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Þeistareykjarbunga

Theistareykir

Shield volcano · Iceland · 563m

Stóravíti crater, seen here from the SE, is 600 m across and 140 m deep. It is located in the summit area of the Holocene Theistareykjarbunga shield volcano, part of the northernmost subaerial volcanic system along the Eastern Volcanic Zone of Iceland. The youngest dated eruption in this system produced the Theistareykjahraun lava flow about 2,400 years ago.
Stóravíti crater, seen here from the SE, is 600 m across and 140 m deep. It is located in the summit area of the Holocene Theistareykjarbunga shield volcano, part of the northernmost subaerial volcanic system along the Eastern Volcanic Zone of Iceland. The youngest dated eruption in this system produced the Theistareykjahraun lava flow about 2,400 years ago. · Photo: Photo by Michael Ryan, 1984 (U.S. Geological Survey).
Type
Shield volcano
Country
Iceland
Region
Atlantic Ocean Volcanic Regions / Iceland Neovolcanic Rift Volcanic Province
Elevation
563m
Coordinates
65.883, -16.967
Last eruption
-900
Tectonic setting
Rift zone / Oceanic crust (< 15 km)
Landform
Shield
Major rock type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Geological summary

The Holocene Theistareykir fissure system, including the basaltic Theistareykjarbunga shield volcano, extends from north of Myvatn lake to the coast of Iceland. This is the northernmost subaerial volcanic system along the Eastern Volcanic Zone of Iceland. The 30 km3 Theistareykjarbunga shield volcano formed slightly after deglaciation; the youngest dated eruption produced the Theistareykjahraun lava flow about 2,400 years ago.

From Wikipedia

Theistareykjarbunga is a shield volcano in north-eastern Iceland with two fissure vents called Þeistareykjahraun and Borgahraun, and two cones: the 370 m (1,210 ft) Stórahversmór and the 540 m (1,770 ft), 30 km3 (7.2 cu mi) Stóravíti. They both are currently extinct, although there is evidence suggesting the potential for activity such as recent localised uplift and seismicity. The multiple vents make up the Theistareykir (Þeistareykir) volcanic system, with more recent evidence that the former classification as a shield volcano is better considered an embryonic central volcano with associated fissure swarm, as rhyolite has erupted in a limited area. The recent lava has picrite, olivine tholeiite basalt characteristics but before the ice age there were basaltic andesite and rhyolite eruptions. There is a central high temperature geothermal area with numerous steam vents and fumaroles. This has been utilised by a 90 MWe power station.

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Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
9500 BCE~9213 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 06920 BCE~6633 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 01187 BCE~900 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 09500 BCE7493 BCE5200 BCE3193 BCE1187 BCE

Detailed timeline

  1. 900 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI 0Geological estimate
    BCE 900 – Ongoing
    Storihver (Theistareykjahraun)
  2. 6800 BCEVEI 0Geological estimate
    BCE 6800 – Ongoing
    Borgarhraun and other flows
  3. 9500 BCEVEI 0Geological estimate
    BCE 9500 – Ongoing
    Theistareykjabunga shield volcano

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.