long, opened a distance of about 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) to the north/north-east of the still-active vents at the center of the March eruption. As a precaution the area was evacuated by the coast guard. Some time later, another eruption fissure opened parallel to the first on the slopes of Fagradalsfjall. The lava production of all open eruption fissures in

546-432: A pattern of many hours of inactivity, for example on 1 and 4 July, with the eruptions resuming later. Lava flow from the crater ceased for 4 days from 5 July until 9 July, when eruptions resumed, initially with a periodicity of around 10 to 15 minutes, then lengthening to 3 to 4 an hour by 13 July. Lava has also been observed emerging from the bottom of the volcano on 10 July with considerable amount of lava flowing into

624-546: A pattern of mostly around 15 hours of inactivity alternating with around 20 hours of continuous eruption in August. It has been speculated that there are blockages at the top hundred metres of the eruption channel. By July, this eruption had become larger than most eruptions that have ever occurred on the Reykjanes peninsula. Measurement taken on 27 July indicated that the lava flow had increased again, returned to and possibly exceeding

702-705: A week of the start of the 2021 eruption, power and fiber-optic lines were laid from Grindavík to support operations of the authorities near the eruption site as well as 4G cell and TETRA masts were set up to ensure access to communications and emergency services ( 112 ) for tourists and authorities. In July 2021, in collaboration with Iceland's Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, utility companies conducted an experiment by burying various types of utilities ( underground electrical cables , fibers , water lines and sewage line) with varying levels of insulation in order to see how overland lava flows affect buried utilities. Another separate experiment

780-503: Is Keflavík , which had 7,000 residents when it merged with the nearby town of Njarðvík and Hafnir in 1995 to create Reykjanesbær , which is the largest settlement outside the Greater Reykjavík area; in 2018 the region had a population of 17,805. The region is the location of Keflavík International Airport , the major point of entry for Iceland. Some fishing towns, such as Grindavík , Njarðvík and Sandgerði , are situated on

858-470: Is linked to the Earth's mantle , and the lava flow may be determined by the properties of the eruption channel. However, the channel may also be linked to a deep magma reservoir located near the boundary between the crust and the mantle. Some scientists believed that volcanic activities in the area may last for decades. Beginning December 2019 and into March 2021, a swarm of earthquakes , two of which reached magnitude   M w 5.6, rocked

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936-464: Is named after Fagridalur ( [ˈfaɣrɪˌtaːlʏr̥] , "fair dale" or "beautiful valley") which is at its northwest. The 2021 lava field is named Fagradalshraun [ˈfaɣraˌtalsˌr̥œyːn] . The mountain Fagradalsfjall is a volcano in areas of eruptive fissures, cones and lava fields also named Fagradalsfjall. The Fagradalsfjall fissure swarm was considered in some publications to be

1014-436: Is not considered a risk to air traffic. The ICAO Aviation Colour code has mostly stayed orange (ongoing eruption with low to no ash production). This has meant that no interruptions to flight traffic to and from Keflavík International Airport. Icelandic Coast Guard helicopters have conducted many research and monitoring flights around the volcano as well as large numbers of helicopter tour companies operating and landing in

1092-428: Is observed in geysers where the frequency of eruption may be determined by the size of the reservoir below and how quickly it is filled up. The volcano was pulsing at a rate of around eight eruptions per hour on 14 September. No lava flowed out directly from the crater, instead lava began to emerge in significant amount from outside the volcano on 15 September. On 16 September 2021, after 181 days of eruption, it became

1170-463: Is unusual, as eruption outputs typically decrease with time. Scientists from the University of Iceland hypothesize that there is a large magma reservoir deep under the volcano, not the typical smaller magma chamber associated with these kinds of eruptions that empty over a short time. From the composition of the magma sampled, they also believe that there is a discrete vent feeding the main lava flow from

1248-520: The Eldvörp–Svartsengi [ˈɛltvœr̥p–ˈsvar̥(t)sˌeiɲcɪ] and Krýsuvík systems. The highest summit in this area is Langhóll [ˈlauŋkˌhoutl̥] (385 m (1,263 ft)). No volcanic eruption had occurred for 815 years on the Reykjanes Peninsula until 19 March 2021 when a fissure vent appeared in Geldingadalir to the south of Fagradalsfjall mountain. The 2021 eruption

