Geosphere Journal Entry
Geosphere Journal Entry
Volcano Erupts in Iceland (March 26, 2010)
False-color topographic map shows location of Iceland along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. USGS.
A volcano erupted near southern Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier, spitting fiery lava from a fissure on its slope. The eruption is the volcano's first in nearly 200 years. About 400 people were evacuated from nearby homes following the blast. The eruption showered ash on the town of Fljotshlid and stopped some air traffic.
Scientists are keeping a watchful eye on the volcano, found 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of the capital Reykjavik. They are concerned the movement of magma could trigger an eruption at the nearby Katla volcano. If Katla erupts, it could melt massive amount of ice from the glacier above it and threaten nearby towns.
Iceland lies along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge running the length of the Atlantic Ocean. In the Northern Hemisphere, the ridge marks a divergent tectonic plate boundary between the North American plate and the Eurasian plate. Magma bubbles up from Earth's mantle on the ocean floor along the plate boundary, pushing the two plates apart. Iceland formed from magma reaching the surface from a volcanic hotspot. The nation is the site of many active volcanoes, both on land and submerged offshore.
