NOT DOING Volcanic Hazards - living in Iceland

Iceland

located 64 degrees north or equator
oct-apr, average temp = around freezing

- rift valleys, craters, cone shape peaks

DIVERGENT (CONSTRUCTIVE) plate margin
- magma is forced upwards as new crust is created

HOTSPOTS/MAGMA PLUMES
concentrated radiogenic heat forcing magma through crust

Iceland volcanoes

30 volcanic systems
25% are active

fissures, craters, lava shields, cones, calderas and explosion pits

- location affects the nature and the impact of the volcano

Eyjafjallajokull eruption

20th march, 2010

features = fissures, craters, lava shields, cones, calderas, explosion pis
has been dormant for almost 200 years

PHRATIC MAGMATIC ERUPTION

Phreatic-magmatic eruption

lava and water are erupted

why people live in Iceland

1. fertile + flat land for farming
(mineral rich ash washed down)

2. hot water to heat houses
(generates electricity, limitless supply of geothermal energy for hot water supplies)

3. geothermal energy and power-Amy provides low cost hot water and heating for around 10,000 houses in Reykjavik

4. increase in tourism (around 500,000 a year) provides jobs for locals and improves economy (blue lagoon)

5. waterfalls, hot springs, guider and volcanic landscape provides beautiful views

Impacts of Eyjafjallajokull

lava ejected out of a 500m fissure, lava fountains continued to erupt for 3 weeks
(lava = basaltic, travelled further distance)

large quantities of glacial ice melted rapidly by eruption and caused melt water to race down mountains, destroying roads, bridges, pipes, infrastructure
--> brought tonnes of debris with it, farming + grazing land covered in rubble

rising magma cooled from glacial water and fragmented, forming tiny particles of ash fallout
--> clogged machinery, caused respiratory problems, covered land, disrupted air traffic
(100,000 flights cancelled/suspended)

more than 3 years after eruption, ash storms continued to disrupt peoples lives

fishing town of Heimaey

1973, volcano began to erupt above fishing port and lava engulfed the town over the next 2 months
- changed the shape of town + buried it in lava

destroyed 100 houses
made island inhabitable

of the 5,400 people, 1 in 3 chose not to return

reducing impacts of volcanoes Iceland

1. well rehearsed evacuation plans, 30 mins to leave the house, 3 hours to fully evacuate area, 1000 people evacuated

2. 4 safe zones in area + plan looked over regularly (1 week before 2010 eruption)

3. animals kept in barns supplied with water and hay so that they could survive on own for 3 days

4. evacuation routes planned away from potential flood risk zones and rivers

5. advanced warnings for residents due to GPS monitoring stations detecting the changes in height of land

6. seismic activity monitored within crust so that when ground deforms, able to pinpoint it to particular point

7. levees + removing material from flood routes to channel melt water efficiently

8. dams widened and filled with water to slow and cool lava - protect property

9. 3d ash modelling and meteorologist forecasting to monitor impacts on air travel

Opportunities of living in Iceland

1. transformed economy and lives

2. ash causes fertile soil, minerals help plants so crop yield is improved

3. more tourist attracted to area, 2011 opened tourist centre with shops and cinema

4. data centres relocated to Iceland as climate means computer systems don't need expensive air conditioning to function
(+ low cost electricity)

5. hydroelectric sources + geothermal energy - reliable and green

6. connect Iceland to European market via submarine interconnectors

challenges of living in Iceland

1. rural depopulation, many move to reykjavik for jobs and increased economic activity

2. ash difficult to get rid of and covers roofs, cause collapse + cause respiratory problems if inhaled

3. more tourist could damage natural environment of Iceland, reduce biodiversity or exploit resources (fish)

4. developing new hydro and geothermal power stations may have damaging environments impacts