| Sundhnúkur | |
|---|---|
 The 2023 eruption taken by the Icelandic Meteorological Office on 18 December 2023 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 134 m (440 ft)[1] |
| Coordinates | 63°52′25″N 22°23′50″W / 63.8736877°N 22.3971692°W[1] |
| Geography | |
  Sundhnúkur | |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Crater row, fissure vents |
| Last eruption | 2023–2024 (ongoing) |
Sundhnúkur (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈsʏntˌn̥uːkʏr̥]) is a volcanic hill,[1] within its associated crater row and volcanic fissures (Sundhnúksgígaröðin [ˈsʏntˌn̥uksˌciːɣaˌrœːðɪn]) in the Svartsengi volcanic system, part of the Reykjanes Peninsula rift zone of Iceland.[2] It is the location of the 2023–2024 Sundhnúkur eruptions.
Geology
The region has basalt lava shields with the larger ones being tholeiitic and smaller ones being picritic or tholeiitic. The hills are hyaloclastite table mountains or ridges and pillow lava mounds.[3]: 718 The previous lava eruption from the Sundhnúkur crater row has been dated at 2350±90 BP,[3]: 719 and was of basaltic ʻaʻā type.[4]: 26 The lava field that erupted prior to 2023 extends north-east from Grindavík in the south with the fissures and Sundhnúkur crater row extending 8.3 km (5.2 mi) at strike of 35°.[3]: 720 This takes the fissure system past the older mountains of Hagafell to its east and Svartsengisfell to its west.[3]: 719 The crater row is usually now classified as part of the Eldvörp–Svartsengi or Svartsengi volcanic system[5] which is part of the Reykjanes volcanic belt. There are previous classifications that included the volcano in the Reykjanes volcanic system and what was termed the Grindavik volcanic fissure system.[3]: 718
18 December 2023 eruption
On the evening of 18 December 2023, a volcanic eruption occurred at Sundhnúkur north of Grindavík,[6] with images showing lava spewing from fissures in the ground.[7] The intensity of the eruption and accompanying seismic activity which preceded it decreased early on 19 December, with lava seen spreading laterally from both sides of the newly opened fissures.[8]
Iceland's Meteorological Office said the eruption occurred at around 22:17 GMT following a series of small earthquakes at around 21:00.[9] It pinpointed the origin of the eruption near Hagafell,[10] about 4 km (2.5 mi) north-east of Grindavík, and noted that the eruption stemmed from a fissure with a length of about 3.5 km (2.2 mi), with lava flowing at a rate of around 100 to 200 cubic metres per second, adding that seismic activity appeared to be moving towards the direction of Grindavík. An Icelandic Civil Defence official told the public broadcaster RÚV that the eruption had happened quickly and appeared to be "quite a large event".[11] The eruption was described as the largest in the area since the beginning of activity in 2021,[8] and was visible as far away as the capital Reykjavík, 42 km (26 mi) away.[11]
By 19 December, the scent of smoke and ash was detected as far as 30 km (19 mi) from the eruption site, raising fears that volcanic gases could reach Reykjavík by the next day.[12]
2024 eruptions
The eruptions continued into 2024. An eruption started on 14th January 2024,[13] lasting two days, with property damage, including to the town of Grindavík.[14] The next eruption commenced on the 8th February 2024, [15] and finished the next day with road and hot water supply infrastructure damage.[16] Another eruption began on 16 March 2024 that lasted for an unusually long period of time.[17] The eruption was initially a row of fissures, but has since then been confined to 1 crater.
As of 25 April 2024, land uplift has continued after almost grinding to a complete halt at the start on the March 16 eruption.
See also
References
- ^ a b c "National Land Survey of Iceland (Landmælingar Íslands – Kortasja):Sundhnúkur". Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Jenness, Maria H.; Clifton, Amy E. (September 2009). "Controls on the geometry of a Holocene crater row: a field study from southwest Iceland". Bulletin of Volcanology. 71 (7): 715–728. Bibcode:2009BVol...71..715J. doi:10.1007/s00445-009-0267-9. S2CID 128405263.
- ^ a b c d e Jenness, M.H.; Clifton, A.E. (2009). "Controls on the geometry of a Holocene crater row: a field study from southwest Iceland". Bulletin of Volcanology. 71 (7): 715–728. Bibcode:2009BVol...71..715J. doi:10.1007/s00445-009-0267-9. S2CID 128405263.
- ^ Runnals, K.T. (2011). The Vogar Fissure Swarm, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland: Aseismic Kinematics of an Oblique Rift Zone. Bachelor of Science Honours thesis (Thesis). Bates College, Lewiston, Maine. pp. 1–89. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Sigurgeirsson, Magnús Á.; Sigmundur, Einarsson (2019). "Reykjanes and Svartsengi volcanic systems". Icelandic Meteorological Office, Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland, Civil Protection Department of the National Commissioner of the Iceland Police. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Eruption on Reykjanes Peninsula". RÚV English. 18 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
- ^ "Iceland volcano: eruption begins on Reykjanes peninsula after weeks of activity". The Guardian. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Volcano erupts on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula weeks after town evacuated". CNN. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Iceland volcano erupts south of the capital Reykjavik following earthquake swarm". France 24. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Volcano erupts on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula". CNN. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Iceland volcano erupts on Reykjanes peninsula". BBC. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Iceland volcano: Pollution warning for capital after eruption". BBC. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
- ^ "An eruption has started". IMO. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "Land uplift continues at Svartsengi". IMO. 17 January 2024. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "A volcanic eruption has started at the Sundhnúksgígar crater row". IMO. 8 February 2024. Archived from the original on 8 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "No signs of eruptive activity". IMO. 8 February 2024. Archived from the original on 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "The Activity of the Eruption Has Decreased". IMO. 18 March 2024. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
This page was last edited on 24 April 2024, at 19:55