Reykjanes volcanic system
Reykjanes with view of Reykjanesviti Lighthouse and beyond the Reykjanes Power Station to north-east
Highest point
Elevation93 m (305 ft)[1]
Coordinates63°49′12″N 22°41′24″W / 63.82000°N 22.69000°W / 63.82000; -22.69000[1]
Dimensions
Length45 km (28 mi)[2]
Width5–6 km (3.1–3.7 mi)[3]
Area25 km2 (9.7 sq mi)[4]
Naming
English translationsmoking point
Language of nameIcelandic
Geography
Reykjanes volcanic system is located in Iceland
Reykjanes volcanic system
Reykjanes volcanic system
Geology
Mountain typeVolcanic system
Last eruption1240 CE

Reykjanes (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈreiːcaˌnɛːs]) is a small headland on the southwestern tip of the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, giving the main peninsula its name.

As the name means "smoking point" due to volcanic activity of the Reykjanes volcanic system, there are also other peninsulas by this name in Iceland, e.g. the peninsula of Reykjanes in Ísafjarðardjúp.

Geography

The region is about nine kilometres (5+1⁄2 miles) to the south of Iceland's international airport.[5] It is about 25 km2 (9.7 sq mi)[4] and includes the Reykjanes volcanic system that extends in a linear fashion up its centre continuing to the north-east as the hill of Sýrfell at 93 m (305 ft) high.[1] Other volcanic systems of the Reykjanes volcanic belt could affect the Reykjanes region. Other hills associated with the system are Skálafell (Grindavíkurbær) with a height of 76 m (249 ft) in the south-west near the sea and Bæjarfell at 69 m (226 ft) high to its north.

The Reykjanesviti lighthouse is on Bæjarfell and is fairly frequently visited by tourists.[6]. The geothermal power station is inland from the lighthouse to its north-east.[7]

Valahnúkamöl is its south western cliff coast leading to Reykjanestá, the most south-western cape of the area.

Geology

Map of volcanic systems on the Reykjanes Peninsula. The Reykjanes system is marked here as number 1

The basaltic low relief lava shields of the Reykjanes volcanic system are typically more than 4500 years old, but towards the south there are more recent eruptive fissures,[8] with crater rows, tindars and hyaloclastite hills as well as parts of tuff cones near the south-west shoreline.[9] The offshore volcanoes have produced 15 different tephra layers in the region.[10] The volcano erupted for a 30 odd year period ending in 1240 CE.[11] In 1226 CE an explosive eruption off Reykjanes produced about 0.1 km3 (0.024 cu mi) of tephra with deposits up to 100 km (62 mi) away.[12] It also has lava dated to 2150 years ago and 3200 years ago.[11] The Reykjanes volcano has been classified historically with the active as of 2024 Eldvörp–Svartsengi volcano to its south-east as its rift system intersects this to the east in the Reykjanes volcanic belt[13] and the two volcanic systems are very similar, even though they have separate geothermal systems,and lava composition.[14] Recent studies tend to classify the Reykjanes volcanic system as a separate fissure volcano of the Reykjanes volcano belt.[15] This volcanic system marks the transition from the mainly extensional structure of the underwater Reykjanes Ridge of the Atlantic mid-oceanic ridge to a trans-tensional plate boundary in the Reykjanes Peninsula.[4] The 5–6 km (3.1–3.7 mi) wide Reykjanes volcanic system is in a rift zone,[3] which extends 45 km (28 mi), [2] including at least 9 km (5.6 mi) out to sea towards the Reykjanes Ridge.[16][2] Volcanic rock production has kept pace with rift extension and subsidence with at least ten eruptions in the 14,500 years since the area became ice free after the end of the last ice age.[3] Within the volcanic system there are active NE–SW dip-slip faults.[17] There are two main fissure swarm zones being in the north (Stampar) and south (Sýrfell). They are separated by about 2 km (1.2 mi), and their western parts have been active in the last three eruptive periods of the Reykjanes area.[18] [10]

The volcanic rocks are basalts, with picrite, or tholeiite characteritics.[14] The system has had its geothermal potential exploited.[3]

Most of the Reykjanes area is at risk of disruption from future eruptions and susceptibility maps have been published.[19]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "National Land Survey of Iceland : Sýrfell". Landmælingar Íslands. 28 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Sæmundsson, Sigurgeirsson & Friðleifsson 2020, The Reykjanes volcanic system.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Sæmundsson, Sigurgeirsson & Friðleifsson 2020, Abstract.
  4. 1 2 3 Sæmundsson, Sigurgeirsson & Friðleifsson 2020, Introduction.
  5. ↑ "Reykjanes". Global Volcanism Program. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  6. ↑ Andrésdóttir 2018, pp. 54–55.
  7. ↑ Andrésdóttir 2018, pp. 57.
  8. ↑ Andrésdóttir 2018, p. 28.
  9. ↑ Sigurgeirsson & Einarsson 2019, 2. Morphology and topography.
  10. 1 2 Sigurgeirsson & Einarsson 2019, 4. Eruption history and pattern.
  11. 1 2 Andrésdóttir 2018, p. 32.
  12. ↑ Sigurgeirsson & Einarsson 2019, 11. Largest known eruption.
  13. ↑ Andrésdóttir 2018, p. 30.
  14. 1 2 Sigurgeirsson & Einarsson 2019, 1. Geological setting and tectonic context.
  15. ↑ Sæmundsson, Sigurgeirsson & Friðleifsson 2020, Conclusions.
  16. ↑ Sigurgeirsson & Einarsson 2019, Short Description.
  17. ↑ Sæmundsson, Sigurgeirsson & Friðleifsson 2020, Faulting.
  18. ↑ Andrésdóttir 2018, p. 48.
  19. ↑ Andrésdóttir 2018, pp. 69–73.

Sources

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