1326-546: The Reykjanes Peninsula including over 10,000 recorded earthquakes from 30 July to 3 August with two quakes measuring over 5.0 M w , another eruption began at Fagradalsfjall. A live stream from a camera at the site showed magma spewing from a narrow fissure vent . On 4 August the Icelandic Meteorological Office estimated it 360 m (1,180 ft) in length. Over 1,830 people visited the volcano on

1404-594: The Reykjanes peninsula , sparking concerns that an eruption was imminent, because the earthquakes were thought to have been triggered by dyke intrusions and magma movements under the peninsula. Minor damage to homes from a 4 February 2021 magnitude 5.7 earthquake was reported. In the three weeks before the eruption, more than 40,000 tremors were recorded by seismographs. On 19 March 2021, an effusive eruption started at approximately 20:45 local time in Geldingadalir ( [ˈcɛltiŋkaˌtaːlɪr̥] ;

1482-449: The 13 April and at each fissure, activity concentrated and formed individual vents. Towards the end of April, activity at most vents, apart from Vent 5, started to decrease. By 2 May 2021, only one fissure, Vent 5 that appeared near the initial eruption site on Geldingadalir, remained active. It developed into a volcano with the occasional explosive eruptions within its crater that sometimes reached heights of hundreds of meters. The rim of

1560-470: The 2021 eruption, began on 3 August 2022, and ceased on 21 August 2022. A third eruption appeared to the north of Fagradalsfjall near Litli-Hrútur [ˈlɪhtlɪ-ˌr̥uːtʏr̥] on 10 July 2023, and ended on 5 August 2023. The name is a compound of the Icelandic words ' fagur ' (" fair ", "beautiful"), ' dalur ' (" dale ", "valley") and ' fjall ' (" fell ", "mountain"). The mountain massif

1638-406: The 21st century. The volcano stopped erupting on 2 September, but lava flow resumed on 11 September, with the magma breaking through the lava field surface in several places. However, the main crater channel appeared to have been blocked, and the crater was filled with lava from a source underneath the northwestern wall through a crack on the wall, and lava also flowed outside the volcano through

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1716-553: The Capital region, and as far as Borgarnes. Several of these earthquakes were above an M w 3, with the largest event of an M w 4 occurring at 1403. according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office's automatic location system; an M w 5.4 event was detected at 1748. Deformation models indicated magma was around 1 km below the surface at 1749 on 2 August, according to IMO. On 3 August 2022, after weeks of unrest on

1794-429: The March eruptions, the lava flows posed no threat to residents, as the area is mostly uninhabited. The eruption has been called Geldingadalsgos ( [ˈcɛltiŋkaˌtalsˌkɔːs] "Geldingadalur eruption"). On 26 March, the main eruptive vent was at 63.8889 N, 22.2704 W , on the site of a previous eruptive mound. The eruption may be a shield volcano eruption , which may last for several years. It could be seen from

1872-586: The Meradalir valleys, and a section of the volcano on the northeastern side also broke off on 14 July. Lava flow was estimated to be around 10 m /s (350 cu ft/s) but averaged to 5 to 6 m /s (180 to 210 cu ft/s) due to the periods of inactivity from late June to mid-July, half of the flow rate in May and June. The periodic lull in activity continued, with 7 to 13 hours of inactivity and similar period of eruption by late July, which lengthened to

1950-439: The Reykjanes Peninsula had been more active. The 2021 eruption is the first to be observed on this branch of the plate boundary in Reykjanes. It appears to be different from most eruptions observed where the main volcanoes are fed by a magma chamber underneath, whose size and pressure on it determine the size and length of eruption. This eruption may be fed by a relatively narrow and long channel (~ 17 km (11 mi)) that

