Bárðarbunga

Coordinates: 64°38′28″N 17°31′41″W / 64.64111°N 17.52806°W / 64.64111; -17.52806
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Bárðarbunga
Veiðivötn[1]
Highest point
Elevation2,000 m (6,600 ft)[a]
Prominence550 m (1,800 ft)
Coordinates64°38′28″N 17°31′41″W / 64.64111°N 17.52806°W / 64.64111; -17.52806
Geography
Bárðarbunga is located in Iceland
Bárðarbunga
Bárðarbunga
Map of Iceland showing the location of Bárðarbunga.
LocationVatnajökull, Iceland
Topo map
Map
Geological features near the Bárðarbunga central volcano (red outline). Shading also shows:   subglacial terrain above 1,100 m (3,600 ft),   seismically active areas between 1995 to 2007,    calderas, other   central volcanoes and   fissure swarms. Clicking on the image enables mouse-over with more detail.
Geology
Age of rockover 10,000 years
Mountain typeSubglacial volcano/Icelandic stratovolcano
Last eruption29 August 2014 to 27 February 2015

Bárðarbunga (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈpaurðarˌpuŋka] ),[4] is an active stratovolcano located under Vatnajökull in Vatnajökull National Park which is Iceland's most extensive glacier. The second highest mountain in Iceland, 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) above sea level, Bárðarbunga is also part of a volcanic system that is approximately 190 kilometres (120 mi) long and 25 kilometres (16 mi) wide.

Bárðarbunga erupted in late August 2014, the eruption style effusive, which is common in Iceland, but had not been seen for a few years. Lava covered the surrounding landscape near the Vatnajökull glacier.

The Vatnajökull glacier is home to 7 volcanos, all being active. The Grímsvötn volcano, which is the most active in Iceland, last erupted in May 2011. Bárðdarbunga is part of this system and is the second most active in it.

Description[edit]

Bárðarbunga is a subglacial stratovolcano[3] under the ice cap of Vatnajökull glacier in the Vatnajökull National Park in Iceland. It rises to about 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above sea level,[a] making it the second highest mountain in Iceland, being lower than Hvannadalshnjúkur. The caldera is about 65 km2 (25 sq mi),[1] up to 10 km (6.2 mi) wide and about 700 m (2,300 ft) deep.[3][5]: 154  The surrounding edges rise to 1,850 m (6,070 ft), but the base is on average close to 1,100 m (3,600 ft). The volcano is covered in ice to a depth of 850 m (2,790 ft), hiding the glacier-filled crater.[6] The associated volcanic system and fissure swarm is about 190 km (120 mi) long and 25 km (16 mi) wide.[1]

Bárðarbunga was a little-known volcano in Iceland due to its remote location and infrequent eruptions approximately once every 50 years, but recent studies have shown that many tephra layers originally thought to be from other volcanoes were ejected from Bárðarbunga.

Sustained seismic activity has been gradually increasing in Bárðarbunga and its associated northern fissure system for seven years starting in 2007 and leading to an eruption towards the end of 2014. This activity decreased after the Grímsvötn eruption in 2011, but later returned to a similar level as before the eruption. The previous eruption was in 1910. There has been frequent volcanic activity outside the glacier to the south-west in the highlands between Vatnajökull and Mýrdalsjökull, and also to the north-east toward Dyngjufjöll [ˈtɪɲcʏˌfjœtl̥].

The Bárðarbunga volcanic system is associated with a second central volcano Hamarinn which has been classified historically as part of a separate Loki-Fögrufjöll volcanic system.[5]: 155  Hamarinn is 20 km (12 mi) to the south-west of the Bárðarbunga central volcano.[1]

Etymology[edit]

Bárðarbunga is named after an early Icelandic settler named Gnúpa-Bárður [ˈknuːpa-ˌpaurðʏr̥], and literally translates as "Bárður's bulge" or "Bárður's bump" since "Bárðar" is the genitive case of "Bárður".[7]

Eruptions and notable activity[edit]

Throughout history there have been large eruptions every 250–600 years. In 1477, the largest known eruption from Bárðarbunga had a volcanic explosivity index (VEI) of 6; there is evidence of many smaller eruptions during the past 10,000 years.[3]

6600 BC[edit]

Þjórsá Lava, the largest Holocene lava flow on earth,[3] originated from Bárðarbunga about 8,600 years ago, with a total volume of 21[3] to 30 cubic kilometres and covering approximately 950 square kilometres.[8]

870[edit]

Many large eruptions have occurred south-west of the glacier; the first occurring since human settlement of Iceland was the Vatnaöldur eruption about 870 which had a volcanic explosivity index (VEI) of 4.[3]

1477[edit]

The Veiðivötn eruption in 1477 is the largest known Icelandic eruption, with a VEI of 6.[3]

1701–1864[edit]

Studies of tephra layers have shown that a number of eruptions have occurred beneath the glacier, probably in the north-east of the crater or in Bárðarbunga. There have also been smaller eruptions in an ice-free area of Dyngjuháls [ˈtiɲcʏˌhauls] to the north-east. Eruptions appear to follow a cycle: there were several eruptions in the glacier between 1701 and 1740 and since 1780.

