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Iceland · Fissure vent

Syrtlingur

Vestmannaeyjar

Type
Fissure vent
Elevation
283m
Last eruption
1973
Syrtlingur
Photo: Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Fissure vent
Country
Iceland
Region
Atlantic Ocean / Iceland Neovolcanic Rift Volcanic Province
Elevation
283m
Coordinates
63.416, -20.266
Last eruption
1973
Tectonic setting
Rift zone / Oceanic crust (< 15 km)
Landform
Cluster
Major rock type
Basalt / Picro-basalt
Geological summary

The mostly submarine Vestmannaeyjar volcanic system is the southernmost and youngest volcanic center of the Eastern Volcanic Zone that cuts across E-central Iceland. It consists of a roughly 30 x 40 km group of basaltic islands and submarine cones occupying a shallow shelf off the S coast of Iceland, and was the site of two of Iceland's most noted 20th-century eruptions. The island of Surtsey grew from the ocean floor during 1963-67. The island of Heimaey, 20 km to the NE, was the site of eruptions in 1973, during which lava flows partially overran the town of Vestmannaeyjar and threatened its harbor. Twenty-two postglacial eruption sites are known, and all ten subaerial vents on Heimaey are of Holocene age.

From Wikipedia

Eldfell is a volcanic cone just over 200 metres (660 ft) high on the Icelandic island of Heimaey in the Westman Islands. It formed in a volcanic eruption that began without warning on the eastern side of Heimaey on 23 January 1973. The name means Hill of Fire in Icelandic.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

10 recordedGlossary
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions · Use arrow keys to move between bars, Enter to open
8050 BCE~7716 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 47716 BCE~7382 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 36379 BCE~6045 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?4709 BCE~4375 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?4375 BCE~4041 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 34041 BCE~3707 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1305~1639 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1639~1973 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 38050 BCE5711 BCE3038 BCE700 BCE1639

Detailed timeline

  1. 1973VEI 3Observed
    1973-01-23 – 1973-06-28
    Heimaey (Eldfell)
  2. 1963VEI 3Observed
    1963-11-08 – 1967-06-05
    Surtsey
  3. 1896VEI ?Observed
    1896-09-16 – end unknown
    South or SE of Hellisey
  4. 1637VEI ?Observed
    1637-10 – 1638-02-28
    SW of Heimaey ?
  5. 3950 BCE (±300 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    3950 BCE – end unknown
    Heimaey (Helgafell)
  6. 4270 BCE (±200 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    4270 BCE – end unknown
    Heimaey (Saefell tuff cone)
  7. 4550 BCE (±500 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    4550 BCE – end unknown
    Heimaey (Stórhöfdi tuff cone)
  8. 6050 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    6050 BCE – end unknown
    Alsey, Brandur, Sudurey, Hellisey
  9. 7550 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    7550 BCE – end unknown
    NW Heimaey (Nordurklettar)
  10. 8050 BCEVEI 4Geological estimate
    8050 BCE – end unknown
    NW Heimaey (Háin tuff ring)

Nearby volcanoes

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.