2028-501: The Reykjanes Peninsula. Fagradalsfjall Fagradalsfjall ( Icelandic: [ˈfaɣraˌtalsˌfjatl̥] ) is an active tuya volcano formed in the Last Glacial Period on the Reykjanes Peninsula , around 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Reykjavík , Iceland. Fagradalsfjall is also the name for the wider volcanic system covering an area 5 kilometres (3 mi) wide and 16 kilometres (10 mi) long between

2106-576: The Reykjanes Peninsula. ). Each volcanic system on the peninsula consists of (volcanic and tectonic) fissures and faults directed mostly NE-SW and may have other features such as lava fields and postglacial basaltic crater rows. Only the Hengill volcanic system, the most eastern system, has an additional central volcano , but this is outside the Southern Peninsula. Tephra deposits from offshore explosive Holocene eruptions have been preserved on

2184-588: The Reykjanes peninsula is highly oblique and is characterized by a superposition of left-lateral shear and extension. The Krýsuvík volcanic system has been moderately active in the Holocene , with the most recent eruptive episode before the 21st century having occurred in the 12th-century CE. The Fagradalsfjall mountain was formed from an eruption under the ice sheet in the Pleistocene period, and it had lain dormant for 6,000 years until an eruption fissure appeared in

2262-430: The activity at the crater and lava flow. The lava flow can be tracked by helicopter or satellite, for example via radar imaging that can penetrate through the clouds and volcanic smog that had become more frequent in the area by July. The eruptions stayed unusually constant until 23 June, and the activity then reduced significantly on 28 June, becoming inactive for many hours, and resuming on 29 June. It shifted to

2340-712: The alert level was lowered from "Orange" to "Yellow" due to no lava having erupted since 18 September. The Icelandic Meteorological Office also stated that "it is assessed that Krýsuvík volcano is currently in a non-eruptive state. The activity might escalate again, so the situation is monitored closely". On 30 July, IMO reported an intense earthquake swarm in an area close to the lava field in Geldingadalur. On 31 July, almost 3,000 earthquakes were detected. Earthquakes were reportedly felt in SW Iceland, in Reykjanesbær, Grindavík,

2418-598: The area in March 2021. The wider peninsula had been dormant for nearly 800 years, since the end of the Reykjanes Fires in 1240. The unrest and eruption in Fagradalsfjall are part of a larger unrest period on Reykjanes Peninsula including unrest within several volcanic systems and among others also the unrest at Þorbjörn volcano next to Svartsengi and the Blue Lagoon during the spring of 2020. However, eruptions at this location were unexpected as other nearby systems on

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2496-568: The crater wall, and this turned out to be an independent eruption. Cracks appeared on Gónhóll [ˈkouːnˌhoutl̥] that was once popular with spectators in August but no lava flowed at the site. After eight and a half days of inactivity at the main volcano, lava broke through the surface in the lava field to the north of the crater in a number of places. The eruption showed distinct phases in its eruption pattern. The first phase lasted for about two weeks with continuous lava flow of around 6 m /s (210 cu ft/s) from its first crater,

2574-432: The discharge rate of the lava at about 9 m (320 cu ft) per second, which is nearly double the drop in the rate. As of 31 July, the outpouring lava has covered an area of 1.5 km (0.58 sq mi) per second with a volume of approximately 15.9 million m (560 million cu ft). Lava flow reduced to 3–4 m (110–140 cu ft) per second by early August, suggesting that

2652-418: The east. A 2012 survey demonstrated one definite geothermal vent under the lake and suggested two others in a linear line trending as for most of the faults in the area. Kleifarvatn was first surveyed in 1964 and studied at greater resolution later. The lake's greatest recorded depth was 97 m (318 ft) in 1975 with height above sea level of 140 m (460 ft). After the 2000 Iceland earthquakes ,

2730-406: The electricity network. The Fagradalsfjall volcano site is unusual in terms of its close proximity to Iceland's main international airport and popular tourist sites such as the Blue Lagoon . The site is only around 60 km (37 mi) from Reykjavík . Access is a short distance from Grindavík along paved Road 427, with limited parking available by the trailhead. Depending on the route taken,

2808-444: The end of the first eruption and the lava of the second eruption, indicating a link to the previous two eruptions. The latest Icelandic Institute of Earth Sciences statistics revealed on 31 July indicate a notable reduction of the effusive eruption. The estimated lava flow discharge rate during 23-31 July was measured to be about 5 m (180 cu ft) per second. The previous values, detected between 18 and 23 July, signalized

2886-423: The eruption is approaching its end. With the reduced amount of lava in the crater, a smaller cone also formed within the crater. Volcanic activity at the site ceased on 5 August 2023. The eruption site proved very popular with tourists once more. An estimated 700,000 people have visited the area since the 2021 Fagradalsfjall eruption. Due to the volcanic site's proximity to the town of Grindavík , Vogar and to

2964-456: The eruption shows a composition differing from historical Reykjanes lavas. This could be caused by a new batch of magma arriving from a large magma reservoir at a depth of about 17–20 km (11–12 mi) at the Moho under Reykjanes. Results from measurements published by University of Iceland on 26 April 2021 showed that the composition of eruption products had changed, to more closely resemble

3042-498: The eruption. Iceland's main airport, Keflavík Airport , was briefly on alert, which is a standard procedure during eruptions, though the facility did not cancel any flights. Airplanes were prohibited from flying over the site, although some helicopters were sent in to survey the eruption. The eruption was not producing large plumes, though it was likely to affect air quality and pollution in immediately surrounding areas. Professor of geophysics Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson said, judging from

3120-721: The first day. It erupted over a lava flow from the 2021 eruption. The Icelandic Meteorological Office initially advised people not to go near Fagradalsfjall due to the new eruption. Lava flows were reported traveling downslope to the NW. The flow rate was about 32 m /s (1,100 cu ft/s) during the initial hours of the eruption, which then decreased to an average of 18 m /s (640 cu ft/s) from 1700 on 3 August until 1100 on 4 August. By this time, about 1.6 million cubic meters of lava had covered an area of 0.14 km (0.054 sq mi). Iceland's Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management stated that no lives or infrastructure were currently at risk from

3198-432: The first fissure, between the Geldingadalur fissures and the ones on the slope of the mountain. Search and rescue crews observed a new depression, about 1 m (3 ft) deep there the previous day. The lava from this fissure flowed into Geldingadalur valley. Another fissure opened during the night of 10–11 April 2021 between the two open fissures on the slopes of Fagradalsfjall. In total, 6 fissures had opened until

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3276-412: The highest one measured at 460 m (1,510 ft). The lava jets have been explained as explosive release of ancient trapped water or magma coming in contact with groundwater. The lava flow rate in the following weeks was also double that of the average for the first six weeks, with an average lava flow rate of 12.4 m /s (440 cu ft/s) from 18 May to 2 June. The increase in lava flow

3354-401: The hot and mineralized water coming down from the power station; it is known as the " Blue Lagoon " ( Bláa Lónið ). The Bridge Between Continents spans the Álfagjá [ˈaulvaˌcauː] rift valley (60 feet (18 m) wide and 20 feet (6.1 m) deep) near Grindavík, which is promoted to tourists as marking the boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates . It

3432-441: The initial lava flow, that the eruption was likely five to ten times bigger than the 2021 eruption, but that it was not "the big one". From the nearby geomorphology , the lava was likely to flow into the Meradalir valleys. According to a news article from RUV, the length of the active fissure had decreased and the middle part of the fissure was the most active by 5 August. In addition, the number of daily earthquakes declined around

3510-553: The lake began to diminish, so that at least 20% of its surface has since disappeared and the serial surveys suggest there has been some material deposition as depth has reduced more than height above sea level of the lake surface. By 2012 the surface was at 135 m (443 ft) with a maximum depth of 89.5 m (294 ft). The lake by then was only 7.3615 km (4.5742 mi) in area. Its area previously been measured between 7.5 and 10 km (2.9 and 3.9 sq mi). The pattern of sedimentation suggests that at some time in

3588-408: The lava by then flowing to the east. Lava flow also reached a volume of 12.4 million m (440 million cu ft), greater in volume than the second eruption, covering an area of 1.2 km (0.46 sq mi). By 23 July, lava flow activity was occurring entirely beneath the surface. The lava since the beginning of the eruption has been determined to be similar to the lava from

