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Report on Eldey (Iceland) — December 1990


Eldey

Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 15, no. 12 (December 1990)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.

Eldey (Iceland) About 30 events near 61.7°N

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1990. Report on Eldey (Iceland) (McClelland, L., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 15:12. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199012-371022



Eldey

Iceland

63.733°N, 23°W; summit elev. 70 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


Another Reykjanes Ridge earthquake swarm began on 2 January. About 30 events were detected from its start at 1947 to its end the next morning. S-waves were rather indistinct, so the distance from Iceland was difficult to determine accurately, but epicenters were probably at roughly 61.7°N. None of the shocks was larger than M 4.

Geological Summary. The Eldey volcanic system is located on the northernmost part of the Reykjanes Ridge and is submarine with the exception of Eldey Island and the skerries (small rocky islands) Eldeyjardrangur, Geirfugladrangur, and Geirfuglasker. Maximum water depth within the system is about 250 m. Eldey has been moderately active in Holocene time. Characteristic activity consists of explosive submarine basaltic eruptions. Six small eruptions have been located within this system during the last 1,100 years, the last occurring in 1926 CE.

Information Contacts: Páll Einarsson

, Science Institute, Univ of Iceland, Dunhaga 5, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland.