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Reykjanes Volcano | John Seach
Iceland
63.88 N, 22.5 W
summit elevation 230 m
Shield Volcano
Reykjanes volcano is located in SW Iceland at the point where the Mid Atlantic Ridge meets the surface. The Reykjanes peninsula is covered with post glacial lava flows.
A large earthquake in 2000 lowered the water level in Lake Kleifarvatn by 5 metres. It has since been returning to normal. Krísuvík, close to the southern end of the lake and has hot springs, mud pots, boiling pools. Reykjanes volcano is popular with adventure tours.
2021 Earthquake swarm
During the first week of March 2021 an earthquake swarm occurred on the Reykjanes peninsula with 20,000 earthquakes detected in 6 days.
2020 Earthquake swarm
An earthquake swarm occurred under Reykjanes Volcano, west of Mt. Thorbjorn, beginning 21 January 2020. The largest earthquakes was 3.7. The earthquake swarm was accompanied by rapid inflationat a rate of 3-4 mm/d, with a total of 2 cm by 26 January. The amount of magma accumulation was estimated at 1 million cubic meters.
2014 Earthquakes
An earthquake swarm occurred on the Reykjanes peninsula and ridge on 4th April 2014.
Eruptions at Reykjanes
Eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula are grouped into distinct fissure swarms. There are four volcanoes on the peninsula - Reykjanes, Krísuvík, Brennisteinsfjoll, and Hengill. Eruptions on the peninsula produce shields (volume 1.1 cubic km) and fissures (volume 0.015 cubic km).
Reykjanes Geothermal system
The geothermal water at Reykjanes volcano is produced, and recharged, by the action of seawater with hot volcanic rocks.
The system is similar to seafloor hydrothermal systems.
Further reading
Peate, D.W., Baker, J.A., Jakobsson, S.P., Waight, T.E., Kent, A.J., Grassineau, N.V. and Skovgaard, A.C., 2009. Historic magmatism on the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland: a snap-shot of melt generation at a ridge segment. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 157(3), p.359.
Fridriksson, T., Kristjánsson, B.R., Ármannsson, H., Margrétardóttir, E., Ólafsdóttir, S. and Chiodini, G., 2006. CO2 emissions and heat flow through soil, fumaroles, and steam heated mud pools at the Reykjanes geothermal area, SW Iceland. Applied Geochemistry, 21(9), pp.1551-1569.
Reykjanes Volcano Eruptions
1210-1240