After 800 years of silence, Iceland suddenly enters the age of volcanoes

Arab Weather - After a period of 800 years of silence, Iceland entered the "Age of Volcanoes" with a series of volcanic eruptions that began in 2021 and are still ongoing, indicating the possibility of these eruptions continuing for decades, and perhaps up to 200 years.

A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted, spraying red-hot lava and smoke in its sixth outbreak since December https://t.co/hxqjLPYRbz pic.twitter.com/s6GHmi5rcK

- Reuters (@Reuters) August 23, 2024

What suddenly triggered these volcanoes to erupt?

Since 2021, Iceland has witnessed increased volcanic activity, especially on the Reykjanes Peninsula. A recent study, published in the American journal Terra Nova, examined these first volcanic eruptions in Reykjanes in 2021, as well as the history of volcanic activity in Iceland.

The study, which was published in June, was a collaboration between several academic institutions, including the University of Oregon in the United States, Uppsala University in Sweden, the University of Iceland, the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the University of California, San Diego.

• Causes of volcanic activity

According to the study, the secret to the volcanic activity lies in Iceland's unique location on the border between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. These plates are in slow, constant motion, cracking the ground and allowing magma to rush to the surface in the form of lava.

• Time pattern of volcanic activity

According to experts, volcanic activity in Iceland follows a specific time pattern, with the peninsula entering a period of 800 years of dormancy, followed by 200 years of volcanic activity. After that, the area returns to another period of calm. This alternation occurs as a result of the separation of tectonic plates, where they become active for a certain period before stabilizing again.

See also:

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Sources: Websites