The Reykjanes Fires ( Icelandic : Reykjaneseldar ) were a series of volcanic eruptions that took place on the Reykjanes Peninsula in south-west Iceland between approximately 1210 and 1240. They caused widespread physical and economic damage, covering large areas of the peninsula in lava and tephra and causing the mass starvation of livestock, as well as a number of deaths of people due to earthquakes. The peninsula's volcanic systems were subsequently dormant for 800 years until a fresh series of eruptions began in 2021, which have been called the New Reykjanes Fires .
17-496: The Reykjanes Peninsula is a continuation of the mostly submarine Reykjanes Ridge, a part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge . Its topography was formed by glaciers and volcanism, with basaltic lava fields covering a good part of the peninsula, in between volcanoes of subglacial as well as subaerial origin, namely tuyas , hyaloclastic ridges (tindars), shield volcanoes and crater rows . The Reykjanes volcanic belt , one of
34-474: 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 the south western portion of the Reykjanes volcanic belt, where the continuation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and its submarine Reykjanes Ridge with
51-399: 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 the past the lake was smaller in size than it was in 2012. The novel Kleifarvatn by Icelandic writer Arnaldur Indriðason
68-412: A track, and there are two areas with high temperature that can be found not far from it: Seltún/ Krýsuvík and another to 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
85-431: Is an administrative unit and part of Reykjanesskagi (pronounced [ˈreiːcaˌnɛsˌskaijɪ] ), or Reykjanes Peninsula , a region in southwest Iceland . It was named after Reykjanes , the southwestern tip of 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 is Keflavík , which had 7,000 residents when it merged with
102-519: 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 the hot and mineralized water coming down from
119-612: The Reykjanes volcanic system , and the most recent eruption of Hengill . Only the Hengill volcanic system, the most easterly system, has an additional complex central volcano at the intersection with the West volcanic zone of Iceland and South Iceland seismic zone . A number of off- and onshore eruptions at Reykjanes are recorded by medieval Icelandic annals and sagas as having taken place between 1210 and 1240. As well as depositing tephra across
136-618: The Reykjanes Peninsula. Kleifarvatn 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
153-473: 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 the peninsula. The peninsula
170-521: 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
187-536: The peninsula in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. There were three eruptions at Fagradalsfjall in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and as of November 2024 there have been seven eruptions at Sundhnúkur in 2023 and 2024. These have collectively been described as the New Reykjanes Fires in the light of their similarity to the 1210-1240 events: Reykjanes Peninsula Southern Peninsula ( Icelandic : Suðurnes , Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈsʏːðʏrˌnɛːs] )
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#1732851067040204-475: The peninsula, they produced dozens of square kilometres of lava flows, now known as the Yngra Stampahraun, Eldvarpahraun, Illahraun and Arnaseturshraun. The eruptions are known as "fires" for being a series of eruptions over a specific period in the same area. The exact length of each eruption is not known. The specific events recorded were in: After 800 years of dormancy, a fresh series of eruptions began on
221-679: 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 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
238-484: The present day volcanic zones of Iceland , consists (depending on author) of 3 to 6 or even 7 volcanic systems, arranged en echelon , i.e. more or less side by side, and in an average 40° angle to the spreading direction NE–SW over the peninsula. Most of the volcanic systems, because they are on top of a rift segment, show a tendency for basaltic fissure eruptions. There are tephra deposits from both offshore explosive Holocene eruptions, some of which were from volcanoes of
255-437: 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 the Reykjanes Peninsula. ). Each volcanic system on
272-421: Was 97 m (318 ft) in 1975 with height above sea level of 140 m (460 ft). After the 2000 Iceland earthquakes , 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
289-485: 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 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,
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