1910 eruption[edit]

1910 was the last known significant eruption of the Bárðarbunga volcanic system before the 2014 eruptions.[2][1] It occurred in the Loki-Fögrufjöll volcano.[5]: 163 

1996[edit]

The Gjálp fissure vent eruption in 1996 revealed that an interaction may exist between Bárðarbunga and Grímsvötn. A strong earthquake in Bárðarbunga, about 5 on the Richter scale, is believed to have started the eruption in Gjálp. On the other hand, because the magma erupted showed strong connections to the Grímsvötn Volcanic System as petrology studies showed, the 1996 as well as a former eruption in the 1930s are thought to have taken place within Grímsvötn Volcanic system.[9]

2010[edit]

On 26 September 2010, an earthquake swarm was recorded with over 30 earthquakes measuring up to 3.7MW on the moment magnitude scale.[citation needed]

2014–2015[edit]

In August 2014, a swarm of around 1,600 earthquakes in 48-hours, with magnitudes up to 4.5MW, [10][11] was followed on 23 August by the USGS Aviation Color Codes being raised from orange to red, indicating an eruption in progress.[12] The following day, the aviation risk was lowered from red to orange and the statement that there was an eruption in progress was retracted.[13] However, later aerial observations of glacial depressions southeast of the volcano suggested that the now-retracted report of an eruption had been correct and that a short eruption did occur under the ice, but the lack of further melting indicated that this eruption had now ceased. Then, a new fissure eruption breached the surface between Bárðarbunga and Askja, in the Holuhraun lava field, in the early hours of 29 August.[14] This was followed by a second fissure eruption in the Holuhraun area, along the same volcanic fissure, which started shortly after 4 am on 31 August.[15]

The eruption emitted large volumes of sulphur dioxide and impacted air quality in Iceland. There was no effect on flights outside of the immediate vicinity as the eruption hadn't produced a significant amount of volcanic ash.

On February 28, 2015 it was officially reported that the eruption was over.[16] Nevertheless, the gas pollution still existed, and the area north of Bárðarbunga, including volcanoes Askja and Herðubreið, still remained closed for visitors.

On March 16, 2015 the area north of Bárðarbunga was opened for visitors, excluding the new lava field and the area within 20 metres around it.[17]

1950 Geysir air crash[edit]

On 14 September 1950 a Douglas C-54 Skymaster aircraft belonging to the Icelandic airline Loftleiðir crash landed on the Vatnajökull glacier at Bárðarbunga during a cargo flight from Luxembourg to Reykjavík.[18] There were no fatalities, but damaged radio equipment left them unable to communicate their location. After two days the crew managed to reach the emergency transmitter in the plane's rubber liferaft and send out an distress call which was picked up by the Icelandic Coast Guard vessel Ægir. The same day a search and rescue Catalina aircraft, named Vestfirðingur, spotted them. The C-54's cargo included the body of a deceased United States Air Force (USAF) colonel, prompting American assistance. A USAF C-47 equipped with skis landed on the glacier but was unable to take off again, so it had to be abandoned. After six days both crews were rescued by a ski-patrol from Akureyri. Later Loftleiðir bought the stranded C-47 from the USAF for $700.[19] In April 1951 it was dug out of the snow and towed down the mountain by two bulldozers, where it was started and flown to Reykjavík.[18][20][21]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b This article previously had a height of 2009 m which was a historical figure prior to the 2014 events.[2] As of March 2024 this source and others have been corrected to about 2000 m.[3][1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Larsen, Guðrún; Guðmundsson, Magnús T. (2019). "Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes:Bárðarbunga Alternative name: Veiðivötn". Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b Larsen, G.; Gudmundsson, M.T. (2014). "The Bárðarbunga System, pre-publication extract from The Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes" (PDF). vedur.is.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Bárdarbunga". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
  4. ^ mbl.is (22 May 2011). "How To Pronounce "Bárðarbunga"". YouTube.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  5. ^ a b c Björnsson, H.; Einarsson, P. (1990). "Volcanoes beneath Vatnajökull, Iceland: Evidence from radio echo-sounding, earthquakes and jökulhlaups" (PDF). Jökull. 40: 147–168. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  6. ^ "What is Bárðarbunga? | News".
  7. ^ "Stofnun Árna Magnússonar – í íslenskum fraedum. Bárðarbunga". Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  8. ^ Árni Hjartarson 1988: „Þjórsárhraunið mikla – stærsta nútímahraun jarðar“. Náttúrufræðingurinn 58: 1–16.
  9. ^ See eg.: Elín Margrét Magnúsdóttir: Gjóska úr Grímsvötnum 2011 og Bárðarbungu 2014-2015 : Ásýndar- ogkornastærðargreining. BS ritgerð. Jarðvísindadeild Háskóli Íslands (2017) (in Icelandic, abstract also in English) Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  10. ^ "1.600 earthquakes in 48 hours". www.mbl.is. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Activity in Bárðarbunga volcano – News". En.vedur.is. Icelandic Meteorological Office. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  12. ^ Icelandic Met Office (23 August 2014). "Bárðarbunga – updated information". Icelandic Meteorological Office. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  13. ^ BBC (24 August 2014). "Iceland volcano: Aviation risk level from Bardarbunga lowered". BBC. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  14. ^ "Eruption Started Between Barðarbunga and Askja in Iceland". Wired.com. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  15. ^ "Scientists: Bigger Eruption, Moves North. 500 Earthquakes". Icelandreview.com. 31 August 2014. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  16. ^ 28 February 2015 12:00 – declaration from the Scientific Advisory Board
  17. ^ Reduction of the access controlled area north of Vatnajökull
  18. ^ a b "ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-54B-20-DO (DC-4) TF-RVC Vatnajökull Glacier". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  19. ^ Boyes, Roger (29 September 2009). Meltdown Iceland: Lessons on the World Financial Crisis from a Small Bankrupt Island. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 9781608190188.
  20. ^ "Timeline of the search for the Geysir at gopfrettir.net (in Icelandic)". Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  21. ^ Háskólabókasafn, Landsbókasafn Íslands-. "Tímarit.is". timarit.is. Retrieved 13 April 2023.

External links[edit]