Eyjafjallajökull: Iceland’s Volcano and Glacier Combo

Eyjafjallajökull is probably one of the sites that most represent what being the Land of Fire and Ice is all about. As both a volcano and glacier, it’s the best way to experience the contrasting landscape that makes Iceland so unique.

Whether it’s Eyjafjallajökull’s frosty or fiery side that attracts you the most, this article will tell you everything there is to know about this incredible volcano glacier combo and how best to prepare for your trip.

Eyjafjallajökull: An Introduction

Even the name itself gives clues to this fire and ice combo. “Eyja” loosely translates to “islands”. “Fjall” loosely translates to “mountains”. “Jökull” loosely translates to “glacier”. And even though a breakdown of the name based on these facts loosely translates to “the mountain of the islands”, a more direct translation of Eyja-fjalla-jökull is islands-mountains-glacier. Below, we give a brief overview of the volcano and the glacier:

A Brief Overview of Eyjafjallajökull Volcano

Eyjafjallajökull (also referred to as the E15 Volcano) is a stratovolcano that stands 1.6 kilometers high, with a crater of roughly 3 to 4 kilometers in diameter. The volcano can be found in the southern part of Iceland near the small town of Hvolsvöller, about 110 kilometers southwest of the capital city of Reykjavik.

A Brief Overview of Eyjafjallajökull Glacier

Needless to say, the Eyjafjallajökull Glacier sits over 1.6 meters high and covers 100 square kilometers, which includes Eyjafjallajökull Volcano. Just like the volcano, visitors can explore its icy surface in all sorts of exciting ways. But this will have to be via guided tour due to safety concerns.

Eyjafjallajökull Volcano: A Geological Breakdown

Very few people know exactly what it means when we say that Eyjafjallajökull is a stratovolcano. A stratovolcano is a mountain-like volcano that consists of many layers of lava and debris, hardened over time. It is this layered structure that is directly responsible for these types of volcanos not erupting for extended periods of time – they can hold an incredible amount of pressure underneath the surface.

Stratovolcanoes are the type of volcanoes most frequently found here in Iceland. Interestingly, they can erupt in different ways: either via a summit eruption (the explosive eruption most envision when thinking about a volcano) or via a fissure (which is essentially a tear in the earth’s surface where lava, steam, etc. from the volcanic system underneath starts to come out.

The Risks of a Stratovolcano

Stratovolcanoes are fascinating geological phenomena. Most will connect lava with a volcano’s danger. This is not the case with a stratovolcano. Even though a stratovolcano eruption will still have lava (and lava will always have an element of danger to it) lava from a stratovolcano has a high viscosity. This makes it move slowly and harden quickly.

The biggest risks or concerns during a stratovolcano eruption are volcanic ash, earthquakes, and mudflows. With stratovolcanoes such as Eyjafjallajökull, other concerns are glacial flooding and explosive steam columns carrying ash and other harmful compounds into the air. The ash and compounds can actually be carried very far by the wind, making its impact much further than just the original eruption site and immediate surroundings.

Eyjafjallajökull’s Eruption History

From past to present, here’s a quick breakdown of all the major Eyjafjallajökull Volcano eruptions:

Historic Eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull Volcano

Eyjafjallajökull entered the scene in the late 800s, and the volcano has been active for over 8000 years. In all these years, there have only been four noteworthy eruptions, which makes Eyjafjallajökull fairly tame compared to some others on the island. They were:

• 920 – A fissure eruption with lava slowly leaking out.

• 1612 – A minor summit eruption that didn’t cause too much disruption (many argue that this was merely because not many people were settled in the area back then).

• 1821 – A major summit eruption that essentially ended up lasting for 14 months ‘till 1823. While there were eruptions throughout, it was only the initial eruption of the first few days that caused any real disruption. For the rest of the “eruption”, people were mostly carrying on as per usual.

Ultimately, the environment ended up being the real victim of these eruptions, and it was only discovered hundreds of years later. With advancements in technology, it was discovered that the gases and ash from these eruptions carried incredibly high levels of fluoride, which led to fluoride poisoning on nearby farms.