3666-472: The lava flows travel northwards, an important high-voltage transmission line to Keflavík is in danger of being cut off. Communications fiber routes both to the north and south side of the volcano are also in danger of being cut off, which could impact communications and the data center industry in Keflavík. However, the fissure's location as of August 2022 is unlikely to affect the roads and utilities. Within

3744-461: The longest eruption of the 21st century in Iceland. Average lava flow was 16 m /s (570 cu ft/s) from 11 to 17 September when flow resumed, with the lava field increasing to 151 million m (5.3 billion cu ft) covering an area of 4.8 km (1.9 sq mi). The eruption stopped again on 18 September, but the activity decreased unusually slowly. On 18 October,

3822-448: The main trail that provide access to the main viewing area on Gónhóll, first on 4 June, then again early in the morning of 13 June at another location. A further wall five meters high and 200 meters long was then created on 15 June in an attempt to divert lava flow away from Nátthagakriki [ˈnauhtˌhaːɣaˌkʰrɪːcɪ] with important infrastructure to its west and north. A barrier of 3 to 5 m high started to be constructed on 25 June at

3900-400: The mouth of Nátthagi to delay the flow of the lava over the southern coastal road and properties on Ísólfsskáli [ˈiːsˌoul(f)sˌskauːlɪ] , although it was expected that the lava would eventually flow over the area into the sea. A proposal to build a bridge over the road to allow the lava flow underneath was rejected. Around three months after the volcano first erupted, the lava flow

3978-489: The older lava field of Meradalir, but the lava caused significant wildfires in the area. Some lava flowed in different directions when the wall of the volcano collapsed on 19 July, but it then resumed flowing southwards. The crater rim has widened significantly, which increased the possibility of wall collapse, and another rim collapse happened on 24 July. Lava flow gradually slowly fall through time, down to 8 m (280 cu ft) per second by 23 July, with most of

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4056-406: The past the lake was smaller in size than it was in 2012. The novel Kleifarvatn by Icelandic writer Arnaldur Indriðason was named after the lake. This Iceland location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Reykjanesskagi The region has a population of 27,829 (2020) and is one of the more densely populated parts of the island. The administrative centre

4134-521: The peak level last seen in June. The measurement indicated an average flow of 17–18 m /s (600–640 cu ft/s) over 8–10 days, the highest observed thus far, but with a large margin of error. After a couple of months where the lava flowed mainly into the Meradalir valleys, the lava started to flow down the Nátthagi valley again on 21 August. The eruption by now had become the second longest in Iceland of

4212-503: The peninsula. The peninsula is marked by active volcanism under its surface and large lava fields, allowing little vegetation. There are numerous hot springs in the southern half of the peninsula, around the Kleifarvatn lake and the Krýsuvík geothermal area. There is a geothermal power station at Svartsengi . Near the power station a luxury spa and pool area has been installed using

4290-443: The same day; strong gas-and-steam emissions were still visible. By 10 August lava was primarily erupting from a central cone and flowed ESE and NW. IMO reported that lava was mostly flowing onto the 2021 lava flow field and was filling the eastern end of the Meradalir lava through at least 16 August. There were three vents within the building cone that were visible on 10 August: the first is the largest and most centrally located vent,

4368-570: The same time, and was producing lava fountains up to 50 m (160 ft) in height on Sunday, 25 April 2021. On 28 April 2021, the lava fountains from the main crater reached a height of 250 m (820 ft). The eruption pattern changed on 2 May from a continuous eruption and lava flow to a pulsating one, where periods of eruptions alternated with periods of inactivity, with each cycle lasting 10 minutes to half an hour. The magma jets became stronger, producing lava fountains of 300 m (980 ft) in height, visible from Reykjavík , with

4446-430: The second eruption in 2022, there is little risk of lava flows blocking roads or reaching settlements, but this could change if the Meradalir valleys fill with lava or another fissure opens up in a different area. The eruption site is only around 20 km (12 mi) from Iceland's main international airport, Keflavík International Airport . Due to the eruption's effusive nature with little to no ash production, it