This obviously also had far-reaching consequences since not only the farmers and their families were impacted, but also their produce and the people who consumed it.

Recent Eruptions: 2010

There has only been one eruption in recent years, but this one has given Eyjafjallajökull a pretty bad international rap as the troublemaker of Iceland. With it having such a massive impact globally, it’s almost hard to believe that the entire ordeal began and ended between March and June.

It initially started as 3000 small earthquakes were recorded 7 kilometers underneath the ground, right at the epicenter of the volcano. Everyone was waiting with bated breath, but when the first eruption occurred, it didn’t even come close to what was expected. As Icelanders gave a sigh of relief, a second eruption occurred, and this one would end up being one of the most famous eruptions ever to have occurred in Iceland.

Remember when we talked about the risks and concerns of stratovolcanoes? Well, the second eruption occurred underneath Eyjafjallajökull Glacier, flinging staggering amounts of ash into the air and causing electrical storms around the volcano.

The Impact of the 2010 Eruption

The 2010 eruption had a local as well as a global impact:

Local Effects

As can be expected, the Eyjafjallajökull eruption led to mass evacuations in the immediate and surrounding regions, and all airports came to a complete standstill as smoke and ash darkened the sky overhead. There was widescale damage to homes and roads, there were service disruptions, and crops were completely destroyed by the ash (the latter having an immense impact on the economy and the general resources available to the island and its inhabitants).

Since roughly 150,000 tonnes of CO2 was released by the volcano each day, it soon added up to more than 4.5 million tonnes over the span of the eruption, having a major impact on the environment. Residents also didn’t just suffer displacement, but research has shown that the 2010 eruption took a toll on their health, both physical and mental.

It probably doesn’t take much to imagine why a major volcanic eruption would cause all sorts of stress and anxiety and put a strain on your mental health. But it was the long-term health effects that many didn’t see coming. Those who inhaled the smoke, ash, and other hazardous compounds still struggle with respiratory issues today.

Global Disruption

The amount of ash and smoke was of such a magnitude that the European aviation authorities had to cancel all European flights for 5 days after the eruption. To put this massive disruption into perspective, it meant that more than 100,000 flights were canceled, leaving 7 million people stranded, and costing billions of Euros in damages to the airports and airlines. When one starts taking the money that would’ve been spent in the various destinations into account, the scale of the overall economic loss is almost unimaginable.

Volcanic Monitoring of Eyjafjallajökull

With all our other active volcanoes here in Iceland, they are monitored constantly. Scientists use various tools and equipment to do so, such as networks of Global Positioning System (GPS) stations operated by the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) where one can find real-time data on all volcanic activity (or lack thereof).

There are also real-time gauging stations in glacial rivers that are constantly monitoring discharge and geothermal signals (for example, a sudden spike in temperature could mean trouble). This does not even include the basic local know-how of a population that’s lived with these extreme elements for thousands of years.

Locals can also spot the signs a mile away. Once volcanic activity kicks off, there are a myriad of contingency plans in place to safeguard the island and its people. C-and-X band radars track the plumes, the Environment Agency of Iceland immediately begins to closely monitor the air quality and gas concentrations, and the Civil Protection Department of the Icelandic Police Commissioner gets deployed to offer aid and assistance on the ground.

And, as the saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work, and various authorities and organizations across the island will be in constant communication, sharing their knowledge and expertise.

These include the Nordic Volcanological Center at the Institute of Earth Sciences of the University of Iceland, the IMO, and the Science Advisory Board of the Civil Protection Department. With modern technology and various digital tools, communication is also easily streamlined between the various parties.

Eyjafjallajökull Volcanic Explosivity Index

The Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) is similar to what the Richter scale is to earthquakes: it measures the magnitude and intensity. In the case of volcanoes, it consists of 8 classifications, each representing an increase in size and intensity. Each classification is made based on factors such as the following:

• The volume of the magma.