4524-430: The second is to the left (east) of the central vent, and the third is the smallest one located to the right (west) of the central vent. Each of these vents erupted strong lava fountains rising tens to several tens of meters high during at least 10-13 August, then during 14-16 August the height of the lava fountains diminished. A smaller, secondary cone formed to the east of the main cone around 12 August. These vents fed into

4602-436: The second phase also lasted around two weeks with new eruptions to the north of the first crater with variable lava flow of 5–8 m /s (180–280 cu ft/s). This is followed by a period of two and a half months of eruption at a single crater with largely continuous and sometimes pulsating eruption and lava flow of around 12 m /s (420 cu ft/s) lasting until the end of June. From then on until early September

4680-513: The singular "Geldingadalur" [ˈcɛltiŋkaˌtaːlʏr̥] is also often used) to the south of Fagradalsfjall, the first known eruption on the peninsula in about 800 years. Fagradalsfjall had been dormant for 6,000 years. The eruptive activity was first announced by the Icelandic Meteorological Office at 21:40. Reports stated a 600–700-metre-long (2,000–2,300 ft) fissure vent began ejecting lava , which covered an area of less than 1 square kilometre (0.39 sq mi). As of

4758-530: The south western portion of the Reykjanes volcanic belt, where the continuation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and its submarine Reykjanes Ridge with the transitional Eldey volcanic system , rise above sea level. The Reykjanes volcanic belt has between 3 and 6 volcanic systems (depending on author -see map for 6 system on land classification of the Reykjanes , Svartsengi , Fagradalsfjall , Krýsuvík , Brennisteinsfjöll , and Hengill volcanic systems). These are closely spaced en-echelon fissure systems, extending across

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4836-454: The start of decades of volcanic activity". The eruption was small, leading to a prediction that this volcano was unlikely to threaten "any population centers". In November 2023, a new bout of seismic activity occurred around Grindavík, prompting the town's evacuation and the declaration of a state of emergency over the threat of an imminent volcanic eruption, culminating in the 2023-2024 Sundhnúkur eruptions . The Southern Peninisula contains

4914-419: The suburbs of the capital city of Reykjavík and had attracted a large number of visitors. However, high levels of volcanic gases such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide made parts of the area inaccessible. On 13 April 2021, four new craters formed in Geldingadalir within the lava flows. The lava output which had been somewhat reduced over the last days, increased again. Around noon on 5 April 2021,

4992-416: The suspicion that more rarely, mid-ocean ridge eruptions may be supplied from levels deeper than 7 km (4.3 mi), as the near real time lava sampling prevented later lavas confusing the time sequence of the change in composition. Mixing in the magma reservoir happenned in a timescale of weeks, and it was replenished with new deeper melt within 20 days. The eruption itself also changed in character at

5070-424: The typical Holocene basalts of Reykjanes peninsula. The full study of the lava sample sequence confirmed that at the start of the eruption shallowest mantle sources dominated the melt but over the next three weeks magma was sourced from a greater depth from a near-Moho reservoir and rapidly rose to the surface. While it was known that most mid-ocean ridge (MOR) basalts result from crustal reservoir melts this proved

5148-434: The vent was 20-40 m thick, but flows were 5-15 m thick in the Meradalir valley, outside the crater area Since then, there has been no visible activity at this site. Seismic activity in the area increased greatly starting 4 July 2023 with over 12,000 earthquakes recorded, and following a 5.2 magnitude earthquake, lava broke through the surface on 10 July 2023 near Litli-Hrútur northeast of previous eruptions. This eruption

5226-409: The vicinity, as well as small private aviation and sightseeing fixed wing aircraft circling the eruption site. Many unmanned drones are also active around the volcano site. The main concerns are if lava flows were to reach the main highway to Keflavík and the airport, Road 41 , as well as the south coast road, Road 427, an important evacuation route for the town of Grindavík . In addition, if