• The eruption column height (only for explosive eruptions).

• The correlation between the eruption column height, the intensity of the eruption, or the rate of the eruption.

The VEI scale looks as follows:

• 0 – Effusive

• 1 – Severe

• 2 – Explosive

• 3 – Catastrophic

• 4 – Cataclysmic

• 5 – Paroxysmal

• 6 – Colossal

• 7 – Mega-colossal

• 8 – Apocalyptic

In terms of the Eyjafjallajökull 2010 eruption, it clocked in at only 3 on the VEI. To put this into perspective even further, we have about 15 eruptions like these in Iceland each year. So, why did Eyjafjallajökull cause such a fuss? Well, firstly, many of our eruptions never make it onto the headlines since they occur in areas that are not densely populated.

Secondly, the Eyjafjallajökull 2010 eruption was like a perfect storm. It really wasn’t just the eruption itself to blame for the aftermath. While there was a lot of ash and smoke spewing out from the volcano, it was the combination of super fine ash, the persistence of the continued eruption, and strong winds blowing in the direction of Europe that resulted in such an infamous eruption.

The Eyjafjallajökull Hike

There is a very popular trail among avid hikers that allows you to explore Eyjafjallajökull. But when we say avid hikers, we really mean it. This trail is extremely tough and not for the faint of heart. You will also need proper climbing gear, crampons, trekking poles, etc. to take on the extremely steep, muddy, and slippery slopes (no pun intended). This is a loop trail that’s just over 17 kilometers long, and begins and ends in the Seljavallalaug parking lot.

Other Attractions Near Eyjafjallajökull

If you would like to add a few other interesting sights and activities around Eyjafjallajökull to your trip itinerary while there, you can consider the following:

• Katla Volcano (Eyjafjallajökull is actually part of the Katla volcanic system)

• Hekla Volcano (another volcano nearby with a bit of a reputation, nicknamed “the gateway to hell”)

• Skogafoss Waterfall

• Thorsmork Hike

• The Town of Hvolsvöllur

• The Fimmvörduhals Trail (this is a multi-day trek, that will get you to the Eyjafjallajökull eruption site of 2010)

• Dyrholaey

• Myrdallsjökull Glacier

• Vik I Myrdal

Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Eyjafjallajökull for quick referencing:

What Type of Volcano is Eyjafjallajökull?

Eyjafjallajökull Volcano is a stratovolcano.

How Tall is Eyjafjallajökull?

Eyjafjallajökull’s height is 1,651 meters.

How Old is Eyjafjallajökull Volcano?

Eyjafjallajökull Volcano is a staggering 800,000 years old!

Why is it sometimes referred to as Mount Eyjafjallajökull?

There are numerous reasons why people would sometimes refer to Eyjafjallajökull as Mount Eyjafjallajökull. It could be because of the meaning of the name “the island’s mountain glacier”, or it could be because it resembles a mountain and one can hike it, or it could be that people are just confusing certain parts since the volcano forms part of the Eyjfajöll Mountains.

Where is Eyjafjallajökull Located?

Eyjafjallajökull’s location is in South Iceland and lies between Myrdalsjökull Glacier and Skogafoss, just 5 kilometers off the southern Atlantic coast.

Can You Visit Eyjafjallajökull?

Yes, you can visit Eyjafjallajökull. There are numerous ways to do so. You can either take a drive to just admire Eyjafjallajökull from afar, you can take on one of the hiking trails, or book a spot on one of the various guided tours.

Is Eyjafjallajökull Active?

Yes, Eyjafjallajökull is officially an active volcano here in Iceland.

When was Eyjafjallajökull’s Last Eruption?

Eyjafjallajökull’s last eruption was in 2010.

Eyjafjallajökull is a Must-Visit Sit

This fiery volcano and icy glacier are not to be missed, and exploring Eyjafjallajökull as the ultimate representative of the Land of Fire and Ice is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So, rent a car in Iceland, pack up, fuel up, and head out to Eyjafjallajökull where you’re sure to have a jaw-dropping adventure.