5304-402: The volcano itself had risen to a height of 334 m (1,096 ft) above sea level by September 2021. The lava flowed into the Meradalir valleys, and later the Nátthagi [ˈnauhtˌhaijɪ] valley. A number of smaller openings appeared temporarily, one small vent was reported to have erupted near the main crater on 1 July. On 14 August, lava spurted from what appeared to be a hole on

5382-463: The wall. The average lava flow over the past 32 days had returned to 8.5 m /s (300 cu ft/s), and the lava field of 143 million m (5.0 billion cu ft) now covered an area of 4.6 km (1.8 sq mi). After a period of continuous eruption, a pulsing pattern of activity last seen in April/May started on 13 September, a pattern believed to be similar to what

5460-400: The whole was estimated on 5 April 2021, being around 10 m /s (350 cu ft/s) and is flowing into the Meradalir valleys ( [ˈmɛːraˌtaːlɪr̥] , "mare dales") via a steep gully. About 36 hours later, around midnight on 6–7 April, another eruption fissure opened up. It is about 150 m (490 ft) long and about 400–450 m (1,300–1,500 ft) to the north-east of

5538-436: The working of the magmatic systems. Two defensive barriers were created starting 14 May as an experiment to stop lava flowing into the Nátthagi valley where telecommunication cables are buried, and further on to the southern coastal road Suðurlandsvegur . However, the lava soon flowed over the top of eastern barrier 22 May, and cascaded down to the Nátthagi. Lava flowed over the western barrier on 5 June. Lava flow blocked

5616-399: Was effusive and continued emitting fresh lava sporadically until 18 September 2021. The eruption was unique among the volcanoes monitored in Iceland so far and it has been suggested that it could develop into a shield volcano . Due to its relative ease of access from Reykjavík, the volcano has become an attraction for local people and foreign tourists. Another eruption, very similar to

5694-651: Was a phase of fluctuating eruption with periodic strong lava flow interrupted by periods of inactivity. On 12 April, scientists from the University of Iceland measured the lava field's area to be 0.75 km (0.29 sq mi) and its volume to be 10.3 million m (360 million cu ft). The flow rate of the lava was 4.7 m /s (170 cu ft/s), and sulfur dioxide , carbon dioxide and hydrogen fluoride were being emitted at 6,000, 3,000 and 8 tonnes per day (5,900, 3,000 and 7.9 long tons per day) respectively. The lava produced by

5772-482: Was a steady 12 m /s (420 cu ft/s), and the lava now covered an area of more than 3 km (1.2 sq mi) increasing by around 60,000 m /d (650,000 sq ft/d). Lava had accumulated 100 m (330 ft) deep around the volcano. The lava flow became continuous, which can be either above or below ground, although the eruptions also became calmer with the occasional increase in activity. There appeared to be no direct connection between

5850-580: Was built in 2002 and previously named Leif the Lucky bridge in honor of Icelandic explorer Leif Eriksson who traveled from Europe to America nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus . A great deal of volcanic unrest was occurring in this part of the Reykjanes Peninsula from 2020 onward, after nearly 800 years of inactivity. After the eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano started on 19 March 2021, National Geographic 's experts predicted that this "may mark

5928-485: Was conducted by constructing large levees to control direction of lava flows; they were moderately effective in controlling slow moving lava flows. In July 2023, during the Litli-Hrútur eruption, Icelandic electrical grid operator Landsnet constructed a dummy electricity pole and installed a high voltage underground electrical cable in the path of lava, as an experiment to study the lava flow's potential effects on

6006-412: Was initially significantly stronger than the first two, with initial lava flow estimated to be 10 times more than the first eruption. Multiple eruptive fissures, originally 200 m (660 ft) in length, stretched for over 1 km (0.62 mi) between Fagradalsfjall and Keilir , significantly longer than the Meradalir eruptions. Flow of lava up to 50 m (1,800 cu ft) per second

6084-410: Was reported in the first day, but dropped to an average of 13 m (460 cu ft) per second, the peak flow rate of the first eruption, within a few days. The eruptions quickly reduced to a single 200 m (660 ft) long fissure, which formed a single elongated active cone that increased in height by around 3 m (9.8 ft) a day. The lava flowed in a southerly direction to meet

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